Dancers find distraction from ennui of lockdown

Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold medalist Ana Nualla had two Zoom meetings scheduled on Friday. Both were from sports psychologists from the Philippine Sports Commission.

The online meetings, according to her, are designed to make sure national athletes cope with the quarantine stresses by managing their fear and anxiety.

“Fortunately, so far I [have] handled the situation well,” said the 28-year-old Nualla, who along with partner Sean Aranar, captured three gold medals in dancesports in last year’s SEA Games.

She’s found a way to cope. Nualla and Aranar have opened two businesses while in quarantine.

Already running a food delivery business that offers healthy alternatives, Nualla and Aranar have also put up a disinfecting/fogging service that helps in controlling the pandemic.

“We are really desperate to start training and compete again,” said Nualla. “But everything is [on hold] until further notice. And we don’t want to just wait. We felt we [needed] to do something.”

So while running their businesses, Nualla and Aranar continue to work out to stay fit. “We also try to dance together (online) but of course we can’t practice our routines because we need a big space.”

Loosened restrictions nowadays mean the pair can already visit each other.

Nualla said she wishes competitions can resume here like it has in Europe.

“We are willing to perform even without audience,” she said. “But then again, before competition we need to be allowed to practice first.”