'Eccentrics, Homage to Fellini' at the CCP: Freestyling with Fellini

You know whose imaginarium I’d want to enter? Federico Fellini. Yes, the legendary Italian director with his motley crew of beautiful plump women, flying saviors, white sheiks, ocean bathers, mutant fish, and objects falling from dreams trailed by curious circus music. That would be like hurling into an abyss of surreal, baroque, mythic and dreamlike dimensions. There would be men in search of something and women who’ll say anything; nothing is real, everything is permitted. And there would be much, much dancing.

This is how Compagnia Artemis Danza re-imagines Fellini for our age — with dance, music, cinema, theater and animation — as the Italian dance company presents “I Bislacchi Omaggio a Fellini (Eccentrics, Homage to Fellini)” on Oct. 27, 8 p.m. at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Main Theater. The show is a presentation of the Embassy of the Republic of Italy and the CCP in cooperation with Rustan’s, Philippine Italian Association (PIA), and The Peninsula Manila.

The performance features images culled from the mind of the Italian celluloid master — for example, La Dolce Vita’s famous flying Christ and Trevi Fountain scenes, La Strada’s insane collection of circus characters, 8 1/2’s rambling dreams and fantasies. The show was conceived and choreographed by Monica Casadei, artistic director of Compagnia Artemis Danza. Accompanied by the famous melodies of Italian composer Nino Rota, dancers of Compagnia Artemis Danza will re-evoke and reinvent images, scenes and characters from six popular Fellini films, namely La Strada, Amarconi, La Dolce Vita, Intervista, Casanova, and 8 1/2.

Italian Ambassador to the Philippines Luca Fornari explains, “We want to bring (more aspects of) Italian culture to the

Trip the light fantastic: Compagnia Artemis Danza was founded in ’94 by Monica Casadei, a dancer, choreographer and philosophy graduate. And the philosophical framework of the group is “Artemis meets other cultures.”

Philippines.” In inviting Compagnia Artemis Danza, the ambassador says the reason is because “(Dance) is not just an expression of the heart or the body, it is also an expression of a culture.”  

“I Bislacchi Omaggio a Fellini” is part of “Dolce Italia, Dolce Lingua” festival from Oct. 20 to Nov. 25, a celebration of Italian language and culture, which includes the 9th Italian Film Festival at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall (from Oct. 20 to 26), lectures on Italian cinema also at the Shang (Oct. 20, 10 a.m., and Oct. 21, 2 p.m.), workshops and master classes on modern dance at the CCP (Oct. 24, 2 p.m.) and Lyceum (Oct. 25, 26 and 28), a performance by jazz singer Daniela Schachter and pianist Elena Camerin at UP (Nov. 23) and Ayala Museum (Nov. 24), among other activities.

In choosing which activities to bring to our neck of the woods, Ambassador Fornari says one important consideration is the cultural message they convey.

Italian Embassy cultural attaché Emanuela Adesini says the Italian dance company has performed in Japan, Malaysia, Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia. This is the company’s first time in the Philippines. It was founded in ’94 by Casadei, a dancer, choreographer and philosophy graduate. (Her dissertation was on Plato and dance — now, that’s another dreamlike fusion). And the philosophical framework of the group is “Artemis meets other cultures.”

“(It’s always been about) exchanging experiences with other cultures,” says Adesini. “That’s why they usually conduct workshops. (In the workshops slated at the CCP and Lyceum) they will teach, but at the same time, take something from the Filipino culture. Like (aspects) of traditional dances, the Filipinos’ experience in music and dance, and the use of traditional instruments.”

Philippine Italian Association (PIA) president, and Rustan Commercial Corporation president Zenaida “Nedy” Tantoco says the association exists to promote good relationship between the Philippines and Italy through arts and culture initiatives.

“We are very happy to give our support to Compagnia Artemis Danza,” Tantoco shares. “We planned this for a year, and now it has become a reality. The PIA will provide the hotel accommodations for the members of the dance troupe, as well as facilitating the workshops.

“This is a joint passion and advocacy of the PIA and the Tantoco-Rustia Foundation: to promote a continuous and contiguous exchange of culture and commerce between Italy and the Philippines that will bring about better knowledge and understanding between the two countries.”

As a way of fostering cultural and trade relations between the two countries, the Tantoco-Rustia Foundation, Rustan Commercial Corporation, and the PIA are presenting the Philippine Cultural Festival (Festival dell’ Arte Filippina) from Oct. 16 to 18 at the Auditorium al Duomo in Florence, Italy upon the invitation of the Fondazione Romualdo del Bianco. The festival includes an art exhibit, an academic conference, as well as a music-and-dance concert. It also includes educational tours of key Florentine historical and cultural assets such as the Uffizi Gallery, the Duomo, the Pallazzos and Piazzas that embody the characteristic architecture and urbanism of the early Renaissance.

Tantoco explains, “When there came about an opportunity to introduce Philippine heritage and culture to our colleagues in Italy under the auspices of the PIA, I embraced the chance to sponsor three colleges in the University of the Philippines — namely architecture, fine arts, and music — to travel to Florence to proudly show that there is more to the Philippines than being a source of experienced and expert workers. We want the world to know that we have a rich culture and art life, with indigenous Malay provenance enriched by centuries of history and influence from Europe and Asia.”

The Sweet Circus of Life

Adesini characerizes “I Bislacchi Omaggio a Fellini” as a “complex performance.” It is made up of three different elements — dance (courtesy of six members of the company), music (created by Nino Rota, who wrote the unforgettable theme tune from Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather; and he was also Fellini’s favorite composer), as well as multi-media presentation (featuring Fellini’s flamboyantly cute drawings).

 “The dancers will try to create the (magical) atmosphere of a Fellini movie,” says Adesini. “Fellini was a neo-realist at first, then he turned to the magical, the symbolic and the ironic. The performers will try to convey that magic, that irony. There will be clowns.”

Fellini started out as painter and illustrator, wrote religiously on his diaries, and plotted his movies sometimes wholly without writing words. When Fellini talked to actors on how the movie would go about and develop, he’d give them sketches.

She adds, “We are thinking of casting a Filipina actress as a narrator whose task is to fascinate the audience.” Someone Felliniesque, perhaps.

“From what I’ve seen so far, this performance is a way to let Fellini virgins (discover) Fellini’s world,” concludes Adesini. “Enjoying life is something that Italians and Filipinos share. It’s the way (both Italians and Filipinos) approach life. And I know there are many, many Filipinos who are familiar with Fellini films.”

For them, it would be a case of falling in love with Fellini all over again. 

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Tickets to I Bislacchi Omaggio a Fellini are at P1,000 for orchestra center, P700 for orchestra side, P500 for balcony 1 and P300 for balcony 2. Discounts are available for students at 50 percent and for senior citizens at 20 percent. For information, call the CCP Box Office at 832-1125 local 3704 and 832-1125 local 1409.