Balbuena leads a free dance workshop at The Gallery of Ayala Center Cebu. CDN Digital photo | Michelle Joy Padayhag
Cebu City, Philippines – Katrina Jo Balbuena is another proof that Cebuanos are indeed world-class performers.
The 32-year-old Balbuena is a noted name in the dancing industry as she became a part of the San Diego Charger Girls, a cheerleading squad for the National Football League (NFL) in 2006, and also was once the dance captain of the Los Angeles Clippers Spirit Dance Team in the Natåional Basketball Association (NBA).
She has also had stints with international performers like Ludacris, Mariah Carey, Missy Elliot, GooGoo Dolls, and The Pussycat Dolls.
Filipino-American dancer Katrina Jo Balbuena. CDN Digital photo | Michele Joy Padayhag
Balbuena went beyond dancing in 2008 when she opened GlamGirlsLA, a promotional model and dancer company.
Balbuena has surely come a long way, but she hasn’t forgotten her Cebuano roots. In fact, she said she loves coming home every now and then.
“I love the culture. Everyone here is welcoming. I love the food,” she told Cebu Entertainment Group in an interview.
Balbuena is born from a Cebuana mother and an African-American father.
Her mother is from Samboan, southwest Cebu who moved to California in 1980 to work in an engineering company.
Every time she comes home, Balbuena looks forward to seeing her relatives in Samboan and eating favorite local dishes such as like tocino, lumpia, pansit, kutsinta, binignit, tsokolate, and buko pandan.
Giving back to Cebuanos
But her recent vacation in Cebu was not just about visiting her families and eating her favorite Filipino food. She made it a point that she’d be able to share her talent to her fellow Cebuanos.
On January 24, Thursday, she organized a free dance workshop at The Gallery of Ayala Center Cebu attended by 50 people.
“I think it is important to share the same love and passion to people,” she said.
She shared a dance routine of Calvin Harris’ “This Is What You Came For.”
For aspiring dancers, she encouraged them to hold on to their passion.
“There will be lot of roadblocks ahead but keep going. Keep training and stay disciplined. Be dedicated and for sure you will reach your goal,” she said.
This is her third time in the Philippines but it was her first time to experience Sinulog Festival in the Queen City of the South.
Born in Fremont, California, Balbuena began dancing at the age of three.
“My mom said I could not stop dancing at the house. So she put me into a dance class,” she said.
Balbuena learned ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, lyrical, modern, and hip-hop dance styles. /bjo