Reigning in Manila
Savina wears all vintage and antique textiles from GLORIOUS DIAS. Photography Belg Belgica. Styling Jodinand Aguillon.
From accidentally joining a voguing class to winning balls left and right, Savina Rise Mizrahi, our Fall/Winter’24 cover star, is an unstoppable Filipina force to be reckoned with.
Text Angelo Gabriel A. Dionora
Photography Belg Belgica
Styling Jodinand Aguillon
From Hella Pinay 04: The Fashion Issue. Get your copy here.
It’s only fitting to call Savina Rise Mizrahi the belle of the ball(room), as this Dagupan darling—after winning several face and realness categories in balls held in Pangasinan and Metro Manila—is steadily rising as someone to watch out for in the Philippines’ ballroom scene.
We caught up with the 23-year old stunner about growing up in the coastal city of Dagupan, Pangasinan—a major commercial and financial center in Northern Luzon—accidentally discovering the world of voguing, and how ballroom has allowed her to widen her perspectives and see new possibilities for trans women like herself.
Introduce yourself to the world the way you want to. Think Miss Universe!
Masantos ya ngarem ed sikatayun amin (Good afternoon to us all).
I am Khalid Ramadan, also known as Savina Rise Mizrahi. I am a 23-year old Filipino-Sudanese Muslim trans woman from Dagupan, Pangasinan. Currently, I am living in Batangas for work.
Tell me about your upbringing in Dagupan.
Growing up in Dagupan, I got bullied for being dark-skinned and trans. I took it upon myself to build a positive image for dark skin and remind people around me that they shouldn’t discriminate against others because of their skin.
As for my being queer, I grew up around people who would jeer at me whenever I’d pass by them on the streets. They’d shout things like “ay, bakla! Babakla-bakla!” as if they’re seeing something weird.
Today, I’m glad that people are more open-minded toward women like me. I traverse the streets and people just say “hi, bes!” or smile at me. Sure, there are still a few who aren’t up to speed with our redefined standards of beauty and acceptance of queer people, but I’m seeing positive changes day by day.
Photography Belg Belgica. Styling Jodinand Aguillon.
So how does a darling from Dagupan become the belle of the ball? Tell me about your first encounter with the ballroom scene.
It actually began as a happy accident! Back in October 2022, Sir Jodee (Jodinand Aguillon, Anakbanwa Creative Residency Program Director) and Congressman Christopher “Toff” de Venecia (of the Fourth District of Pangasinan) were holding the second wave of the Anakbanwa Creative Residency in Pangasinan. Our LGBTQIA+ group in our locale was looking for participants for a “modeling” class, and they asked me if I wanted to be part of it. They knew that it has been my long-time dream to become a model.
I remember going to the class in a high-waisted ensemble—a pang-awra look, as we call it. I saw Mother Xyza (the mother of the Philippine chapter of the International House of Mizrahi) there as well. When the session started, we weren’t doing your standard model poses; instead, they were teaching us moves from the “New Way” and “runway” categories of voguing. Apparently, it was a different class altogether!
My body hurt a great deal after the class, but I remember having so much fun as we tried out the different moves. When Anakbanwa eventually organized the first-ever ball we had in Dagupan (the Aralem Ball), I won the face category. This prompted Mother Xyza to encourage and invite me to participate in a Manila-based ball.
When I arrived at the Kalat Ball of the Kiki House of Dirty back in October, I was so starstruck by the people around me: drag queens, Instagram models, and voguers that I had only seen online were now within reach. What I appreciated most with the ballroom scene in Manila was that they were so fun, accepting, and sincere—I never felt a hint of hate or shade. The best part? I won another face category at the ball!
What has been the most memorable moment of your ballroom life?
I’ll never forget the Rainbow Ball where I was declared as an official member of the International House of Mizrahi back in March 2023. I did not expect to be part of a major house as soon as I did, and I’m glad that my training paid off. Oh, and I also won the realness category at that very ball!
You mentioned that you trained with the house for quite a while. So you moved to Manila for that?
No, actually. I still stayed in Dagupan, so most of my ballroom training was spent online. We’d have Zoom sessions, rehearsing some steps while they give me pointers remotely. If we couldn’t set up a call, I’d record myself performing for some categories, then I’d send the videos to Mother Xyza and Father Twyloit for their feedback.
However, I did some in-person training with the house whenever I visited Manila.
How does it feel to represent Dagupan in Manila’s ballroom scene?
