As a longtime bolrumista, I understand that dancing is more than graceful movement. It requires discipline, consistency, and heart. For some, it is more than art, a sport, or a hobby. For dance couple and husband and wife Rod and Jaja Abella, ballroom is a way of life. It has given them a career and a livelihood. For them, it is a vocation.
Jaja has been my dance partner since the early 2000s. Alongside her husband Rod, her Standard coach and competition partner, she has built a life shaped by dancesport. Over the years, they have performed, taught, raised a family, and passed on the values that dancing continues to instill.
They have competed in major tournaments across Asia and the United States. Last year, they reached the finals of the US Dance Championships in Orlando in the Pro-Am Standard category. They also placed second runner-up in the Standard Senior division at the TDL Cup in Malaysia and finished third in the Standard Teacher-Student category at the 12th Singapore Open. Through ballroom, they have supported their children’s education and built their family home.
Rod now teaches full time, while Jaja balances coaching with her work as a residential building manager. With their children now grown and pursuing their own careers, the couple has more time to focus on mentoring younger dancers. Although they continue to train, compete, and accept private lessons and guest bookings, much of their energy is now devoted to nurturing the next generation.
They primarily work with students from Cavite, their home province. Many of these dancers come from families with limited means. Most Sundays, they teach for free at a local basketball court, an open space they use whenever available. They often assist with costumes, meals, transportation, and competition fees, driven by the belief that dedication should never be held back by circumstance.
They know what it is like to begin with very little. That is why they formed the Southern Luzon Dancesport Team and continue to organize fundraising efforts, including dance events, to support their students’ training and competition journeys.
Ballroom teaches more than steps, routines, and technique. It builds presence, discipline, and the ability to work with others. Giving back is the Abellas’ way of honoring what dance has made possible for them.
Both are certified coaches under the Philippine Dancesport Federation. Jaja specializes in Latin, Standard, and Afro-Latin, and is also a licensed fitness instructor. Rod focuses on the Standard discipline and brings a calm, no-frills approach to coaching. They are currently training to become certified adjudicators.
Rod and Jaja have never treated dancesport as a pursuit for trophies. It is where they have built their life together. Today, it is also where they help others begin their own. Beyond choreography and competition, they continue to nurture ballroom not only as an art form but also as a caring community and as a growing industry—one that welcomes, supports, and uplifts all who are willing to learn.
