2014 marks the 150th birth year of the "mind behind the Philippine revolution", Apolinario Mabini. Ballet Philippines opens their Sapphire season with Agnes Locsin's La Revolucion Filipina. What's unique about the production was that it combined dance with theatrics. There's a part where the ballet dancers spoke lines in the production.
Agnes Locsin not only choreographed this play but did her own reading about the works of Apolinario Mabini. She was digging dipper on what makes Mabini's mind tick. She imagined his visions and interpreted in the only language she knows how: dance. This is how I imagine Mabini if he knew how to dance, says Ms. Locsin.
The choreography was not easy. She had to collaborate with librettist Dennis Marasigan to coordinate the sequences of the story with the dance. She used the movements of local tribal dances and infused it with the story.
The music was written by Mr. Ryan Cayabyab. There's an interesting story about the original music. Ryan Cayabyab already had music in mind but when he saw the dance sequences, he immediately wanted to create a music that will fit the movements without asking any monetary obligation in return. It was an honorable thing to do because it's a musician in him.
La Revolucion Filipina was first performed during the 90's and was already been shown in U.S. Imagine the surprise of the Fil-Am community especially those who were born in the U.S. that there was a Filipino-American war that took place in history.
La Revolucion Filipina will be staged for 6 performances starting July 25 at CCP. Take this opportunity to see it because there are facts that our history textbooks didn't cover about that is significant in today's society. If you have a heart of looking back in history, you may also express desire to buy seats for people who you seem fit to pass the message of this production.
For more updates of Ballet Philippines and their Sapphire season line up, follow this blog or like L.E.N.S. blogs on Facebook.
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