A T I: dance

Showing posts with label dance. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Fringe Manila Starts Tomorrow! How Will You Fringe?

Let me help you.

Go to this link (Fringe Manila Program Guide), print it out, or mark your planners and calendars. Do whatever suits you best. I just have one favor - don't forget to leave your comments and share your experience with us, okay?

I look forward to seeing you all at the festival!!! Oh, and don't forget to carry your smiles. I might be where you are and get you on-cam. :-)

Buy your tickets now at www.ticketworld.com.ph and visit www.fringemanila.com for more details and updates on upcoming events!

How will you FRINGE in 2015?
FRINGE. The World's Largest Arts Festival
#FringeMNL
www.fringemanila.com

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Contemporary Dance Is More Than Just A 'Style': An Interview With Dance Artist, Ea Torrado

Interview by Jha Briones

Ea Torrado thinks contemporary dance is more than just a 'style' that most people are used to seeing in, So You Think You Can Dance. For her, it is many things new and fresh. It can be a new way of choreographing steps, new ways of placing dancers onstage, new ways of creating, producing and performing dances, new ways of interacting with the audience, or new ways of experimenting with the hows and whys behind a dance.

Photo by Tuchi Imperial

Ea essayed principal and soloist roles in both classical and contemporary full-length ballets; has toured extensively in the Philippines and abroad (USA, Russia, Europe, Scotland, Cambodia, Japan) with Ballet Manila, Ballet Philippines, and Dance Theatre of Tennessee; and has worked as a guest artist for Contemporary Dance Map Philippines, Dance Forum, Airdance, E-dance Theatre, and Steps Dance Project. At 29, she is now the Artistic Director of Daloy Dance Company, the newest dance group in Manila. In the coming year, Ea will be dancing and choreographing Canton, a dance piece inspired by the life of survival sex workers in the Philippines.

Ea had some time last week for a quick interview before she flies to Vietnam and Singapore for performances and workshops at Ho Chi Minh International Contemporary Dance Festival and M1 CONTACT Festival.

Photo by Tuchi Imperial

JB: How is Daloy different from other contemporary dance companies?

ET: In creating Daloy Dance Company, being "different" from other contemporary dance companies was not the goal exactly. In fact, I wanted to veer away from this competitive mindset of having to bring "something new to the table" to stand out. Truly, the intention that we had while forming the group was really to be authentic and simply dance the way we love dancing.

And this is really what "Daloy" (Flow) is all about: following that mysterious inner force within all of that, if we listen to, leads us in the most magical of ways. It brings the dancer back to the essence of dance, which is the pure singing of the mind, body, and spirit that can only be found within. I think it is a philosophy that doesn't abide by any one dance pedagogy, but allows dancers, and myself especially, as a choreographer, to find their own. This kind of paradigm is very exciting to me as it has opened the doors for a new kind of dance language, which I am currently developing. I hope to test this new language sometime next year.

JB: In creating dances, what/who were your influences?

ET: I am heavily influenced by a classical ballet background; the discipline of constant practice and the high standards of technique are strongly ingrained in my DNA. However, with my other influences in modern and contemporary dance and theater --- dancers and choreographers like Agnes Locsin, Myra Beltran, Denisa Reyes, Edna Vida and Julie Alagde-Carretas, and theater practitioner, Ana Valdez-Lim (from the Philippines); and choreographers Mats Ek, Jyri Kilian and Crystal Pite, and theater-practitioner Noa Rotem (from abroad) --- I constantly and consciously try to veer away from any rigid form of dance and create new ones.

I have also been influenced by yoga and eastern meditation techniques. Contact improvisation, which I have learned from international dance workshops and conferences, is something that has also peaked my interest. These have helped with achieving mindfulness in dance, being in the moment, and freeing my imagination when it comes to choreography.

JB: What are you currently trying to explore in your dances?

ET: In the recent past, I have been exploring themes of cultural and historical identity, social politics and feminine representations. This is reflective of my works since 2013. "Dots" explored middle class life in the Philippine metropolis and "Nga-nga" was a site-specific work performed in Intramuros, the old walled-city of Manila. "Sisa" and "Filipinas" both explored the role of the female as mother and Mother Country. "Dysmorphilia" comments on the prevalent issues on beauty and self-esteem, and "Canton" is inspired by impoverished Filipinos who trade sex for a packet of pancit canton.

In the future, I am interested in creating more site-inspired and site-specific choreography. I believe that by allowing the dance to come from the topography, history, and social context of both urban and rural areas, dance becomes part of the landscape in which it is being performed, and thus more relevant to those watching.

Photo by Jha Briones

JB: What is your world view on dance, and how do you want to evolve with it?

