Itim Asu on Runthru Online

My first foray into dance criticism this year is challenged by writer's block over Myra Beltran's Itim Asu. So, finally getting it published is sort of a small victory. An excerpt:

There is a lot of text in Itim Asu. In dance, the movement can be seen as the text; but this piece doesn't limit itself to just movement as text, which is only practical as there is a lot of text to deal with. Actually, for much of the group dancing, there is no text. As if text took a breather for the audience to rest their minds a bit and enjoy the dancing.

Not that anyone can get away from the texts in Itim Asu. There is a synopsis, choreographers' notes, and dramatist's notes in the souvenir programme, and a voice over during the performance. Aside from words, there is a "sound score" and a film of old Manila in sepia to help evoke the era. The historical material is analyzed on many levels, including how the validity of Burgos' account of the murder of Gov. Gen. Bustamante has been questioned, and even bringing in Jose Rizal's own texts inspired by Burgos' contributions to the fight for freedom. At the end of the show, Moreno even decides to contribute to the text, by posing who is the real hero of the story, is it Bustamante, or is it Itim Asu? It's kind of a lot to take in at a time.

Thankfully, the piece is organized into several sections to address these levels and layers of text. This sectioning and sequencing of events and the use of text in its various forms helps set the dance free of the responsibility of telling the story and allows the dancing to be as abstract as possible, when it can. At other moments, the dancing tells the story and there is no need for explanation.

From "Reading into Itim Asu"

by Joelle Jacinto on Runthru Online

Read the rest here

Runthru is now online

Ah, so here's the exciting news I told you guys to watch out for. Please visit my beloved pet project Runthru Dance Magazine as it's now live online on http://www.runthru.com.ph. Basically, it's the online component of the print magazine: we have pages listing the content of each issue we put out, and you can read our cover stories, and some selected features online.

Since we don't publish regularly, dance fans can get their regular updates here. We'll regularly feature local news and announcements of shows and events, and dance reviews. I actually have three lined up already (just have to finish/start writing them), so stay tuned. I've drafts on Myra Beltran's Itim Asu at RCBC, and Ballet Philippines' Neo Filipino. Just tonight, I saw Airdance's In Between Tenses and I'm excited to write about that too.

I also just recently proofed the new revised dummy of our Issue 4, which goes to the printers this month. It's lovely! It's going to be a good year for Runthru, yes it is.

This weekend: Airdance's In Between Tenses

Airdance looks back and peers into tomorrow with its upcoming show entitled In-Between-Tenses. Challenging the transience of dance and fleeting memories through movement and multi-media, choreographers and performers struggle with sanity and self and the many possibilities therein.

The show will feature explorations in remembering, in living in the moment, and in hoping. Worthy of looking forward to are new choreographies from Rhosam Prudenciado Jr., Mia Cabalfin, Johnny Amar, Marielle Alonzo, Clarissa Mijares and artistic directors Ava Villanueva, Jed Amihan and Avel Bautista. Part of the performance is coming to terms with yesterday, with the company will also restaging dances from previous shows. The dance pieces are part of an attempt to reconcile the past with the present and hopefully be able to fuel a future all the while aware that the dance, the body moving, is reflective of the passage of time.

In-Between-Tenses is presented to you by Airdance with shows on March 13 and 14, 2010, at 7pm at the Dance Forum Space located at 36e West Avenue (diagonally across Persian restaurant Mister Kabab). Tickets are priced at P200 with 50% discount for seniors and students. For tickets and inquiries, call (02) 415-2185 or call/text 0916-356-6693 or visit our newly-updated website www.airdance.com.ph

AIRDANCE

36E West Ave., Quezon City

Tel. No. (63-2)415-2185

Mobile No. (63) 916-3566693

http://www.airdance.com.ph

Sa Itim, Sa Puti

This is Yasnina Jumalon and Gianella Reyes' upcoming graduation recital, as part of their requirements for a Diploma in Creative, Performing and Musical Arts. It's a deconstruction of Swan Lake, which I heartily applaud because Swan Lake has been deconstructed many times before, the most infamous being Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, with topless male swans in feathered pants. I didn't think of their current take on it, and I must say I'm excited to see it, given that the slant is very very Filipino.

I actually wish that UP Dance Majors would stop reconstructing ballets as their gradation recitals. The tradition began with myself and former classmate Angel Lawenko, who is now Angel Baguilat and part of UP's faculty. We put on a deconstruction of Cinderella as a japayuki (Filipina "cultural" entertainer in Japan) to the Prokofiev score. Since then, there have been Filipinized deconstructions of Nutcracker, Giselle, Petrouchka, Alice in Wonderland, and now Swan Lake. I'm pretty sure each recital had their own merits, I just wish the students would be more assertive about their original ideas come recital time. But that's just me.

Given all that, I think Sa Itim, Sa Puti will be great. Yasnina and Gianella are really promising contemporary choreographers, and I'm just waiting for the big surprise.

Sa Itim, Sa Puti

7 pm, Friday, March 26, 2010

Abelardo Hall Auditorium, UP College of Music, Diliman, Quezon City

ABAP's Pampanga Dance Caravan

Because Dance should thrive all over the Philippines :)

For its kick-off event this year, ABAP (Association of Ballet Academies, Philippines) offers the public a FREE performance in PAMPANGA DANCE CARAVAN on MARCH 6, 2010 4PM at the MARQUEE MALL. Featured dancers are from Center for Movement and Music, House of Dance, Lilibeth Trinidad Santos Dance Exercise Center, Ridgepointe Ballet and The Dance Conservatory. This event is sponsored by the Ayala Malls and spearheaded by Bubbles Encarnancion, director of The Dance Conservatory, and the 2010 Executive Board : Chairman and President Liza dela Fuente Castaneda; VP Abigail Yee Alvia; Secretary Maritoni Rufino Tordesillas ; Treasurer Kathy Domingo and PRO Ma Rosario Nepomuceno.

Neo-Filipino - Dance in the Time of Change

I'm not fond of the title of this year's Neo-Filipino (it always makes me think of Love in the Time of Cholera, yet not as deep or as witty), but I'm hoping that the line up of the choreographers (Tinnie Crame, Dwight Rodrigazo, and my very own Carissa Adea!!!) will more than make up for it. The gala was tonight but they only had tickets for me tomorrow, so I'm watching with Erica and Inky. So exciting in a time of change!

Please check back this week for more shows (I've got lots of posters to put up, but thanks to the moneymaker, I had to collect a backlog of sorts) and more importantly a very nice surprise. Thanks!