Chelo started ballet training at the age of 12 under the tutelage of Eddie Elajar at the Cultural Centre of the Philippines. She also took classes under Tony Fabella. She was accepted Full Scholar to the 1977 CCP Summer Dance Workshop where she underwent intensive training in classical and modern ballet, dance history, theatre design, and improvisation and composition. In the same year, Chelo moved to Hariraya Ballet Company under Inday Gaston-Maņosa. There, she also took classes under Nida Onglengco.
Chelo was also trained under a roster of international ballet dancers like Kenneth Gillespie, Armin Wilde, Ian Stripling, Luminita Dumitrescu ( at CCP ); Robert Barnett, Manny Rowe, and William Morgan ( in Hariraya Ballet Company ).
Chelo has participated in various performances like The Nutcracker, Mi Bandera, Alamat ng Bundok Bangay, La Bayandere, Sleeping Beauty, Four Jewels, Tchaikovsky Concerto # 1 in Bb. Minor, Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak, Rhapsody Blue, and Paquita where she essayed the lead role.
At 17, Chelo taught at the Pas de Trios School for the Performing Arts in Biņan, Laguna,producing 3 of its recitals. In 1990, she put up CHILDREN'S DANCE WORKSHOP in Espiritu Street, Singalong, Manila.
Chelo is married to businessman Gerry Gemina and they have two sons- Michael Joshua and Nathan Samuel. Chelo is a member of the Association of Ballet Academies, Philippines, and was editor of its official newsletter, Danscene, in 1996.
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