Debutante's Ball

The 4th Fil-Am Triennial Debutante’s Ball


The Marietta Conference Center & Resort was abuzz with giggles, gasps, and the swoosh of full-skirted ball gowns on September 20,2003, as flushed and excited Fil-Am debutantes find their places for the formal picture-taking before the cotillion. I am reminded of Dega’s paintings of ballerinas. And indeed these 12 young Filipina-American ladies in the peak of their youth is a picture of loveliness, of health, of self-assurance, of boundless expectations, and full of joie de vivre. Gaite Parisienne, the theme of the Ball, how very apropos.

It took long preparation to produce this Debutante’s Ball. First, there is the search for debutante’s which happily is an easy task since the Debutante’s Ball had become a much-awaited event every 3 years since it’s introduction by 1994 Fil-Am President Gloria Sabiniano. Little girls have seen their older sisters or family friend’s daughters participate and have dreamed of one day being a part of this sparkling and joyous occasion. Word had gotten around among young people about how wonderful the camaraderie is and how one discovers so many fun and accomplished peers who like them are of Filipino heritage born in America and have unique experiences to share. Romances have been ignited and many lasting friendships have been formed. It has become a family and community event and fulfills its mission of proudly introducing young ladies and gentlemen to our Filipino-American community. For our youth it brings them awareness of their Filipino identity in a milieu they can be proud of, and for our elders, it provides an occasion to mentor on the cultural traditions, mores, values, and history of the Filipino people.

This 4th triennial bash is a transition of sorts, indicative of it’s progression and maturation as a tradition. The old guard remains and continue to paint their strokes on the event but there’s a lot of new talent and new ideas are being incorporated in the production as we witnessed this year’s Cotillion. When our second generation Filipino-American youth comes of age, the daughters of previous debutantes, we will all have replaced the founding managers and who knows what surprise is in store for us! I’ll wager we will continue to be delighted and entertained and amazed.

The first 3 Cotillions bear the hands of Didi O’connor, who was Choreographer and Director. The debutante’s danced an Austrian quadrille, the “Laendler” for the 1994 Cotillion and waltzed in their father’s arms to Johann Strauss’ Blue Danube. In 1997, they danced a cotillion of graceful Filipino Dances and brought their audience to the nostalgia of old romantic Philippines. The Debutante’s Ball of 2000 was a Houdini-like production of magical transformation, marking the Centennial year with the Cotillion theme “ The Filipina: A Century Ago and Today”. The debutantes made their grand entrances in elegant Maria Clara gowns and at the end of their Cotillion re-emerged with their gowns sans the flowing Maria Clara sleeves, looking the luminous and confident young ladies of this century.

This year’s Debutante Ball brings the audience to the global community, in a cotillion themed “ Gaite Parisienne”. The backdrop mural, by Lilok artist ----Alberto, a tryptich with the Eiffle Tower in the skyline, is unmistakably Paris. Our cake artist, Elsie Vidanes, is not to be outdone with her calorie-laden but melt-in-your-mouth multi-layered buttery confection, centered in a tableaux of arches and bridges, for the debutante cake ceremony. Twelve enchanting well-rounded young ladies with amazing accomplishments in school, in church, in social activities, and community involvement, together with their similarly accomplished and good-natured gentlemen escorts were announced by 2 of our lively and smooth-talking youth volunteers, ----Pascual and Joel Salgado,who seamlessly emceed the program along with quips and oops!, with a few jokes that fell flat as a doormat. But they were having a good time and the audience of parents, families, guests, and supporters is felling very indulgent and proud of their young people on this night. Many have come from far and wide to share this special occasion. Hours of practice and hard work have paid off in a production that was pulsating with energy, enthusiasm, and style. Everything came together. Even the parents danced their number with pizzaz before the debutantes were presented , a good thing since once the young ladies came on, nothing can command attention from them. And this is a magical moment for fathers, with their daughters, and it showed when they took the floor for a spin accompanied by “You Make Me Feel So Young”. Why mothers do not have these precious rituals with their sons is a shame, for this will be repeated in even more exquisite fashion, when fathers give their daughters away in marriage. But let us not begrudge the fathers, for their daughters were floating and beaming in their arms, a perfect picture to capture forever in our memories. Here are our dozen stars and their escorts: Jamie Alberto and Henry Estacio, Mia Burns and Christopher Elliott, Cindy Caranto and Roy Alberto, Christine de los Reyes and Cris Dizon, Brittney Elliott and Bobby Peterman, Melissa Estacio and Kevin Hagler, Pria Faraon and Mikko Mamagat, Jihan Kamalvand and Ashton Uppaluri, Jennifer Petty and Michael Jirasakhiran, Jessica Prosianos and Rodell Ocampo, Stacey Sado and Brian Bray, Lauren Soriano and Marc Buenventura.

The evening also honored former debutantes ( insert names here) and recognized all the parents and Fil-Am Association of Greater Atlanta officers and volunteers who produced this event.

Insert here the names and titles of the production crew and officers, and all those you want acknowledged, Nene.

Then with “ I Love Paris” spinned by DJ Erik Mojica, it was dance the night away and bask in the glow of affection of friends and family. C’est Magnifique!.