My daughters are unanimous in their opinion: their nanay is better off dancing than singing. They reiterated this the morning after my bro-in-law's big birthday bash at the exclusive, members-only Tower Club on the 33rd floor of Philamlife in Makati.
Willie Fernandez turned 62 last Saturday, not a special age, but it was the first time he was throwing a party this major. When Kimi, my eldest girl who works at his PR firm, said that the Spirit of '67 would provide live music, I got into my most comfortable dancing slippers and even remembered to bring along an extra shirt in case the one I was wearing got all wet from sweat on the dance floor.
When Upsilonians get together with their partners, trust that there is more talking than acting done. So as the brods sat, drank, ate and chatted and the Spirit of '67 played its first set, I stood, swayed, but the Upsilonian in my life was as immovable as the post holding up the function room.
When one of my sister-in-law's nieces gamely went up with me as the catchy "Lança Perfume" (a Brazilian hit, by the way, popularized by Rita Lee) was sung, the dancing got started. It seemed the band's takes on the Beatles, Dave Clark Five, Beach Boys, the Village People's "YMCA" were all it took to make the crowd get up and boogie. During the band's first set, the disappointing thought running in my mind was, "Why are these party-goers behaving like they're in a concert?"
Anyway, I got my adrenaline fix. When the crowd thinned to a handful of relatives and latecomers Letty Jimenez Magsanoc, Nancy Carvajal, Willie Revillame and entourage, it was sing-along time. After my ruination of "Moon River" and "Alfie," my kids sternly advised, "Stick to dancing, Nanay." Our family's Upsilonian shook his head and said, "It looked like it was more your party, not Willie's."
Thanks again for the reason to party, Willie. Till you turn 63! Same time, same band, I hope.
Photographer Kimi Fernandez captures her nanay in the throes of Saturday night fever.
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