ET: I have observed that a lot of dances recently have attempted to incorporate multimedia in their productions. I think a lot of dances are trying to extend their capacities with the use of technology (i.e. projection, video) as well as the use of spoken word. Other dances attempt to explore visual and aesthetic patterns, while others try to explore emotion and drama embodied in dance. So it seems dance has been evolving at "all fronts". This is exciting as it means there is a plurality in dance in the country, and this means new ideas, new works, and new dialogues in dance.

As a choreographer and dancer, trying to make the next groundbreaking thing in dance is not my top priority; I am simply creating from my own experiences and own current interests and ideas. These ebb and flow in my creative process; it is always in flux. I think by bringing this authenticity to dance, I create pieces that are meaningful and thought-provoking to audiences.

Ea Torrado website: www.eatorrado.com

Photo by Jha Briones

Monday, November 10, 2014

Introducing: Daloy Dance Company

Daloy Dance Company is a rare mix of artists with diverse background in theatre, music, ballet, jazz, folk dance, contemporary, and modern, who believe that dance is a powerful medium that reflects a deeper human language and raises the consciousness of its audience. Daloy aims to provide and cultivate a community for dance artists and collaborators to work together with the vision of employing dance and theatre as a strong, unifying tool in the society today, and exhibit high standard, world-class dance productions on different sites, stages and mixed-media performances that speak to the audience and offer new perspectives and possibilities for contemporary dance.

Formed and spearheaded by Artistic Director Ea Torrado, Daloy Dance Company recently presented their first full-length show, “Dysmorphilia”, last October 31, 2014 at Imaginarium: A Multi-arts Festival of the Absurd.

The Imaginarium was a four-day multi-arts festival from October 28-31, 2014 at the reputable PETA Theater Center in New Manila, which highlights Theater of the Absurd and existentialist drama as text, essence, and/or theatrical style.

With costumes and prosthetics by award-winning Multi-arts Designer, Leeroy New, Dysmorphilia creates onstage a kinetic collage that re-imagines a person’s physicality through a visual and visceral illustration of ‘body issues’ in a twisted, surreal way.

They also shared the stage with the companies, dance schools, and artists who have sprung from Ballet Philippines' rich tradition of excellence at "Blue Moon Series, Homecoming Gala" last September 28, 2014. They also performed at Fete de la Musique in Maestranza, Intramuros, and WIFI Body Contemporary Dance Festival at The Cultural Centre of the Philippines.

Daloy DC is partnering with Green Papaya Art Projects and Transitopia Dance Commune on the following dates and locations:

16 November, 5pm

Choreographer’s & Curator’s Talk

House of Transitopia

19 November, 8pm

Bruno Isakovic’s “Denuded” Performance

Green Papaya Art Projects

20 November, 3-5pm

Dance Workshop

Sikat Dance Studio

They are also invited to present new works at FRINGE Manila Arts Festival on February 2015. FRINGE showcases fresh, daring, and groundbreaking material highlighting the unique point of view of emerging and established artists from the Philippines and internationally.

Daloy Dance Company is commissioned to present "Canton", a site-specific, audience-interactive contemporary dance theatre piece that zooms in on the life of a survival sex worker as she waits to service her client. Fusing speech and contemporary dance, the piece explores the unimaginable experience of the poverty-stricken women in squatter relocation sites who have sex with truck drivers for a packet of pancit canton.

When: February 13 - 22, 2015 

Where: Parking Lot along General Luna Street, Between Plazuela de Sta. Isabel and San Agustin Church 
Cost: Php 350

KARNABAL: A Def. Defying Festival 2015 is the biggest independent contemporary arts gathering in the Philippines! It aims to feature works of various contemporary artists from the Manila scene whose works and talents are representative of the alternative wave of art-making in the country. Daloy Dance Company is invited by KARNABAL to develop and present a work for the festivalʼs Main Platform for productions.

When: May 6-10 , 2015 

Where: Vargas Museum, UP Diliman Campus 
Cost: Php 350

Daloy Dance Company at Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA)

Watch us perform DALOY at PETA! Daloy is a work that meditates on the meaning and ambiguities of being in the ‘flow’— identified as a state of optimal experience. This piece is an exploration, reflection and embodiment of the philosophy of ‘flow’ and its importance and relevance to the contemporary society.

When: July 17 -19 2015

Where: The Creative Space Studio A and B at Philippine Educational Theatre Association (PETA).

Cost: Php 400

For tickets, show buying and inquiries: 

landline: (+632) 351-7367

mobile: (+639) 053022437

email: daloydancecompany@gmail.com

THE DALOY DANCE SCHOOL

Adult Beginners Ballet

Learn the basics of the beautiful art form that is Classical Ballet. This class improves posture, physical control and coordination, musicality and movement sense. It is a good workout and gives you a wonderful sense of elegance as well.

No dance background required

Schedule: Wednesdays and Fridays 7-830 PM