Bill Joseph is a professional choreographer and dance instructor in the Philippines. Bill shares with us hsi experience working with the GMA Network, opening his dance studio, Zumba and more.
Transcript:
JRok: Hello, I’m Angel with JRok Music, and today we’re with dancer and choreographer Bill from the Philippines. Hi, Bill! How are you?
Bill: I’m very, very good. It’s so good to be here in your, what do you call this, ano? Yeah, I’m good, guys. How about you guys? Are you guys still healthy and ready to rock the dance floor?
JRok: Actually, I was looking forward to joining. And thank you for asking. I’m good.
JRok: You are very active in the dance arts community. How long have you been dancing, and what inspired you in the beginning?
Bill: I’ve been dancing since day one. I started dancing when I was maybe around five years old. I was inspired to dance by Michael Jackson. At five or six years old, I was already dancing to Michael Jackson.
JRok: So, did you continue dancing through elementary school, high school, college, and while working?
Bill: Yeah, I’m still dancing.
JRok: Did you take formal training, or is dancing something that came naturally to you?
Bill: Maybe, yeah. It’s a talent. I think it’s a natural talent. I started being a Zumba instructor during the pandemic because health is very important. I’ve learned that if you inspire others to be healthy and fit, you can make a difference. That’s why I’m here to inspire, not to impress.
JRok: Before becoming an instructor, did you work as a backup dancer or choreographer for music artists or other types of events?
Bill: I was already teaching choreography in high school. It was my part-time work, and in college, I was also a choreographer and a scholar at my school. I was a choreographer at the theater.
After I graduated, I started working in Manila. At the same time, my part-time work was ballroom dancing and choreography. I also worked with Sunday Pinasaya. I was a backup dancer with Marian Rivera and other GMA artists and actresses.
After that, I worked abroad in theater, hotels, and casinos. I worked at the five-star NagaWorld Hotel and Casino in Cambodia as a dance performer and artist.
JRok: Wow, it was such a great blessing to have that talent, right?
Bill: Yeah.
JRok: You met a lot of artists there, too?
Bill: Yeah.
JRok: Is it true that you’ve traveled to Japan and worked as a dancer there, too?
Bill: No, not yet.
JRok: Okay. Is working in Japan something you’d like to do in the future?
Bill: Yeah, in Japan. In the future.
JRok: When creating dance routines, how does music inspire you? How do you decide which direction to take just by listening to the music?
Bill: When you listen to the music and feel the beat, the movements just come naturally to you. I base the choreography on the lyrics. You need to capture the steps that go with the lyrics so that the movements, rhythm, beat, and timing are synchronized.
JRok: Well, it’s a talent to be able to do that. Do you play any musical instruments? If so, does that help you when creating choreography?
Bill: No, I don’t play any instruments. I want to learn the saxophone, piano, and violin. I really want to learn the saxophone.
JRok: Your main focus now is dance instruction and Zumba classes. When did you start doing this here in the Philippines?
Bill: It started during the pandemic because all the OFWs needed to return home to the Philippines. Before the pandemic in 2020, I had already come home to the Philippines for a one-month vacation. I was supposed to go back, but I didn’t sign my contract. Maybe I was tired.
I had already applied for a booking in China, but the embassies closed because of the pandemic, and our flight was canceled. That’s a good thing in a way, because I’m still here and alive. If I had signed that contract, maybe I would have been in China during the pandemic.
When I got back to the Philippines, I stayed in Manila for three months in quarantine. I wanted to go home to Negros after that. I had already completed quarantine, and then it came into my mind that I wanted to open a dance studio as a business. I wanted to inspire kids, teenagers, and adults to develop their talents through my studio.
I opened the studio around August or September 2020. Even though it was during the pandemic, thankfully, things went well. Thank you, Lord! I had a lot of students enrolling, and that’s how it started.
I got my license and began teaching Zumba, K-pop dance, fitness, and abs workouts. I teach people how to tone their bodies and get fit. I’m also a nutritionist.
Now I teach regular Zumba classes and work as a freelance dance instructor for parties and events, including ballroom dancing. I’ve performed at events, and my students perform with me, too. When I have a big event, I call them in to practice, and then we put on a show.
JRok: It’s good to know that your career is doing well here.
Bill: Thank you so much.
JRok: Zumba and dancing must have health benefits beyond just being fun. Is that something you consider when you’re teaching?
Bill: Yes. I tell my clients that just 30 minutes or one hour a day, getting your body moving and sweating, can help. Problems like arthritis and diabetes can be reduced, and you’ll feel much better.
JRok: Do you have any social media accounts where people can follow your projects and dance choreography? Can you tell us where to find you?
Bill: On Facebook, just search for Bill Joseph or Zin Bill. I’m also on TikTok as Vampire Zin Bill, because people say I’m a vampire! On YouTube, look for King Bill Entertainment. You’ll see a lot on my YouTube channel.
JRok: Do you have any current projects or future plans that we can look forward to?
Bill: For now, here in Negros, I usually go back to Manila every December because I have a lot of friends and clients there who call me to do events. But plane tickets are very expensive around Christmas, so I have to think carefully about whether it’s worth going. If the budget works out, I’ll go; otherwise, I’ll stay here.
A lot of my friends in Manila are calling me because they want to collaborate and have classes. I have a lot of classes there, too.
Here in Negros, you can see me every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in Escalante City, from 4 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 7 p.m. Then on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, I’m in Sagay City.
The classes are free because the government pays for them, so no worries, guys! You can join us in front of Sagay City Hall.
For bookings, just look me up on social media.
JRok: I think that’s it. Thank you so much, Sir Bill, for being here with us today.
Bill: I’m nervous!
JRok: It’s okay! It’s been great talking with you today. And again, everyone, I’m Angel with JRok Music. Thank you for watching, and see you in the next interview!
Bill: See you in the next interview!