March 26, 2021

There’s definitely more than what meets the core—it is a magnet that pulls and influences our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Since March 2017, Carlon Josol has been mixing dance and fitness as a form of exercise in Core and More with Carlon. In a webinar entitled Dance Fitness: Staying in Shape the Fun Way with Carlon Josol last March 14, he talks about his journey as a dancer-choreographer and why dance could never be more alive amidst today’s pandemic setting. 

Upon hearing his name, we may not be aware that we danced to his “3 Pataas” choreography for Bonakid’s iconic commercial. Also the brilliant mind behind the choreographies of well-loved Filipino musicals like PETA’s Rak of Aegis and Caredivas, DLSU Harlequin Theatre Guild’s Ang Huling Mambabatok, Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Ze Musikal, and Himala: Isang Musikal, Carlon Josol has gracefully danced across theatre, film, television, and commercials. Whenever he’s not working onstage or onscreen, he is usually found in the classroom, teaching dance or fitness to performers and non-performers alike. 

Before becoming one of the most sought after dance-choreographers today, Carlon was like all of us—a kid who only wanted a robot. After losing the robot his aunt brought home as a pasalubong to a mini-dance contest, Carlon found the hunger and determination dance instilled in him. “Bata pa ako, tinanim ko na sa utak ko, sa puso ko, na sasayaw ako.” 

Carlon doesn’t believe that there are people who have two left feet, as he got the whole student body to jive to his choreography during his school’s Foundation Day in Grade 4. “Sobrang daming artist dito sa atin na magagaling at andaming hindi nila alam na magagaling sila.” As a senior artist-teacher in PETA, he lives out the Gold Mine Theory: every student has a talent and potential found by the patience of digging through it. Carlon believes that every talent is a gift, and he uses his to unlock this gift of others. “Pag meron [kang] gustong gawin, push mo lang sarili mo kasi gift yan eh, naniniwala ako na gift yan,” he encourages. 

But for all of us who still believe that we have two left feet, where do we start? Get to know your body first, he says. Do you experience back or joint pains, or heart problems? Upon identifying what it needs, one can start with a 15 minute daily stretch to release bodily tensions. “Hindi kailangan sumayaw, kailangan lang nating gumalaw.” According to Carlon, the COVID-19 pandemic has normalized confinement in our own spaces, that even long hours of wearing face masks and face shields unknowingly providing chemical reactions and unnecessary stress to the body. This has propelled him to bring Core and More with Carlon to the online setting, in partnership with ESME Philippines. With dance theatre-inspired exercises catered to both performers and non-performers, the purpose of this Live Learning Series for us to release our bodily tensions in a time where confinement is the norm. Have fun, be fit, and feel free with Core and More by Carlon Josol. 

To watch more of our webinars, click here.