So I landed in Sydney tonight and spent forever at Immigration (it wasn't me, it was the volume of people) but I'm finally at my in betweener Hotel Pensione on George Street for meetings before the trip to Bundanon on Monday morning (where the Crossing Borders dance lab will be held).
While I have nothing to report (except I have arrived, weary yet safe and enthusiastic for the upcoming activities), I'll discuss some of the interesting things I've accomplished this week.
First of all, realizing that I would be missing the upcoming Nutcracker of Philippine Ballet Theater on the 19th, I stopped by Meralco last Wednesday evening to watch rehearsals and basically keep up with artistic director, Ron Jaynario. It's been a good year so far for PBT, with the highest headcount (audience turnout) this season. So proud of the company, especially without aggressive marketing. The ballet is shaping up well, with a strong corps made up of both newbies and relatively more senior company members (for example, Tiffany Mangulabnan is Dewdrop in Act 2, but is also a snowflake in Act 2) and no airs about rank or privelege, which is something PBT has always been known for.
Anyway, I'll be finishing the pre-show feature on PBT by tomorrow and will have it up on Runthru Online soon after.
I'm also getting stuff done for the Projects Committee of World Dance Alliance-Philippines. No official announcements yet, but if you're interested, you can send me an email through joelle.jacinto@gmail.com.
Before I go, I'll just share a short anecdote about going through immigration in the Philippines. On my departure card, I wrote that my occupation was "Writer." My immigrations officer asked me what publication I wrote for and I said Runthru Dance magazine. The officer beside her started asking me where can she get my magazine and that her daughter loved dance. I gave her the website address, but kind of in shock. I would never expect that, not in a million years. It made my day.
Hope you had a good day with dance in it, too.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Donna Miranda on RealTime Arts magazine
I love getting magazines in the mail, especially if it has something I wrote in it. As you can imagine, this only happens when I write for an international publication. I mean, to this day, I still haven't seen my interview with the late Ramon Obusan for the Philippines Yearbook in 2005. Anyway, last Monday, I got the latest issue of RealTime Arts Magazine in the mail because my interview with contemporary dance artist Donna Miranda was published, just in time for her 3-week residency at the Campbelltown Arts Centre in Sydney, Australia.
You can read the interview online, which is how I usually enjoy Real Time: www.realtimearts.net/article/105/10441
In our interview, we talk about how "opportune" (the word I used in my article) that she was invited by Goethe Institut to attend a 10-day workshop in Bundanon in New South Wales shortly after her Campbelltown residency. You can imagine my surprise when last week, I was invited to observe this dance lab and write about it. Yes, precisely why I'm getting my blogging skills out of storage.
It's quite interesting how the universe unfolds, isn't it?
You can read the interview online, which is how I usually enjoy Real Time: www.realtimearts.net/article/105/10441
In our interview, we talk about how "opportune" (the word I used in my article) that she was invited by Goethe Institut to attend a 10-day workshop in Bundanon in New South Wales shortly after her Campbelltown residency. You can imagine my surprise when last week, I was invited to observe this dance lab and write about it. Yes, precisely why I'm getting my blogging skills out of storage.
It's quite interesting how the universe unfolds, isn't it?
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Mabuhay muli
Reanimating this blog, which I've been purposefully neglecting for some time, under the pretense that I'm so busy yadda yadda. I do realize that I have previously updated the blog to say how I'm going to do more dance writing and focus on more dance scholarship, yadda yadda, and then I don't blog again for a few weeks/months. And so, this is not a blog post about getting serious about dance writing and/or scholarship again, although I do exactly have those plans. But no, must not blog about that.
I must say, however, that I've been asked to attend a choreographer's workshop, not as a choreographer (haha.. Ahem) but as an observer who will document the proceedings with a blog. I am quite honored they thought of me, though I was probably engaged for my more popular published writings rather than my blog posts, because as all of you will note here, I have not been blogging much except to say, "Hello blogosphere, I am going to start blogging more because I'm going to be more serious about dance writing from now on..."
