Philippine dance grasp returns house with ‘The Highway to Sydney’

MANILA, Philippines – A silhouette of a lady in a contemporary Filipiniana pantsuit sits at midnight hallways of the theater. Because the display flickered to life, Sydney Loyola shared her story to Filipinos for the primary time.

Sydney, a Fil-Am transwoman and famend Philippine dance grasp and choreographer, is the protagonist of the documentary movie, The Highway to Sydney. It was screened for the primary time within the nation in November on the QCinema Worldwide Movie Competition.

The function documentary, directed by Emmy-awarded producer Benito Bautista and produced by Emma Francisco of Wanderlustproject Movies and Sonia Delen, Wendy Pascual, and Conrad Calalang of OneUp Movie Studios, navigates Sydney’s deeply private journey on her challenges after her gender affirmation.

“I’ve seen the movie 3 times already, and all of the occasions I did really feel like reliving all the pieces. The trauma turns into recent once more, after which I see the triumph,” Sydney shared on the talkback program after a screening.

As she steps into her life as a lady, Sydney begins strolling her path to therapeutic — reconnecting along with her roots, reclaiming her artwork, and rebuilding her relationship along with her estranged father.

Discovering dance

Earlier than there was Sydney, there was Jay Loyola, born and raised in Puerto Princesa in Palawan. Sydney shared in her tales that Jay was a shy and emotionally delicate child, and that on the early age of 5, he already knew he was completely different.

“My mother used to inform me that her being pregnant craving with me was a jackfruit, and so I’m much like its tree that bleeds sap when minimize — I cry after I’m damage,” Sydney mentioned.

Jay began attending formal dance courses at this age, and in a means, it was an outlet for him to specific his feelings. Lengthy earlier than he knew his true identification, motion was already part of his core.

He began with ballet earlier than he found the Bayanihan approach or Philippine dance. Till at some point, he heard of a newly opened dance faculty managed by an Austrian named Hans-Christian Wagner. Younger Jay discovered about trendy/up to date dance from him.

“What’s good about dance is it has grow to be my anchor. As a result of in dance, after I’m within the studio, I’m not judged as an individual however in keeping with what I can contribute,” she mentioned.

In dance, Sydney believes and feels there isn’t a gender. “Each time I’ve doubts, I’m going again to dancing,” she added.

And dance by no means did not help Jay’s dream of turning into Sydney. It paved the best way for him to carry out overseas and to additional hone his strategies. He then grew to become the creative director of Holy Trinity College in Palawan.

However the principle motivation to maneuver to the USA wasn’t dance. It was his good friend Laika who suffered from illness that made Jay understand he wanted a retirement plan.

“Laika was once a really female and exquisite hairdresser in our city, however after I visited her on the hospital, she grew to become frail and her facial hair grew,” she narrated.

“At that second, I spotted that I wished a greater retirement plan, and staying in Palawan may make it unimaginable for me to achieve that dream.”

And so Jay took a leap in 2006, and as soon as once more, dance paved the trail for Sydney.

Coming house

After a decade of working within the US, Jay lastly decides to undergo a whole transition for gender affirmation.

This was additionally the beginning of the eight-year means of filming The Highway to Sydney.

“Within the movie, we confirmed Sydney’s life as Jay and the occasions resulting in the complete realization of Sydney herself. It began in Palawan, and it was simply becoming to finish the story the place it started,” mentioned movie director Benito Bautista.

Sydney’s bodily transition took about 4 years. All through the method, she shared that there have been a number of occasions she nonetheless questioned Sydney’s identification.

“I didn’t actually know who the ultimate Sydney could be. I didn’t have a picture in thoughts, or a face I wished to repeat, however one morning within the fourth 12 months of my transition, I awakened feeling that the wait was over,” Sydney mentioned.

As soon as she felt her soul matched her physique and look, she knew she was already fully “Sydney” and it was the right time to go house.

One of many issues she envisioned doing in Palawan was to choreograph and carry out a dance by the seashore. That they had the chance to dedicate it to her deceased mom, and Sydney shared that this was her favourite scene within the movie, because it felt like a full-circle second. 

“I used to bounce on the seashores with my cousins after we had been youthful, and now, I can lastly do it as a lady,” she shared.

“I used to be in hiding after I was nonetheless Jay, however after I carried out as Sydney, it felt like the actual me. And even higher, my viewers will see me as Sydney and never as Jay anymore.”

One other factor she wished to do was to go to her estranged father and hopefully discover acceptance. The documentary crew initially confronted some challenges, however in the long run, the cameras captured a fond father-daughter second that made the entire cinema cry.

“I spotted all people might be affected by my interplay and relationship with my dad, even when they’re not a part of the LGBTQIA+ neighborhood,” mentioned Sydney.

To her, returning to the Philippines was greater than only a movie screening. The documentary is her private life she accepted to share — each as Jay and Sydney.

“After I’ve shared my story, it stops being about me,” she mentioned. “It begins to grow to be about everybody else who struggles to search out their true identification and people who are nonetheless in hiding, and I’m hoping my story provides them the braveness they want.” – Rappler.com