Toni Lopez Gonzalez Ballet School

“I know, I know, it’s been like 5 months since I last wrote anything …so sorry!!! 😅 This time, in honor of one of my super long time students, who through the years, in spite of our age gap is, one of my dearest “friends.” Yes, it’s the other way around, she would always be the one comforting me and being one of the best shoulders to lean and cry on in times of life’s hiccups. She was recently here in Manila for a very short visit to attend a wedding. She now has a 1 year old daughter named Tala and she told me that even before getting married and having a child, her dream was to have her daughter take her “first” ballet class with me. I mustered my courage to ask the owner of one of the houses I do private classes in (thank you again so much Andy🥰❤️🤗), in order for little Tala to join. I was able to work my magic on her and young as she is, responded very nicely to my “charms!” Whootwhoot 🤗🤩🥰 I was ecstatic when she told her French husband that majority of who and why she’s disciplined is because of her numerous years under my tutelage. So happy too that Nix was over the moon when she said, ”It was a dream come true, Teacher Toni. Thank you very much!!!” 🙏🏻🤗🌹🥰🙏🏻”

“When someone is really nudged in the right direction and bears fruits, witnessing and being a part of the progress erases all the so-called failures with other students. Throughout my journey of teaching for 34 years, I have had my fair share of parents who refused to hand over the reigns to me. Thus the child is confused as to who to listen to and progress is stagnant and slow. I always try to share that if you enroll your child in a certain institution, trust them to do their job to the fullest. If not, you wouldn’t have put your child there in the first place, correct ?!?!😆 So thank you very much to Pam and many others who put their trust in me- together with my years of training with many different nationalities and styles of teachers, performing different ballets, and all around the world 🙏🏻🤗🌹🥰🙏🏻”

“My Friday toddler class (sayang Suri came late 🥲) doing their “stretches…” No, just kidding, I was telling one of them that what she was doing is called an “attitude” and they all ran to the barre to do it without falling. So so so smart of them!!! I just was so tickled pink that I ran for my phone to take pictures. Parang pang poster and this would be called (during my time- hahaha showing age 😅) a KODAK MOMENT!!! I really loooove witnessing moments like these with such innocent and candid little ones 🙏🏻🤗🤩🥰🙏🏻“

“Having fun while doing contortions-super ouchie for most people like me 😳 but enjoyable for very flexible girls like Sophia and Simone! I give my girls time to horse or monkey around as a motivational tactic for them to concentrate when it’s time to dance, plus the fact that they thoroughly enjoy themselves and get to discover more of their gifts! With these 2 girls it’s like a blast from the past when my former longtime student of about 14 years, Michi, showed me also all her contortions. I still get a kick about her kwento of how her Mom freaked out when she entered Michi’s room and saw Michi comfortably sleeping with both her legs about her head, her body in a letter O, with her feet being used as her pillow 😂🫣🤣”

“New adventure with Andy (who by the way is the Mom of 1 of my students since last year) and her sister Nadine. I really am blessed to be entrusted with people who are willing to go against the thinking of, oh Classical Ballet looks easy… beeeeep, so wrong! As mentioned before, in order to reach and achieve that look of ease, grace, and, confidence, thousands (sorry not just hundreds 😅) of hours have to be spent in the rehearsal room in order to perfect the look and ex*****on of each step. Again, that’s the beauty because it enriches not only your physical attributes but mostly your internal transformation. It becomes a way of life not wanting to just be okay but being your best in whatever endeavor you set out to do. They may only be a handful of students but this is still better than none to share my passion with 🤗🌹🤗 So this was day one Andy and Nadine and praying for many more to come !!! Bravo🙏🏻🤗🌹🥰🙏🏻”

“My Tita Juvie gave me tickets to enable my 3 faithful students- Margarita, Audrey, and Bree to watch Maria Makiling at the Samsung Theater. I unfortunately couldn’t join them this time because in 72 hours, I only got to sleep about 6 hours. Hehe I really am not a morning person nor someone who can just “shut down“ at will when it’s not yet my real sleeping time. 3 days in a row, I had to wake up at 5:30am which is usually about the time I just fall asleep. Kdrama addict, yes that is me. I need my daily dose of running away from reality with my super cheesy, kilig to the bulalo love stories. Aside from my daily dose of time with the Lord and Mama Mary, this is what gives me the energy, passion, and conviction to share with my students ! 🙏🏻🌹🙏🏻”

