Dawn Zulueta On Daughter's Ballet Achievements: "It Took A Whole Village To Help Ayisha Grow And Soar High!"

Actress Dawn Zulueta is proud of her daughter Ayisha Madlen, 13, who made it to the Top 12 Junior Classical Ballet Division of an international ballet program that staged a competition for young Filipino ballet dancers in the country.

The seasoned actress took to Instagram and posted about her daughter’s feat. Dawn posted, “Congratulations, my Ayisha Madlen, for making it to the Top 12 Junior Classical Ballet division in last weekend’s Youth Grand Prix 2022 (YGP) @yagpphilippines @yagp”

YGP Philippines is a ballet competition staged by Youth American Grand Prix (YAGP). According to its website, YAGP is the world's largest non-profit international student ballet competition and scholarship program.
It caters to ballet students aged 9 to 19 years old from all nationalities.

YAGP annually conducts a regional audition in the US and around the world. Those who make the cut will compete in New York City in April 2023.

RELATED: Dawn Zulueta Learns Piano At The Age of 50

Dawn beams with pride at her daughter’s achievement, a clear testament to years of diligence and hard work.

“Ayisha started ballet lessons at the tender age of 3 with my teacher @perrysevidal @perrysevidalballet,” Dawn posted.

“Oh, how you planted that seed of diligence & desire in her. I am for ever thankful to you, too, teacher Perry.”

The actress continued (published as is): “For a first-timer dipping her toes on the stage of classical & contemporary dance competitions that included the Asian Grand Prix (AGP) have to say I am so proud of my daughter’s achievement.

“She worked long hours, trained hard almost daily for the past 2 months, without neglecting her academics. Real passion & fortitude!”

Dawn went on to thank her daughter’s teachers and coaches who were instrumental in honing Ayisha’s ballet skills.

She said, “I wish to thank all her teachers, for it took a whole village to help Ayisha grow & soar high!”

Ayisha is Dawn's youngest child with husband Antonio Lagdameo Jr.

Dawn and Antonio’s eldest son is Jacobo, now 16.

3 Values That Young Ballerinas Learn From Dance

Three regular Smart Parenting moms talked about their own young children training in ballet, and it proves that age is not a factor in having dedication and discipline. Here's what they shared about their daughters:

1. At 7, her daughter knows the concept of a long day.

Raida shares that Jillian, her daughter, sleeps at 7 p.m. and can sometimes wake up at 5:30 a.m. to fit everything she needs to do in a day. That includes school, homework, and going to solo coaching as she prepares for the competitions she is joining.

Vennuz, the mom of Bianca, gives a glimpse into that rigorous schedule: Saturday and Sunday classes, as well as Thursday and Friday traning. Even as a second grader, her daughter works hard to achieve her goals.

2. Build confidence by letting them decide.

Joy, mom of Sophia, said that giving the young dancers autonomy allows them to have confidence in what they're doing. Joy also shares that, "If you daughter shows interest, support kaagad."

3. Prioritize, or compromise.

Raida also adds, "If she [Jillian] fails at school, the ballet has to stop." The moms and daughters have agreed to prioritize school and value the practice of time management in order to make this set-up work.

READ: Moms Talk About How Their Daughters That Are Ballerina Champs

This story originally appeared on Pep.ph. Minor edits have been made by the SmartParenting.com.ph editors.