Meet the dancer: Ivilisse Esguerra

real name ? Ivilisse
nickname ? Ivi, Bee, Squirrel

height ? 5'2 and a half (the half counts!)

broken any bones ? Only both pinky toes (let's keep it that way ;)

Do you believe in...
yourself ? mostly
miracles ? yes!
love at first sight ? No; attraction yes; but real love grows like roots.

LAST GIFT YOU RECEIVED? Smartwool socks -- they're wonderful. it's like dancing on five layers of carpet.

LAST THING YOU SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON? Supersoft large sweater I'm going to live in all winter.

WHERE'S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT WITH FRIENDS? Franny's in BK, Mas (farmhouse) and Soto -- best Japanese restaurant in NYC -- Chef Soto's plates are exquisite and delicious.

LONGEST SHIFT YOU HAVE WORKED AT A JOB? 20 hours, teaching, correcting and prepping as a humanities high school teacher

FAVORITE MOVIE? Sense and Sensibility (Andrew Davies), Rivers and Tides (Andy Goldsworthy), anything Monty Python

CAN YOU SING? Yes -- best around a campfire or a walk in the woods.

FAVORITE VACATION SPOT? Yorkshire, Cornwall, Sagres ... or any small seaside village with cliffs and beautiful beaches.

If I wasn't a dancer.... I would be teach English, History and Music at a Waldorf School

What countries have you visited? Philippines, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Canada and the U.S.

How many languages do you speak? Fluent in Tagalog (Philippine), English, German; some Japanese (studied it in college but forgot a lot of it!), and some French.

Where have you lived? Manila, L.A., New York, New Jersey, Germany, Japan and the UK.

Favorite Food(s)? Tuna and yellowtail sashimi, arugula, peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies, cow's milk cheese and ice cream (too bad I'm lactose-intolerant!)

One thing I can't live without? Nature, art, England (born Anglophile ;)

Last book I read? Changing My Mind by Zadie Smith

Favorite Dancer/Choreographer/Company? Gallim Dance Company; Ohad Naharin/Batsheva