When Mickey Perz joined Pinoy Big Brother he earned the spotlight when Kuya showed  Mickey's fellow housemates a video of him dancing gay hip-hop, his favorite hobby when he was still in Switzerland.  Thus he became the "Hip-hop Dancing King" during his stay in PBB house.

The Filipino-Austrian guy never thought that his skill in dancing would open a lot of opportunities for him in Manila.  Neither did he expect to be known as a dancer when he auditioned in PBB back in 2007.

"Before I came to the Philippines, I was working as an accountant and I enjoyed it talaga.  The reason why I just stopped, sabi ko, 'Let's try it out.  What will happen if I can dance.'  Kasi, I can go back to my (previous) career, I have a fallback.  I would regret it if hindi ko susubukan ang pagsayaw," he recalled during an interview with PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) after the media launch of Supahdance 2 album recently.

Since he came out of Kuya's house, the PBB Season 2 Second Big Placer has become a regular performer on ABS-CBN's Sunday variety show ASAP.  Mickey tried acting but his passion for dancing weighed more in the end.

He related to PEP, "At the beginning they wanted to ask me (what to pursue).  I mean, I did two teleseryes (Love Spell in 2007) and I was part of a movie (When Love Begins in 2008).  Pero before I came to the Philippines, I was never exposed to acting, never exposed to TV.  My mom was watching (TFC in Switzerland) but I had no clue at all.  Para sa akin, when they pushed me into acting, sabi ko, 'Let's find out.'  I can't lose anything naman, e, with trying it. 

"For me, I had fun naman.  Pero dancing is number one sa akin talaga, e.  If ever there's time naman na I really want to act then, I think I will take it more seriously and would do more workshops.  If I will prioritize talaga, it would be like dancing, hosting, and acting."

He leaves acting to those who have the gift to portray different characters, he said. 

Mickey explained, "If you look at me, I'm tall, big, you can't put me in drama, e.  Face-wise, sabi nila maamo ang mukha ko.  If you put me in action, body-wise puwede, pero 'yong mukha wala.  Malabo na, it's just funny.  Ang dami nang gusto mag-act, ang dami nang magaling so, go ahead.  I'll just concentrate with what I love to do, which is dancing naman.  I'm enjoying what I'm doing."

FULFILLING HIS SECOND DREAM.  After being known in the field that he loves so much, Mickey started to fulfill his other dream-to own a dance studio.  It was January last year when the 25-year-old celebrity dancer opened his dance studio named Planet Jupiter, located on Jupiter Street in Makati.

"I always wanted to have a dance school here in the Philippines.  Now I have it in Makati.  Planet Jupiter.  I'm very, very happy about that dance school, e, because that was one of my dreams at na-accomplish ko na," he excitedly told PEP.

But handling a personal business venture was not easy for Mickey. He grew up in Switzerland and was not yet accustomed to our culture when he first set up his studio. 

"It's not easy, e.  Sa umpisa, sobrang hirap talaga," he described.  "I mean, I underestimated it.  In Switzerland, it's different here talaga.  Especially 'yong tao, 'yong attitude, 'yong kultura.  One example nga, kung umuulan (dito), hindi pupunta (ang students sa class) kasi baka tinatamad na or binaha.  Kung may exam hindi rin pupunta.  I mean, it's completely different in Switzerland kasi kahit ano pa ngang mangyari pupunta sila, e."

After a year, fortunately, his studio was able to gather more dance enthusiasts to enroll in his classes. 

"You learn from it.  I'm happy about it. One year ago we had one student and now we have 10 to 15 na average per class," said Mickey.

ADVICE TO ASPIRING DANCERS.  Aside from business, Mickey also considers his studio as his way of sharing what he knows to aspiring dancers.