Bb. Pilipinas’ ‘Best Dancer’ only had 2 days to rehearse talent routine

Binibini 34 Christine Juliane Opiaza of Zambales. Image: Philippine Daily Inquirer/Armin P. Adina

MANILA, Philippines — Christine Juliane Opiaza delivered an explosive modern belly dance routine when she participated in the talent competition of the 2022 Binibining Pilipinas pageant.

With her masterful execution of an impressive choreography to a medley of Pussycat Dolls hits, people would surmise she had been rehearsing for weeks. But that was not the case.

“We only practiced for two days, me and my backup dancers,” she told the Inquirer at the sidelines of the pageant’s press presentation held at the Novotel Manila Araneta City in Quezon City on July 5.

The talent competition was held at the New Frontier Theater at the Araneta City in Quezon City on June 23, just two days after Opiaza was chosen as the “Best Dancer” during the pageant’s P-pop dance workshop.

“That added to the pressure. As ‘best dancer,’ you should do a great performance. And that was exactly my goal, to give a great performance during the talent competition. So I hope I made everyone proud also, and enjoyed the performance,” she shared.

The candidate from Zambales told the Inquirer she only decided on what to perform for the talent competition on the day of the workshop. She approached one of her team members, Nicole Manaquil who also does her hair, to choreograph a routine, incorporating movements she wanted to include in the presentation.

Opiaza credits her dance background for the impressive showing she made with her routine.

“Not everyone knows I was part of a hiphop dance group before, when I was really, really young, from elementary to high school. But my genre was hiphop and crumping. Perhaps having the basics of dancing contributed to my performance,” she said.

The former Miss Bikini Philippines titleholder also said she did not expect the reaction her performance received.

“I only had a short period of time to practice. And I knew I only had a few supporters present during that time,” Opiaza shared. “I’m a kind of perfectionist when I dance. On the day of the competition, I just rehearsed and rehearsed backstage. I told myself that all I want was a beautiful performance.”

Perhaps enjoying herself onstage did the trick, as she said, “It felt as if I was in a dance competition, and I also felt the energy from the people.”

The dusky beauty will once again show her impressive moves in the opening number of the 2022 Bb. Pilipinas grand coronation night where the 40 candidates are expected to dance. The finals will be staged at the Smart Araneta Coliseum at the Araneta City in Quezon City on July 31. Viewers may watch it live on the Kapamilya Channel, Metro Channel, TV5 and A2Z, or watch it real-time via iWantTFC or the pageant’s official YouTube channel.

Four crowns are at stake — Bb. Pilipinas International, Bb. Pilipinas Intercontinental, Bb. Pilipinas Globe and Bb. Pilipinas Grand International. JB

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