The Stomper is a Pinay

First, the good news: Stomp will be staged at the CCP’s Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo from Oct. 18 to 23.

Now, the sad news: Filipina Stomper Coralissa Delaforce won’t be able to join the show for a reason that you will know as you read on. But she was nice enough to give Funfare readers an inside view of how it is to be a Stomper in an exclusive e-mail interview. Coralissa is married to fellow Stomper Ivan Delaforce by whom she has a two-year-old son, Nainoa.

Married since 2006, Coralissa and Ivan met and matched onstage while doing Stomp. Ivan joined the show in 1994 and Coralissa in 1996. He’s originally from Hawaii and she, from Los Angeles. They have traveled to Australia for Stomp with Nainoa whose birth almost made Coralissa quit the show. Thankfully, she did not.

Described as “the working man’s show,” Stomp is an invigorating and innovative spectacle that features a unique combination of movements and visual comedy, coupled with percussive symphony and dance. It is played entirely on non-traditional instruments such as garbage-can lids, buckets, brooms and sticks. It has little or no melody in the traditional sense, so it doesn’t matter if your taste in music is jazz, classical or pop. The show employs no words and yet everybody can understand and enjoy it.

Here are excerpts from my interview with Coralissa:

How long have you been into visual comedy?

“As long as I can remember.”

How did you discover this talent of yours?

“Ever since I was born, my mom has always said that I loved to dance. Growing up, we always were at some party where there was dancing and singing.”

Coralissa in another Stomp show.

You and Ivan have been performing on Stomp together for years. Doesn’t your being a couple affect your performance (you know, what if you have problems at home or are having a “cold war,” or such “distractions”)?

“We never fight. Hahahaha, just kidding. Being a couple on the road has its challenges. We always make sure ‘to leave it at the door’ when we step on stage, whether it is a ‘cold war’ between us or we are just having a bad day.”

You almost quit after giving birth to Nainoa. What made you change your mind?

“When Ivan and I both were offered three months in Gold Coast, Australia, I couldn’t pass up that chance to live by the beach, play music with my friends and have a unique experience for Nainoa.”

You said in an article that you worked up until you were five months pregnant. Weren’t you worried that it would have adversely affected your pregnancy?

“I was never worried about doing the show while I was pregnant. I had been doing the show for 12 years already and my body was used to jumping around banging on trash cans. I trusted in myself and in my body to tell me when it was time to stop.”

How much of you is Filipino?

“I am a full Filipino, 100 percent.”

What part of the Philippines did your parents come from?

“My mother was born in Naic, Cavite, and she grew up in Mendez town. My father grew up in Laoag, Ilocos Sur.”

Do you still have relatives in the Philippines?

“My Aunt Gloria and cousin Ricky still live in the Philippines. My mother and my father still have relatives who still live there.”

It’s a pity that you won’t be with Stomp when it comes to Manila. It would have given you a chance to visit and renew ties with your relatives.

“Unfortunately, I won’t be there because I am in school full time to be a Physical Therapist Assistant. I am so sad that I won’t be there to perform for my fellow Filipinos.”

Describe how you and Ivan met and fell in love.

“We fell in love doing the show back in 1996. Ivan is from Hawaii and is a quarter Filipino. When I was first hired, it was the first time I was away from my family for so long. It was a huge adjustment. Ivan understood me. He understood my culture, my family life and I think that was what did it for me. He became my family on the road. I think he got my heart when he told a really funny Filipino joke. Plus he is really cute.”

Stomp is described as “the working man’s show.” How is it different from other shows?

“I think Stomp is called ‘the working man’s show’ because it is about creating something out of nothing. We make music out of everyday objects. We dance with trash-can lids and make melodies with radiator hoses. ‘The working man’ knows how to be creative with his surroundings to make it a better place to live in. I love Stomp because of that. It shows people that you can create music and dance without having to buy a grand piano or a drum set.”

How are you as a wife and as a mom?

“You’ll have to ask Ivan how I am as a wife because we’ll probably have different answers! I couldn’t be the mom that I am without the help of my parents. Lola and Lolo moved in with me before Nainoa was born to help Ivan and me. I am very lucky to have them here. I could never have done it without their help. I am a good mom because of my parents.”

With husband, Ivan Delaforce, also a Stomper, and their two-year-old son Nainoa

Would you encourage Nainoa to follow in your and Ivan’s footsteps?

“If Nainoa wanted to drum, dance or be a politician, I would support him. I truly believe that if you set your mind to something you can achieve it with the support of your family. They supported me in my dance lessons and piano lessons, and they came to all my plays when I was in high school. Like I said, I wouldn’t have been here without the support of my family. I honestly think that Nainoa could be in the show. He has already performed all the numbers in the show when he was two years old! Nainoa has a natural rhythm.”

(Note: Stomp at the CCP is presented by Lunchbox Productions Ltd., David Atkins Enterprises and Concertus, with The Philippine STAR among the media partners. Ticket prices are P750; P1,000; P1,500; P2,000; P2,500; P3,000; P3,500; P4,000; P4,500; P5,000; P5,500; and P7,500. Senior citizens get a 20 percent discount. Call Ticketworld at 891-9999.)

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)