That said, I have been seriously writing about dance, more so this year than in 2010, as you will note with how updated Runthru magazine is this year compared to last year. And I've kinda relaxed the last couple months, but I'm quite dedicated again. Check out the proof here: runthru.com.ph.
I won't say I'm going to blog more regularly from now on. Instead, hey, mabuhay. :D
--
In essence, "Mabuhay muli" is "Mabuhay again." Of course, the actual translation for "mabuhay" is "Go live," but I'm using "Mabuhay" as that phrase we keep using in this blog. Trying to be witty.
I must say, however, that I've been asked to attend a choreographer's workshop, not as a choreographer (haha.. Ahem) but as an observer who will document the proceedings with a blog. I am quite honored they thought of me, though I was probably engaged for my more popular published writings rather than my blog posts, because as all of you will note here, I have not been blogging much except to say, "Hello blogosphere, I am going to start blogging more because I'm going to be more serious about dance writing from now on..."
That said, I have been seriously writing about dance, more so this year than in 2010, as you will note with how updated Runthru magazine is this year compared to last year. And I've kinda relaxed the last couple months, but I'm quite dedicated again. Check out the proof here: runthru.com.ph.
I won't say I'm going to blog more regularly from now on. Instead, hey, mabuhay. :D
--
In essence, "Mabuhay muli" is "Mabuhay again." Of course, the actual translation for "mabuhay" is "Go live," but I'm using "Mabuhay" as that phrase we keep using in this blog. Trying to be witty.
Monday, May 30, 2011
A word on being National
It was a hectic last few weeks for the world of dance, with summer season coming to an end. Particularly the last week, as Ballet Philippines' bid for National ballet company status came to an unexpected possible reality with the help of Sen. BongBong Marcos. Artistic Director Paul Morales noticed a furor over this piece of news on Facebook - most of it negative - and requested a meeting with all interested to discuss where they were coming from, given that a senate hearing was scheduled last Tuesday, May 24 (but was moved to sometime this month).
Mr. Morales will be releasing a position paper on this bill soon, which you should read whether your concern for BP being named as National is positive or negative. In the meantime, I can only say that while I wish a bill was created instead to benefit the entire dance community vs just one dance group, I wish Morales, Ms Margie Moran-Floreindo and Ballet Philippines the best of luck. In the spirit of Alice Reyes and how BP was born in the first place, they forged ahead and dictated their destiny, which I respect. I hope that someone who feels just as strongly for Philippine Ballet Theatre will do the same.
I would like to emphasize that I am not on Morales' side in this issue. I'm not taking sides in the first place. But I can understand concerns such as being asked to cut down on Rehearsal Hall days, and being made to pay for overtime use of facilities you are supposed to enjoy and not worry about as a resident dance group.
However, as I've already mentioned, I'm a bigger believer in equal opportunity for everyone. If the government will be involved in arts, the assigned agency/agencies should be better managed and not self-serving. I know that some who are vocal about the BP National bill have been crusaders for the improvement of government funding for the arts. Sometimes, though, I have to ask if we didn't aim high enough, or why didn't more people do enough. Because now that someone dared ask for the height of what the government could give them, we are so quick to accuse them of it.
Morales and BP supporters are quick to point out that in having this bill passed, they will be establishing a platform for other groups in the future. I'm not too sold on this; the Bayanihan has been a National Folk Dance Company for some time now - a platform has already been established. In this light, I think the platform must be re-thought.
Ultimately, we cannot blame BP for wanting better working conditions, compensation and accommodations. Instead, let's go and seek that for ourselves as well.
Mr. Morales will be releasing a position paper on this bill soon, which you should read whether your concern for BP being named as National is positive or negative. In the meantime, I can only say that while I wish a bill was created instead to benefit the entire dance community vs just one dance group, I wish Morales, Ms Margie Moran-Floreindo and Ballet Philippines the best of luck. In the spirit of Alice Reyes and how BP was born in the first place, they forged ahead and dictated their destiny, which I respect. I hope that someone who feels just as strongly for Philippine Ballet Theatre will do the same.
