Thinking about Mary.

[photo courtesy of Wap Martinez]
Mary Saludares, a 20-year-old member of The Washington Ballet Studio Company, was struck and killed by a car Friday night in Edgewood, State Police said.

The award-winning company was scheduled to perform Sunday at 4 and 7:30 at at Howard Community College's Smith Theater as part of the Candlelight Concert Society's Family Series, but The Washington Ballet announced in a release that it had canceled the remainder of its tour. The release said the group was on tour in Harford County when the accident occurred.

According to the State Police, Saludares was crossing Route 24 at Edgewood Road just after 10 p.m. when she was struck by a southbound silver Chevrolet Impala driven by Robert Kane of Abingdon. Saludares was pronounced dead at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center.

State Police were investigating the accident.

“No words can describe the pain of losing Mary,” said The Washington Ballet Artistic Director Septime Webre. “She was not only a beautiful dancer, but a radiant soul who emitted peace and joy. The entire TWB family mourns her passing and extends its thoughts and prayers to Mary’s family.”

Saludares began dancing at the age of 6 under Sofia Elizalde and Raul Sauz at Steps Dance Studio in Manila, Philippines. In 2006, she received the highest Royal Academy of Dance Award, the Solo Seal. She had the honor of being the first Filipino entry in the 2006 Adeline Genée International Ballet Competition.

In 2004, she received the Luva Adameit Award in the first NAMCYA Ballet Competition in the Philippines. She later attended the School of American Ballet and The Washington School of Ballet's Release Time year-round program. She was selected to join The Washington Ballet Studio Company for its 2008-2009 season, achieving one of her dreams of moving from student to professional.

Saludares is survived by her father, José M. Saludares Jr.; her mother, Marissa S. Saludares; and two brothers, Patrick Vincent Saludares and Bryan Joseph Saludares.

Students and staff are being offered grief counseling services. A memorial service is being planned for early March in Washington to honor Saludares. A private family funeral will be held in the Philippines in the coming days.
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Sunday

There is nothing like death to ground us back to life.
I was minding my own business, stressing about CTK,
essentially doing nonsensical stuffs when I received
a barrage of messages from high-school friends
all about what happened to our dear and beloved
batchmate Mary Saludares.
Upon receiving the news, I cried for a very long time.

I remembered Mary as the ballerina who always dance
at important school events. She was the girl stretching
her long legs at that STEPS poster. The girl who keeps on
asking me what my baon is for that day. The girl who
continually pokes my back just because she was bored
and got nothing else to do. The girl who LOVES to eat and
can possibly "out-eat" anyone in an eating contest despite
her thin physique. The girl that nobody can beat in the
flexibility part of the Physical Exam in PE class because
she can stretch herself in a very inhuman sort of way.
The girl who laughs at even the corniest jokes. The girl
who tells me stories about dance school and ballet mirrors.
The girl who jokes about men in tight pants. The girl
who tickles me until I am almost out of breath.
The girl who loves making funny faces in front of
the camera. The girl who can dance to almost any tune.
The girl who dreams of dancing at Broadway and making it big
someday...

and probably one of the best dancers that I have ever known



R.I.P MARY BEATRICE SALUDARES. WE WILL MISS YOU.