Miggy's moves

With his rendition of the dance hits “Average Joe” and “Pump It Rock It”, StarStruck Batch 1 Ultimate Male Survivor Mark Herras has once again proven why he is the “Bad Boy of the Dance Floor”. But behind every great dancer is a greater choreographer, and for Mark Herras and the rest of the dancing stars, Miggy Tanchangco is their man. Text by Jessa Ericka C. Bien. Photos by Mitch S. Mauricio. For a long time, certified dancers have dominated the dance floor: they who have flexible bodies whose swaying hips and moving feet convey emotions to the beat of the music. But with the birth of mass-oriented dance hits, gone are the days when dances were only made for dancers. Now groove gurus feel for the mass market, creating steps and sequences to the latest music craze. When it comes to moves and steps, there is no denying that we can see a bit of Miggy in very dance he produces. “Ang akin kasi, creation” he states. “I create my own moves. I do my own steps. But if it is signature already, I copy that part.” For Miggy, blending with the beat is the salient factor in creating dance steps. And as his body smoothly goes with the rhythm of the music, we just can’t help but stare at him in awe. But more than becoming an impressive dancer who wows people with his moves, he claims to have more pride when he sees the audience actually dancing with him. “I don’t believe na walang marunong sumayaw” he states as-a-matter-of-factly. “Ang dami ko nang na-handle na ganoong scenario – na talagang hindi raw sila marunong – which is sa nakita ko, hindi ganoon. (As a choreographer), you need to adjust your style to them. You need to know how they move. Lahat namn kasi tayo may binabagayang kilos, so if you know this certain move na bagay sa’yo, marunong ka nang sumayaw” he ends. He releases his happiness on the success of his creations with a big, warm smile. “Ang sarap (ng feeling)” he says with a satisfied grin. “Kasi the dance itself, ginawa ko siya for the masa. It’s like showing the people na “hey, you can do this”. Even small kids can do the steps na ginagawa namin ni Mark, so happy ako.” Like Mom, But Not As the son of an acclaimed dancer and choreographer Geeleen Eugenio, Miggy’s dancing skills must be in the genes. And though his mother is a big icon, he still claims to be original and says he differs from her as in dancing styles and movements. “Iyong mom ko kasi more on girly and cute dances ‘yun” he says. “My forte is hip-hop.” Why hip-hop? “It’s everything na eh. From formal to rugged and breakdancing, (ang) hip-hop pasok” he replies. “You can put everything (in it). You can put drama, you can show and you can dance the words na nasa lyrics ng music.” “And it’s very young. It’s within my age pa” he adds. Miggy, who is turning 25 this year, has been dancing for TV since he was only seven years old. He first realized he can dance at age four, had his first dancing stint at age six and gave his first professional performance at age 12. But despite his busy dancing schedules, he still managed to finish his studies, and continues to train for dancing here and abroad. He also shares that he was in the States for six months to study all the dances and become a certified choreographer. Watch Miggy dance for fun and expect more of his creations this year. Keep posted for his newest hits by watching StarStruck: The Next Level and SOP , weekdays and Sundays here on GMA.