I would like to emphasize that I am not on Morales' side in this issue. I'm not taking sides in the first place. But I can understand concerns such as being asked to cut down on Rehearsal Hall days, and being made to pay for overtime use of facilities you are supposed to enjoy and not worry about as a resident dance group.
However, as I've already mentioned, I'm a bigger believer in equal opportunity for everyone. If the government will be involved in arts, the assigned agency/agencies should be better managed and not self-serving. I know that some who are vocal about the BP National bill have been crusaders for the improvement of government funding for the arts. Sometimes, though, I have to ask if we didn't aim high enough, or why didn't more people do enough. Because now that someone dared ask for the height of what the government could give them, we are so quick to accuse them of it.
Morales and BP supporters are quick to point out that in having this bill passed, they will be establishing a platform for other groups in the future. I'm not too sold on this; the Bayanihan has been a National Folk Dance Company for some time now - a platform has already been established. In this light, I think the platform must be re-thought.
Ultimately, we cannot blame BP for wanting better working conditions, compensation and accommodations. Instead, let's go and seek that for ourselves as well.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Happy International Dance Day
I danced once this week. Once. I didn't even warm up, I just jumped into rehearsal, and it lasted all of 15 minutes. Then I cooled down. I arrived late as I had deliverables at work, and the problem with having a full-time job that isn't dance-related is it's quite difficult to squeeze a lot of dancing in, especially when you'd rather spend your free time passed out at home.
For example, today was the royal wedding and while everyone was glued to their TV/live stream, I was able to leave the office relatively early. Today was also International Dance Day, and there was a street show in Cubao and a gala performance in Quezon City. But instead of heading to these venues, I went home and vegged out in front of the TV.
It was a trying week for me, actually, a lot of office politics, deadlines, coordination, etc. It would depress me except I got a little bit of dancing in the middle of all the craziness. I remember when I was a few months into the full-time job and set to go on a Visayan tour with PBT and had to rush to rehearsal straight from work. I'd be so weary from work, I'd wonder where I would get the strength to rehearse after. But as soon as I stepped into the studio and started dancing, the weariness would all disappear.
The same thing happened yesterday. It was just some arm movements and simple steps and some pretzel rolls and it felt AWESOME - all fifteen minutes of it.
Being able to do this only once this week is still quite sad, but I want to tell myself that each week is different and next week I'll get more dancing in, and maybe even more the week after that. Maybe not so much dancing the week after that, but maybe it will pick up again in the next week.
What's important is that I was able to dance once. In the middle of a very difficult week. And on the eve of International Dance Day, too. It reminds me of what I should be grateful for.
Hope you had dance in your life this week too. Happy International Dance Day everyone.
Read this year's IDD message over at www.runthru.com.ph.
For example, today was the royal wedding and while everyone was glued to their TV/live stream, I was able to leave the office relatively early. Today was also International Dance Day, and there was a street show in Cubao and a gala performance in Quezon City. But instead of heading to these venues, I went home and vegged out in front of the TV.
It was a trying week for me, actually, a lot of office politics, deadlines, coordination, etc. It would depress me except I got a little bit of dancing in the middle of all the craziness. I remember when I was a few months into the full-time job and set to go on a Visayan tour with PBT and had to rush to rehearsal straight from work. I'd be so weary from work, I'd wonder where I would get the strength to rehearse after. But as soon as I stepped into the studio and started dancing, the weariness would all disappear.
The same thing happened yesterday. It was just some arm movements and simple steps and some pretzel rolls and it felt AWESOME - all fifteen minutes of it.
Being able to do this only once this week is still quite sad, but I want to tell myself that each week is different and next week I'll get more dancing in, and maybe even more the week after that. Maybe not so much dancing the week after that, but maybe it will pick up again in the next week.
What's important is that I was able to dance once. In the middle of a very difficult week. And on the eve of International Dance Day, too. It reminds me of what I should be grateful for.
Hope you had dance in your life this week too. Happy International Dance Day everyone.
Read this year's IDD message over at www.runthru.com.ph.
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