Envoy H. Jess, art patron / Static is for media / Modern dance in review

Not too long ago, German Ambassador Herbert D. Jess presented at his Makati residence the eminent global village painter Manuel "Manny" D. Baldemor before art connoisseurs, the cognoscenti and art lovers. Hanging on the walls for them to view were European scenes by Baldemor, particularly widely-known historic landmarks of Germany.

On Nov. 18, Mr. Jess will hold a vernissage reception at his residence to present another Filipino artist, Elmer Borlongan.

A prolific painter in today’s Philippine art scene, Borlongan is the recipient of the prestigious 13 Artists Award (1994) from the CCP. His works are found in local private collections as well as in museums abroad; e.g., the Singapore Art Museum and Japan’s Fukuoka Asian Art Museum.

From the catalogue of The Aesthetics of ASEAN Expressions (1994) comes this quote: "Elmer M. Borlongan focuses his attention primarily on the realities of the world around him. His fondness for common folk and their daily chores and pastimes is evident in his works. Highly representational and figurative, his own personal style of expressionism tends to exaggerate the inner tension in his subjects, especially where personal stress is clothed by joy and shallow fulfillment . . ."

Doubtless, Ambassador Jess’s earnest wish is to build his own pillar of support and encouragement to Filipino artists, in varying stages of success and fulfillment, while enhancing and enlivening the cultural scene in the process. His invitees have already heard leading pianist Ingrid Santamaria, her richly talented young peer Jonathan Coo, and not the least, the redoubtable international concertist Cecile Licad.

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Static, a two-character play which, according to reports, earned rave reviews in last year’s Edinburgh International Festival, will be staged at CCP’s Tanghalang Batute from Nov. 16 to 25 under the auspices of the British Council headed by Gill Westaway.

Static is described as "a brilliant piece of new writing that serves as a witty and enduring reminder that the blood on TV isn’t always make-up." Static was written in response to the war in Kosovo in 1999 and is a beautifully- acted production that makes audiences think seriously about the role of newscasts and broadcast practitioners.

Written by Chris Thorpe and starring Jon Spooner and Clare Duffy, the play should be a "must" for people in media. In fact, a theater forum on media responsibility and the performing arts will follow each staging.

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To help develop promising talents in ballet, the Manila Chamber Orchestra (MCO) headed by Armando Baltazar and the (Association of Ballet Academies of the Philippines) ABAP are jointly presenting Swan Lake tonight at 7 at the F. Santiago Hall.

Specially selected students will dance the White Swan pas de Deux, the Cygnets (Little Swans), the Big Swans and the Coda of Act II, as well as the various national dances (the divertissements), and the Black Swan Pas de Deux from Act III. Presumably, it will be a colorful and entertaining night of ballet.

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Apparently, there was no review of the Losdedae contemporary dance concert which was presented mid-way of Fiesta! at the RCBC Theater.

Under the direction of young choreographer Chevi Muraday, Losdedae is described as "one of Spain’s best and unique dance groups". In Dias durmiendo en el olvido (Days sleeping in oblivion) a man and woman conveyed the alternating attraction and alienation (revulsion) characterizing their relationship. The pas de deux was predominantly balletic in style and inspiration; once in a while, the woman would speak a few words, and images of a couple in rather erotic poses would be shown on a screen.

Shime, by contrast, was heavily Japanese in ambiance — this largely achieved by white costumes whose sleeves, which went way beyond arms’ length, were manipulated and later detached in a clever, riveting manner. The dancers – five women and three men – initially appeared tied to ropes suspended from the ceiling, later releasing themselves.

The unified pounding, the sharp, oblique thrusts of arms and legs which seemed to reflect the influence of Oriental martial arts — karate (Japanese) and kung fu (Chinese) — were exhilarating demonstrations of tremendous energy and vitality.

Does Muraday have a fixation with breasts? In Dias, the woman wore a black, see-through blouse; in Shime, the final pas de deux concluded with the woman removing it.

There were striking moments of tension in the groupings and re-groupings of the imagined inhabitants of an island who felt isolation on the one hand, or togetherness as they engaged in common activities for survival. In the striking finale, the dancers emptied sacks of white grain.

In attempting to "blaze the trail", Muraday did succeed to a perceptible degree.