I’ve met foreigners who represent their countries as they participate in balls around Manila, and I somehow feel the same way—that I represent my city, my community, in the metro. I still get awestruck whenever they announce my name and place of origin: “Savina, from Pangasinan!” And when others get to hear that, they get amazed by my efforts and dedication to travel all the way from Dagupan to Manila to join a ball.
Again, it’s a showcase of gratitude within a loving community that’s respectful and diverse. It makes me feel so happy to be part of this family.
Photography Belg Belgica. Styling Jodinand Aguillon.
Likewise, how does Dagupan feel about your rise in the ballroom scene in Manila?
The queer community here—most especially my trans sisters—often joke, “O, si Savina, big time na!,” that I’m already a model, and that I’m already rich! It’s all in good fun, but I know they’re also proud.
In a way, it feels great to be able to expand the possibilities that are out there for us trans folk, especially here in Dagupan. Through ballroom, I’ve seen that I can go far, I can be somebody, and I can do things that no one else has dared to try. I’m glad that I’ve widened my perspective about my future as a trans Pinay.
Also, I’ve learned that I can be happy without a jowa. Chos!
I hope you don’t mind my asking, but what are these limitations that you speak of?
First of all, I do not demean or degrade my trans sisters who engage in sex work. However, here in our area, there was a time that sex work was one of the few options that we had as trans women to make a decent living. We’ve had sisters who would ask us if we had passports, and they’d encourage us to “try it out” abroad and make good money.
Similarly, there existed this stereotype before that if you were a gay man, you had to know how to do makeup or hair. You can’t wear your hair long or be “girly” if you want a job, because companies won’t hire you. Elder gays in our area also told us that if we wanted to have boyfriends or flings, we had to be “generous,” referring to giving money or material things.
Growing up with these limiting beliefs, I always wondered whether these were the only possibilities that I had for my future. Couldn’t I do things my own way, to achieve success and lead a fulfilling life, and to do things better? Fortunately, I found most of my answers in ballroom.
Much has changed in our community over the years, thanks to social media, increased awareness of things like one’s sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression (SOGIE), among others. There are still closed-minded people out there, but I think we’re making good progress bit by bit.
Outside of ballroom, how do you express your creativity and identity?
By profession, I am a makeup artist. I developed an interest in makeup and beauty back in high school, and my peers noticed that I was quite skilled at it. Eventually, I turned it into a career, investing in high-quality makeup for various clients and needs—graduations, weddings, among others. I take inspiration from American vloggers and makeup artists and follow their content.
In Dagupan, we also have this festival called the Bangus Festival (Milkfish Festival), a celebration of the city’s bangus industry and products. I’d participate as a street dancer in some of the festivities.
Can you share how your creative pursuits influence your life in ballroom?
It’s a distinct advantage that I know how to do my own makeup. Not only does it save me time and money, but it also allows me to perfectly capture the emotions or portray the character that I want to bring to life in the ball. Of course, in every category I participate in, it’s important to feel that extravaganza, from your outfit to your face, so I have to be particular with the makeup that I use.
We can’t end this interview without talking about the gorgeous photoshoot with Belg and Jodee. How did this beautiful collaboration come about?
I was fortunate enough to meet and bond with Leyna Bloom in one of the face classes I attended for ballroom. We instantly clicked because of our similar backgrounds, and we had an impromptu photoshoot wherein she uploaded my photo on Instagram.
Apparently, Sir Belg (Belg Belgica) saw my photo and loved it! He followed me on Instagram and introduced himself as a photographer, and I followed him back. We made plans to hold a shoot, but it got delayed a few times because I was still shooting a documentary about the ballroom scene in Manila.
Eventually, we got to organize a schedule at WE ARE SHAPESHIFTERS [a multi-use creative studio in Escolta, Manila] for a shoot. Sir Belg tapped Sir Jodee for the creative direction and styling, and after a few outfit changes, we settled on this crochet fantasy extravaganza.
The ensemble was quite heavy, ha! I think I had around three or four layers of the fabric around my body. And if you look closely at the photo, you’ll see that I am not holding that parasol—that’s Sir Jodee hiding behind me, propping it up! It was too heavy for me to hold and strike a great pose at the same time, that’s why he volunteered to do so.
I fell in love with the result. It’s a beautiful photo, and as somebody who has dreamed of being a model for so long, I’m going to treasure it dearly.
From Hella Pinay 04: The Fashion Issue. Get your copy here.
Shot on location at Espacio Creativo Escolta, Manila, Philippines.
