The best of Flipino dance at the international dance day fest

It’s a dance lover’s dream come true: Over 500 artists — representing different genres from classical ballet and contemporary dance to urban street beats and our rich folkloric traditions — will be performing at the week-long “International Dance Day Fest” at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater from April 24 to 28.

Presented by Ayala Land, in collaboration with Make It Makati and Circuit Makati, there couldn’t have been a more welcome celebration for International Dance Day, “a pioneering event that reaffirms our belief in the transformative power of the arts to unite, inspire and uplift,” shares Christopher Mohnani, managing director of the host theater for this groundbreaking initiative. “It reflects our commitment to nurturing Filipino talent by bringing together diverse dance companies and genres under one roof.”

International Dance Day (IDD) was created in 1982 by the Dance Committee of the International Theater Institute (ITI), the main partner for the performing arts of UNESCO.  The annual celebration, observed every 29th of April (the anniversary of the birth of Jean-Georges Noverre, the “father of modern ballet”) unites communities through movement across cultural and political divides, while also recognizing dancers and choreographers for their artistic contributions.  Inasmuch as it is a meaningful day “for those who can see the value and importance of the art form of dance, it also acts as a wake-up call for governments, politicians and institutions which have not yet recognized its value to the people and to the individual, and have not yet realized its potential for economic growth.”

In the Philippines, of course, we are blessed with good dancers but we shouldn’t take it for granted.

“Filipino dance artists are fabulous, that’s a given, but we want to make sure the community is constantly aware of it and that in addition to what you are used to watching, there’s so much more to dance than what you think you may already know,” says Chris.

There will be a lot to discover in a series of gala performances with the central theme, “Dance For All,” promising an unforgettable journey of music and movement.

At a sneak preview, we saw some sublime pieces like Pindulas, a pre-nuptial dance of the Yakan in Basilan, gracefully depicting movements of fish as it wades in the water, performed by the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group. They will perform on April 25 to entrance with a vibrant tapestry of Filipino folk dances, together with Bayanihan, the National Folk Dance Company; UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe; The Kalilayan Folkloric Group; and PNU Kislap Sining Dance Troupe. Each group brings a unique essence to the spotlight, showcasing our diverse cultural heritage. The curation of the folk gala will also be something new since they didn’t want to do the usual program where you start with the tribal and end with the Muslim suite.

For April 26, the stage will ignite with hip-hop grooves as street dance crews like UPeepz; Sayawatha; The Crew; Junior Electro Groovers; Mixed Nuts; TPM (Team Package Makers); Femme MNL; Dancehall Manila; and VPeepz galvanize the program with infectious energy and dynamic moves.

The April 27 show promises to be a spellbinding Ballet Gala, as demonstrated by Ballet Manila’s “Dancing to Verdi Pas de Deux” by Tony Fabella, performed by Shaira May Comeros and Joshua Rey Enciso. Other pieces of timeless grace and elegance await from the other top ballet companies: Alice Reyes Dance Philippines (ARDP), Ballet Philippines, Philippine Ballet Theater, Hong Kong Ballet, Steps Dance Project, Association of Ballet Academies in the Philippines, Hope Dance Academy Philippines, and Halili Cruz School of Dance.

We also saw some intriguing contemporary pieces scheduled for April 28: Airdance’s “Bungad ,“choreographed by Nicole Primero and performed by Carlos Deriada, Jr. to the music of Dr. Robin Daniel Rivera; and Galaw Dance Company’s “Tahan Na,” choreographed by PJ Rebullida.

There is much more to look forward to, according to Myra Beltran of Contemporary Dance Network Philippines, “like Nunoy Revlon who’s famous in the ballroom community but is also a beautiful contemporary dancer, and Daloy Dance Co., which will have a new work along the lines of “docu-theater.”

The program also includes Myra Beltran’s Dance Forum; University of the Philippines Dance Company; Guang Ming College; Nude Floor; and Hiraya Dance Company. Additionally, the event culminates with a Dance in Film Workshop led by Fifth Wall Dance Fest, a revolutionary movement platform founded by dance artist Madge Reyes.

A similar event was held at CCP in 2016 called “Dance.MNL” but this featured only Ballet Manila, Ballet Philippines and Philippine Ballet Theater. “International Dance Day Fest” is taking it a step way beyond that, this time including everybody else, from folk to street and contemporary dance. Giving all these dancers a platform to perform is unifying and a celebration of our art and craft,” says Lisa Macuja Elizalde, artistic director of Ballet Manila.

With this very first edition of IDDF, it’s really crucial that we support local talent and rekindle our love for live dance performances.  “There’s really no substitute for live theater, whether you’re watching a musical or a play or dance,” says Chris.  There’s a big difference when you see Juliet dying on stage as opposed to seeing it on video. Or when an artist is wearing his heart out, sweat, tears and all.  You miss all this energy when hip hop dancers perform in front of you, it just does not translate to the screen or an iPhone.”

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International Dance Day Fest at Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati will run from April 24 to 28. Visit @cpatofficial on Instagram. Tickets available at ticketworld.com.ph

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