“A big big THANK YOU to Martin Lopez (Cuz 🤗) and FEU dancers for such a wonderful master class last Thursday morning. It was so refreshing and for an educator a very fulfilling feeling to have such well-behaved and hungry for learning students. There is nothing more satisfying when the recipients are humble enough to listen to almost if not every word you speak. Being able to share and teach what I have gone through for over 4 decades of my dancing career and a teacher/ directress. It really makes it easier for me to know the ins and outs of a performer/ dancer, since I lived and breathed it, and still am for maaaaaany years. In other words, I did not just read it from books, took workshops and lessons, not just watched from the internet the so ever readily available YouTube videos. So with these pearls of wisdom readily available to me, I can speak with my whole being, heart, and soul in every class or lecture I give. 🙏🏻🤗🌹🥰🙏🏻 Special thank you to my sweet cousin Anj who popped up before the class to support her Ate Toni 🥰💕🤗”

“Welcome to one of my longtime students Jamie- Wamie!!! For the summer, she is allowed to take some classes with me. She begged her parents to allow her to take classes again because she missed our classes so much. I am so happy and honored when former students of mine who live quite a distance away come and brave the Manila traffic. In spite of the number of years she hasn’t taken, I’m happy to see the lyrical softness, cleanliness and footwork are still there.🙏🏻🤩🙏🏻Thank you very much Jamie and I hope to give you more happy memories to fill your happy tank! 🙏🏻🤗💕🥰🙏🏻”

“Welcome to our new classmates Chicho, Clarissa, Isabel, Mons, and Nina!!! I hope you enjoyed and were challenged by the class. Thank you of course also to “old-timers”/regulars, Filbert, Isa, Lexi, Sofia, and Trish. (Denise and Winnie not in the picture) These past 2 1/2 months, I have really been looking forward to our classes since your hardworking attitude pushes me to strive even harder. Of course special shout out to LEXI for rounding up her friends and daughters for our toddler class 🤗💕🌹💕🥰 So so so much fun to challenge all of you because you rise to the occasion 🤩Carnations, carnations,carnations!!! That’s what I tell and shower my little ones with - kasama imaginary throwing/showering of my most favorite flower 🙏🏻🌸🥰🌸🙏🏻”

“Happy New Year everyone!!! Hehehe which cliche would you like me to use, better late than never or maybe, advanced Happy Valentines?!?!😅 Haven’t been active since I gave myself a break. Just a friendly reminder that it is indeed important to give one’s self “me time“ or better yet, time spent with family. Being able to experience new sites, maybe some even old, eating super yummy food, getting to buy fabulous finds (Marianna and I looooooove to get fantabulous deals in thrift stores that sell practically brand new items all around Europe), seeing gorgeous sunsets, have you ever seen double rainbows??? One on top of each other at that, cloud formations, multicolored flowers of all sizes, nature in general that only one can see through childlike gratitude in the ultimate artist, God Himself! I was never one for flashy cars, buying expensive real estate, cold-turkeyed with buying jewelry at least 15 years ago… best investment for me are the memories I make with my children when traveling!!! Thank you Lord for these precious moments 🙏🏻🤗💕🥰🙏🏻”

“During Tuesday’s 8pm Misa de Gallo in San Antonio, I was on an all-time natural high, what with the beautiful/kakakilabot singing of the guest choir plus the honor of the Mass being presided by the Papal Nuncio, his eminence Bishop Charles Brown.
I suddenly thought of the gift I had just received a few hours prior to the Mass from Andy, the Mom of my student Ellie in Corinthian. It got me thinking that I am indeed blessed and am truly grateful! Mind you, it is nothing extravagant (but I truly love love love it 💕🌹💕) and yet to me, it’s one, if not the best gift I have received in a very long time. I was truly in her mind when she chose what to give me and especially in her heart when she wrote (I presume that she even chose my all-time fave My Melody paper to write on🤗) the CHRISTmas note. In a matter of a few months, she made an effort to know what would tickle the neurons inside my body. Haaaaay super nakakataba ng puso but most of all, another lesson learned for me when giving someone something especially during this season of love and selflessness! Thank you again so much Andy and Ellie 🥰💕🤗 A Merry CHRISTmas to all and a Blessed 2025!!! 🙏🏻🤗🌹✝️🌹🥰🙏🏻”