Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
Former Streetboys heartthrob Sphencer Reyes is taking a break from his work as a bus driver in London to join his fellow professional dancers for a fund-raising show, “The Sign: 90s Supershow,” at the Aliw Theater in Pasay City on April 19.
The dance concert, ‘The Sign: 90s Supershow,’ promises to be a star-studded event. Joining Sphencer on stage are a plethora of renowned dance groups, including The Manoeuvres, PowerxPeople, Universal Motion Dancers, Kidz@Work, TeenSquad, Dyna Turbo, Katz22, BigMen, Black&White, Abztract Dancers, Teams 90s, BatangMama Academy of Dance, and Wildcat Queens. The show will also feature special guests Blain and Mastermind.
During a Zoom with the entertainment media from London on April 9, Sphencer said he was thrilled to be in the show with his co-dancers. He can’t wait to meet his friends again, although he was already informed that only some of the original Streetboys members would be able to attend the concert.
“Noong tinanong ko saan ang concert, sabi sa Pilipinas. Kinilabutan na ako. Sabi ko anong show ito? ’90s Supershow. Sino kasama? Mga grupo po. Hindi na ako nagdalawang isip. Sabi ko, ‘Yes po madam.’ Ganun lang ka simple. Diyan ako dati. The feeling is priceless kasi this is the first time again na makakasama ko uli sila,” said Sphencer. “Masarap sa feeling. Kaya napapayag nila ako.”
He added: “At saka ang importante rito, this is not just a concert but a benefit concert. Makakatulong ito sa mga dancers. Yung kikitain nito, tutulungan nila ang bagong dancers na nangangarap kung ano yung naabot namin. Kaya kami na ngayon ang mag-ga-guide para bigyan katuparan ang mga pangarap nila. So, sana manood kayo.”
Sphencer mentioned his excitement to revisit activities from his youth, like dancing and performing in front of people. “Dito kasi sa London iba ang ginagawa ko.”
He recalled he was only 14 when he auditioned to become a dancer. “Nakapila kami noon. Pinakanta kami at pinasayaw kami. Ang hirap. To cut a story short, nabuo kami as The Streetboys. Ang hirap pa noon was I have to save money for school. Nagstart kami as 13 members then hindi na bumalik yung iba. Tapos naging six, then eight. Ang sarap ng pakiramdam na magkikita kita uli kami. Pag summer dito, naimbitahan pa rin ako ng mga Filipino community sa Europe para sumayaw.”
Sphencer said he was on a break from his work when he appeared on Zoom Tuesday.
“Nasa work po ako ngayon. Driver ako sa isang malaking bus company sa United Kingdom. Na-appreciate ko yun. Baka kasi yung iba sasabihin bakit bus driver lang si Spencer. For me, na-experience ko as a bus driver rito, mahirap din naman. Pero mas mahirap dyan sa Pilipinas.
“Dito mahirap pumasok (bilang bus driver). Bihira lang ang mga Asians na nagda-drive rito ng bus. Mahirap pumasok rito pero once nakapasok ka na, okay na. Kaya saludo ako sa mga bus driver natin dyan sa Pilipinas,” he said.
Sphencer said he was a nurse when he went to London. “Nag-aral ako ng nursing sa Pilipinas kasi hindi ka makakapunta rito sa London kung de-derecho ka as bus driver. Kailangan may skills ka rin. And then may kumuha sa aking employer. Then nag shift ako as a bus driver because of the benefits. Nagustuhan ko yung offer. I’ve been here for 16 years. Six or seven of those years as a bus driver.”
He admitted to having experienced discrimination but in minor cases only.
Sphencer said his wife Sheila Reyes is also working in a bank in London. They have three children.
Asked about Ice Seguerra, Sphencer laughed: “Ang naalala ko kay Ice Seguerra dahil sa kanya nagpa-tattoo ako. Matagal din kaming may pinagsamahan ni Ice pero sana magkita uli kami.”
Other celebrities also expressed their excitement for the show during the media conference the were Overall Director Arnel Caranto; Team 90s Tyrone Gabuay; Meynard Marcellano and Christo Cruz of Streetboys; Marco McKinley, UMD; Seika Hashizume and MJ Buera; WCQPMI and Justin Lee, Mak Media Inc.
“Ang sarap ng pakiramdam na binibigay sa amin na tiwala ng mga producers kahit na marami na ang nagsulputang mga bahugan. Hindi nila nakakalimutan ang mga 90s artists. Tumatak din ito sa kanila dahil kakaiba rin naman talaga ang saya, sayaw at kanta. Kaya nakakatuwa naman,” said Christo.
Meynard commented: “Ang 90s napaka-crucial ng decade na ito kasi shift na ito sa new century. And then at some point, kapag nag-on kayo ng radyo niyo, at some point may mapapakinggan din kayong 90s songs na makakarelate ka. So palagay ko hindi basta mawawala yung vibes ng 90s. May magandang recall ito sa isip natin.”
Direk Arnel encouraged the public to support the dance concert.
“As a producer by profession, this is a good bounce-back. Buhayin natin ang industriya natin through the dances of the 90s. It’s a good bounce-back for us,” the director said.
Participating sponsors are Wolfgangs, The Red Crab, 1322 Bar and Lounge, Wild Seafood Atbp., Erjohn and Almark Transit Corp., Wildcat Queens Travel and Tours Ltd., Mak Media, SG Vibes, Farmer’s Plaza, Tickelo, Wildcat Queens Recording Studio, and Wild Knights Band. — Robert Requintina
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Credit belongs to: www.mb.com.ph
