Meet Juliana Gatapia, a young and promising Filipina ballet dancer based in Munich. For this story, we explore her relationship with beauty, including her low-maintenance routine
There is something quite special about dancing as an art form, and Juliana Gatapia would agree. In fact, she fell in love with her craft at a young age. “My journey began when I was six years old,” she reminisced about her humble beginnings as a dancer. “My interest began after watching a lot of documentaries of other professional dancers showing their lives onstage and offstage. I took the inspiration to seriously take ballet as a career when I became so intrigued by the challenge and technique of the art form. I find it satisfying to see the improvement of my performance after putting in the work in a particular solo or even in class.”
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The Beauty Profile focuses on unique definitions of beauty and the everyday routines of inspiring personalities. This series presents honest and intimate conversations about one’s character, passions, and relationship with beauty — a space made for novices and enthusiasts alike.
For this story, we are putting the spotlight on Munich-based Filipina ballerina Juliana Gatapia. We sat down and explored her definition of beauty, her best-kept beauty practices, and her growth as a dancer.
Meet Juliana
Juliana Gatapia is certainly one ballerina to watch out for. In fact, her genuine passion and dedication to her artistry have led her to become the first-ever Filipino ballet dancer admitted into the Bavaria Ballet Academy in Germany. “I really wanted to fully immerse myself in the ballet and performing arts industry,” she confessed. “I thought that taking a step to study in a pre-professional program in Europe would be a stepping stone towards the career I want. However, I told myself that I would only study in Europe if and only if I attain a scholarship.”
Call it fate, but it appears that the young talent is destined to be on the main stage. After multiple applications to different dance schools, she was accepted to the Bavaria Ballet Academy in Munich, Germany with a 60% tuition scholarship. “This also makes me the first-ever Filipino ballerina in the academy.”
It’s no secret that ballet is one of the most challenging forms of dance that requires training and discipline—a sentiment that resonates well with her everyday schedule. “My class schedule changes every week, so every week’s routines are different,” she enthusiastically shared. “But usually, my school starts at 9:00 a.m. with a ballet class, where we also practice for our upcoming exams, followed by the other classes later in the day like pointe, repertoire, character, contemporary, pantomime, etc, until 4:00 or 5:00 p.m.”
Outside of work, the young talent admits that she tends to spend her spare time productively and wisely. “In between classes, I try to read books, study German, catch up on theory class lectures, do some editing, and even do my freelance work as a social media manager-slash-graphic designer,” While she’s at it, she also offers a preview of what her off days look like. “During my off days, I love taking long walks around Munich, sitting in parks, and just exploring more of the city.”
On her beauty perspective
Apart from her remarkable talent, Juliana’s approach to beauty can’t be unnoticed. “To me, beauty is not a thing or even a person, but a feeling that comes within you,” she reflected when talking about what beauty truly means to her. “Surprisingly, dancing definitely changed my perspective on beauty from practicing artistry. I always think that dancing with your body is different from dancing with your heart. With dance, I learned that beauty in a person or artist is not just about the external appearance, but also internal feeling.”
As we continued our conversation, she revealed when she feels the most beautiful and confident. “I feel the most beautiful whenever I’m dancing and actually expressing myself truly and freely,” she revealed. “Whether this will be in class, alone in the studio, warming up, rehearsing, etc. For me, beauty comes with confidence and vice versa. I feel the most confident during the days I feel the most beautiful and I feel the most beautiful during the days I feel the most confident.”
On her relationship with beauty
It goes without saying that there is no such thing as a perfect relationship with beauty. “Honestly, I have always struggled with my skin type,” she candidly shared, even adding that she has a combination of oily, sensitive, and dry skin in different areas of her body. However, as time went on, she began to develop a better and more positive approach towards it. “I’m still in the process of overcoming this struggle, but I learned that I just have to be patient with testing out the right products that do work and don’t work for my skin.”
On her beauty routine
Juliana Gatapia’s routine seamlessly speaks about her uncomplicated approach to beauty. “I like to keep my skincare and makeup routine simple.” Her daily rotation? A trusted cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. She also gave us a look into her makeup practice, which consists of her go-to concealer, eyebrow pencil, mascara, tint, and eyeliner. “My non-negotiable products would be sunscreen, eyebrow pencil, mascara, and lip balm!”
On that one beauty product that makes her confident
Any beauty enthusiast would agree there will always be one product that can certainly boost confidence. As for Juliana? A swipe of a hydrating lip balm. “I’ve always had this habit of peeling off the skin or even biting my lips,” she admitted. “But when my lips do get dry, even the skin around it gets red and irritated. It definitely makes me insecure and unfocused, and it’s hard feeling confident if you’re unfocused.”
On her beauty and creative philosophy
It’s a given that a beauty conversation wouldn’t be complete without an exchange of a beauty lesson. As we closed our chat, Juliana imparted a short yet impactful piece of advice for every beauty fan. “One thing I want my audience to know about me when it comes to beauty is that I do a lot of research before using a new product or trying a new method. I like to educate myself more on the different chemicals and ingredients.”
Meanwhile, the young and promising dancer did not miss sharing a heartfelt message for anyone who wants to pursue their dreams. “I want them to know to be more intentional about who they want to become,” she stated. “Have a vision beyond your current circumstances and imagine your best future self, and start acting like that person today. Ask yourself, ‘What’s one thing I can do today that will bring me closer to what I want to be in the future?’”
Photos: JULIANA GATAPIA (via Instagram)
