Filipinescas postponed / BP’s ‘Men and Women’ / ‘Choir of the World’

Owing to the sudden death of National Artist for Dance Leonor Orosa Goquingco, choreographer-director of "Filipinescas: Philippine Life, Legend and Lore in Dance", and the consequent delay in certain phases of production, Filipinescas performances slated at the CCP main theater Aug. 19 to 21 have been postponed to a date to be announced later. This makes earlier announcements null and void.

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Three Filipino choreographers who have gained some measure of success abroad staged their works in the CCP main theater last weekend under the auspices of Ballet Philippines. In 1990, Enrico Labayen premiered his first choreographic venture "Hommage" and "Mindstorm" for BP’s 21st Gala, drawing this comment from National Artist for Dance Leonor O. Goquingco, "Exquisite and evocative... complete and in a class by itself". Anna Kisselgoft, dance critic of the NY Times, called Labayen "a top-flight professional artist".

His "Stringed, Strung and Estranged" re-staged by Katherine Sanchez, and danced sur les pointes to the music of Shostakovich’s String Quartet 11 in F Minor, consisted of Andantino, Recitativa, Humoresque, Elegy, Moderato and Transparency. In brief, black-and-white costumes, the ensemble went through cohesive, fluid balletic movements which conveyed relationships between men and women. These suggested affection, camaraderie, friendship on the one hand, and indifference, antagonism and belligerence, on the other, with the women shoving or kicking the men to show alienation in the series of duets. Interest was kept on a high level by the ever-changing relationships.

The very fine dancers were Camille Ordinario, Hanedy Sala, Carissa Adea, Mica Bernas, Candice Adea, Angel Gabriel, Biag Gaongen, Rhea Dumdum and Michael Divinagracia. Two of the principal ballerinas stood out for their unusually high extensions.

Bam Damian’s "After Whom?", to music by Nuevas Cruzes, was an outstanding combination of vigorous, energetic, vibrant music and equally vigorous, energetic, vibrant dancing. The swirling of the men’s long, white billowy skirts as they swiftly turned and twirled, the sharp leg and arm thrusts of the ensemble accenting the pounding rhythm compelled attention from start to finish. The number drew lusty applause.

"L", again by Camian, was to Debussy’s impressionistics L’apres midi d’ un faun (The Afternoon of a Faun). The evocative props (three white flower bulbs) and a misty, hazy stage provided ambiance and mood for the muted pas de deux with its hints of derivative eroticism. Alternating in the roles were danseurs Ramcy Cortista and Michael Divinagracia; ballerinas Carissa Adea and Razel Estrella.

"Anecdotes of Hate" was Damian’s choreographic attempt to recreate a political period in US history with real and symbolic figures. The real characters were John F. Kennedy (Marc Angel Gabriel), Martin Luther King (Biag Gaongen), Rosa Parks (Camille Ordinario) and members of the Ku Klux Klan. The symbol figures were Hope (Mica Bernas), Malevolence (Barry Baris), Fire (Hanedy Sala) and Flames energizing the conflict. Music was Bohuslav Martinu’s Concerto for Piano, Strings and Timpani which, according to the choreographer, was written in protest of the evils of the Second World War.

Alden Lugnasin’s "Bound", given its world premiere, conveyed a sumptuous visual impression with the spectacular rising of white pillars from miniature huts. However, the auditory experience derived from the soundtrack of "The Matrix" movie – with its constant piercing percussive beat – was hard on the ear.

Once more, the relationship between men and women came to the fore, and the women’s parasols were vehicles for flirtation, defence, coyness, attack, aggression. Lugnasi states: "A woman’s feminine wiles and charms are her known weapons which go head to head with men’s own punches." Indeed, Lagnusi’s manipulation of the parasols, clever and ingenious, implied layers of meaning.

The fascinating program alternated between modern ballet and modern dance, and in a fashion, dovetailed with Ballet Philippines’ own history. Starting as a modern dance group, it became a ballet company, and now shifts from traditional classic to modern dance on ethnic, mythical themes, among others.

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In 1995, the UST Singers under Prof. Fidel Calalang Jr. won the enviable title "Choir of the World" in Wales. Since its founding in 1992, the vocal ensemble has won 40 top prizes in world competitions in Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, France, Spain, Poland, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, the UK and The Netherlands.

More recently, in 2004, the choir was given the "Ville de Vevey" prize in Montreux, Switzerland, for Best Interpretation and Programming.

The 31-member chorale began its resoundingly successful 11th international tour in South Korea where it performed in four cities before jam-packed audiences. The standing ovations led Prof. Jae Joon Lee, symphony conductor, to extract from Prof. Calalang a promise to return.

The US tour of 11 states included Philadelphia, NY, LA, SF, Seattle and Washington.

Highlights were joint performances with the U. of Utah Singers, winning the grand prize in the "Florilege Vocal de Tours 2005" a special performance with the prestigious Chicago Children’s Choir, and several university concerts in NY, Indiana and Seattle, Washington. The choir, as special guest of the UST Medical Association in America Convention, sang at the Broadway Ballroom in Times Square. The group also sang in the Seattle Center and at Washington U. for Independence Day, to the Filipinos’ considerable delight. The country welcomes the choir with immense pride.