Ateneo ain’t just about the big “B,” you know. While the Ateneo Blue Eagles have been literally on a roll, soaring heights throughout this monumental UAAP Basketball season, some equally formidable blue-blooded entities have been equally as busy and determined to concoct their own winning tunes. Rooted in the arts, the spirit of competition, MAGIS, camaraderie, and playing caretaker and protector to well-kept legacies, these bluebloods have virtually knocked the ball out of the park.
Representing (or, in ‘hood terms, “represent’n”) the different facets of the all-too-talented Ateneo community, these industry up and comers have all the right attitude, spunk, bravado, talent and heart to roll with those punches, doing what they do best and having a damned good time. One is a consistent placer in reputable interschool dance competitions and is recognized as a formidable force in the world of collegiate dance. Another prides itself in being the top college musical theater organization in the country – developing talent that goes beyond the professional stage. And another is a rising campus retail brand that is “dope, classic and blue” all rolled into one. No wonder the Ateneo Blue Eagles are on a roll. Meet the Company of Ateneo Dancers, Ateneo Blue Repertory, and the Blue Crew. It’s time to drop it while it’s hot!
Playing videogames, watching movies, and going to clubs aren’t the only fancies of this swank crew. Born out of the rising popularity of campus retail and the group’s common love for basketball, Ateneo point guard Jai Reyes, Mike Baldos, Mikko Abello, Mark Intal and Merill Lazo got together to put up the Blue Crew, offering the “newest Ateneo label giving you the freshest tees with the edgiest designs.” Student manager and proprietor Mikko Abello adds, “Blue Crew goes beyond basketball. We’re all really good friends and we’re pretty much always together.” But working together doesn’t seem like work to them at all, because the group is always in the grip of fun.
After last year’s championship, the five bore witness to the large outpour of emotions and school spirit that loyal fans and followers showered upon the Ateneo Blue Eagles. “Just remembering the thousands of people who came out to celebrate at last year’s bonfire, all dressed up in those token Ateneo shirts, gave us the idea of coming out with our own line of clothing,” Mikko recounts, adding, “We wanted something that would be tough enough to wear on the court but dope enough to wear out there when we’re not playing.”
Inspired by graphic tees from both foreign and local brands, Blue Crew is a brand on a mission — to inspire and imbibe a sense of team solidarity every time the likes of Eric Salamat or Kirk Long look to the stands and see people festooned in spirited shirts, and to generate mucho excitement with the release of every new design. Mikko ends, “Blue Crew is for everyone who loves Ateneo as much as we do. If it’s good enough for some of the country’s finest basketball talent, we know it’s good enough for you.” You know it.
(Blue Crew is available at the Loyola Schools Bookstore, located at the Basement of the MVP Building in Ateneo or the A-Shop booth at the Upper Box Section of the Araneta Coliseum during games. For more info, visit bluecrewpinas.multiply.com or contact 0921-4449000 or 0916-3835617. They ship anywhere in the world!)
From dope and edgy retail to dope and edgy moves, the Company of Ateneo Dancers (CADs) is part and parcel of a growing segment of dance and hip-hop in the country today. Just look at the All-Stars, the Jabbawockeez, and the rising popularity of shows like America’s Best Dance Crew, Dancing with the Stars, and So You Think You Can Dance among the pop-crazed youth. CADs president Roanna Medina reveals, “Dance has the ability to be relevant to everyone through the unlimited human themes it can explore and communicate.” It’s a universal art, and for the only accredited dance organization in the Ateneo, dance is also their way of giving back to God.
CADs is the Ateneo’s foremost dance company, composed of 75 street and jazz performers and over 60 production staff members from all walks of life. With the aim of producing excellent artists and inspiring others through the creation of relevant, dynamic, and meaningful dance performances, the group, now in their 16th year, gives back to the community by mounting their annual Rhythm in Blue Inter-org Dance Competition. Roanna adds, “The theme of this year’s RiB revolves around youth and brotherhood — more particularly, using dance as a way for young people to connect with themselves, and a bridge for connecting others.”
In RiB, organizations of the Ateneo are given the chance to showcase their artistry and talent through friendly competition. “We want to give recognition to those dancers who aren’t given that much opportunities to express themselves,” shares Roanna, adding, “This event is also our way of building camaraderie and unity among the different organizations in the Ateneo.” Furthermore, RiB has become the key portal through which CADs is able to showcase its current and upcoming talent pool, including some ridiculously talented B-Boys, high-flyers, choreographers, as well as dancers who are well-versed in the art of old school locking, contemporary and ballet. Expect nothing but the best from this year’s RiB, including some stellar performances from CADs alumni, the Dollhouse, and last year’s champs, the Ateneo Blue Repertory.
(RiB will be held Sept. 25 at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater in Ateneo. Tickets are P150 and available at the Kostka Extension in the Ateneo campus, and within the venue itself. Doors open today at 6 p.m. Don’t miss it!)
Speaking of Ateneo Blue Repertory, the country’s top college musical theater organization is at it again, this time with this year’s greenhorn but promising new batch of talent. Oh wait, forget I said “green.” Coming from a highly-successful run of Tick… Tick… Boom! that saw us at the receiving end of bona fide performances from Ryan Cayabyab singer Jaime Barcelon and Mian Dimacali, the Ateneo Blue Repertory presents this year’s newbie musical, Rock & Rule, a play about the power of music told through the quintessential hits of the rock band’s rock band, Queen. First-time assistant director Sab Jose quips, “It’s a show about individuality in a world of conformity,” adding that working with this year’s newbies has been a wonderful experience off the bat. She says that the best thing about putting up a newbie production, aside from teaching and learning a thing or two from your students, is forming a new family and training the next pool of talents who are potentially the future of Philippine theater.
Rock & Rule is a story about bohemians Galileo Figaro (Gabi Perez, Rem del Rosario) Scaramouche (Gab Pangilinan, Maronne Cruz) and other bohemians struggling to find Rock’s Holy Grail. With direction by Missy Maramara of Lulu fame, the show will play on the following dates: Sept. 23, 24 and 25 at 8 p.m., and Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. For ticket reservations and other inquiries, contact Pauline Gaerlan at 0917-8211071.
Really, there’s nothing like a tinge of school spirit to keep the cogs of the unstoppable Ateneo wheel turning. From theater to dance to retail, maybe the grass is really greener on this side of town. Oh, shoot: I said it again.
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