ALICE REYES RECREATES CINDERELLA ANEW IN CELEBRATING BALLET PHILIPPINES’ 50TH SEASON

PRESS RELEASE

Holidays at the theater make for unforgettable experiences with Ballet Philippines during this Golden Season, as the company presents the ever-popular rags-to-riches tale of Cinderella.

 

Photo by Jojo Mamangun

This production sees nothing less than a nonpareil collaboration of three National Artists: Choreography and direction by National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes with the musical score of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky specially arranged by National Artist for Music Francisco Feliciano, and set and costume design by National Artist, the late Salvador Bernal, audiences will be enthralled as pumpkins turn into an exquisite carriage and glass slippers find their way back to the rightful princess. This ballet will be mounted by none other than Nonoy Froilan, Ballet Philippines’ premier danseur for three decades, who has essayed leading roles in classical and contemporary ballet and has partnered with world-renowned prima ballerinas such as Margot Fonteyn and Yoko Morishita.

Reyes takes the fairy tale written in 1812 by the German Grimm brothers Jacob and Wilhel and recreates it anew while remaining true to the story’s essence: that there is might and strength in kindness, great power in forgiveness, and that one must never give up on their dreams.

Guest artists Liza de la Fuente, a trailblazer in dance for the last 25 years and Founding Member of the Association of Ballet Academies, Philippines and Australian-based Novy Bereber, one of the country’s leading choreographers of his generation, will both be playing the Widow Brunhilda.

Another guest artist, Mario Esperanza will be taking on the role of Prime Minister. Bereber and Esperanza have graced the CCP Main Stage as former Ballet Philippines company members.

Two matinee shows will be narrated by Liliane “Tats” Rejante Manahan, a surface decorator/restorer for wall paintings involved in advocacy work for built heritage preservation as Chairperson of the Heritage Conservation Society and representative of the International Council on Monuments and Sites on National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ National Commission on Monuments and Sites. She became a director, writer, and producer from the mid 70’s up to the late 80’s, and currently, she is a contributor to the Philippine Daily Inquirer and other publications. Her involvement in dance history serves as proof of her unwavering support for dance and the arts.

Lead dancers Denise Parungao and Jemima Reyes who danced Odile/Odette in Ballet Philippines’ 50^th Season opening production Swan Lake will be taking on roles of the Ugly Stepsisters, demanding highly awkward dancing and comedic interpretations, with guest artist de la Fuente as their mother Brunhilda. Just as striking are Victor Maguad and Eugene Obille who both had just played Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake this August 2019 will now tackle the roles of Griselda and Prunella with Bereber as Brunhilda. Choreographer Alice Reyes shares, “Originally, I stayed away from casting male dancers in these roles as that was done so successfully by Frederick Ashton for the Sadler Wells Ballet—and I wanted to feature the comedic talents of our company members then—Edna Vida, Malu Rivera, and Hazel Sabas. Today, we have such a strong array of male and female dancers with incredible talent and tremendous technical skills.” She adds, “Why not take this opportunity to challenge the dancers—both female and male, to take on roles that demand so much more than the usual roles they have already done, with a completely different set of acting skills that can only deepen their own artistry.”

Alice Reyes first choreographed and directed Cinderella in 1981 for Ballet Philippines with lead dancers Maricar Drilon, Gina Mariano, Cecile Sicangco, Nonoy Froilan, Robert Medina, and Brando Miranda. Her vision back then was to simply mount the most enchanting show for her very own children and the ballet audience. Today, Reyes wears multiple hats as National Artist, Ballet Philippines’ co-founder, Artistic Director, and Choreographer, while continuing to inspire this generation’s dancers to become the grandest versions of themselves. Just on the heels of Ballet Philippines’ successful and sold-out performances of Swan Lake and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, audiences are undoubtedly on the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting Reyes’ new take on the favorite children’s fairytale, Cinderella, the third offering in the company’s 50^th Season.

Ballet Philippines’ Cinderella show dates and schedules:

Ballet Philippines’ Cinderella runs from December 6 – 15, 2019 at the CCP Main Theater. Show dates and schedules are as follows:

December 6, 2019 | 8:00 PM

December 7, 2019 | 2:00 PM & 6:00 PM

December 8, 2019 | 2:00 PM

December 14, 2019 | 2:00 PM & 6:00 PM

December 15, 2019 | 2:00 PM

Get your tickets exclusively at TicketWorld (891-9999), CCP Box Office (832-3704), or Ballet Philippines Box Office (551-1003) or online at https://bit.ly/33DsBkx as well as in all Ticketworld outlets.

Enjoy 15% savings when you use your RCBC Credit Card to purchase tickets in any TicketWorld Outlet or CCP Box Office.

You can also enjoy 15% savings when you use your Rustan’s Frequent Shopper Program (FSP) Card and Rustan’s Beauty Addict Card to purchase tickets in any TicketWorld outlet or CCP Box Office.

Avail of real 0% interest when you subscribe to Ballet Philippines’ Golden Season Tickets using your BPI Credit Card with a minimum spend of P3,000 (Gold Mastercard, Blue Mastercard, Petron Mastercard, Corporate Mastercard, Skymiles Platinum Mastercard, Skymiles Mastercard, Amore Visa Platinum, Visa Signature). This is valid for three- and six-month installment plans until December 31, 2019. 

All Intellicare members are also entitled to 15% off on ticket purchases.

This production is made beyond possible by Ballet Philippines’ 50 Years, 50 friends such as Okada Manila, Calma Properties, Inc., City of Dreams, United Graphic Expression Corporation, Digital-Out-Of-Home, GRAB, Ayala Land, Bizu Catering Studio, NYXSYS Philippines, Intellicare, Globaltronics, Sanitary Care Products Asia Inc., SM Development Corporation, Century Pacific Food, Inc., Bridges, Zonta Club of Alabang, San Miguel Corporation, and other esteemed partners.

Ballet Philippines, the country’s preeminent dance company, is celebrating 50 years of dance excellence. Don’t miss the celebration! Get your Golden Ticket by subscribing to Ballet Philippines this season at http://ballet.ph/subscribe. You can also call 551-1003, 09566379432 (Globe) and 09212921282 (Smart) to subscribe. Choose, reserve, and get the best seats before anyone else!

For more information, connect to Ballet Philippines online:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/balletphilippines

Instagram: @balletphilippines

YouTube: balletphhttp://www.ballet.ph

Jobstreet Hosts A Job Fair

Jobstreet.com is one of the biggest online job outsourcing company since the internet came to the Philippines. Now, Jobstreet just opened a Jobfair in Megatrade hall in the Ortigas business district from Oct. 8 to 9, 2019. This is something they haven’t done for a long time because the last time they did a job fair was many years ago.

When I got there. I saw a big crowd building up just waiting for the event to open. As time passes by, the line got long as 5 mall floors down through the stairs. The last this happened within mall premises was back in 2001 Anime Xplosion. Most of the participating companies are from BPO industries and hospitality establishments. There are huge demands for this even for the skilled labor. The job openings are not just locally but also abroad as well.

This just shows that even though people uses the internet to apply for jobs, people still look up to apply in person. Jobstreet even manage to invite agencies like NBI for employment requirements. With the success of this event, Jobstreet may do more job fairs frequently.

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Your Summer Begins with Galileo's Math ADD-Venture

School year’s almost out and we already feel the summer season upon us. Summer is also the best season to chill and have fun but the kids might lose track of their lessons. That is why Galileo is gearing up for the summer programs that will help students and parents as well not to forget the lessons learned at school.

To make it look that the kids will not have a school atmosphere, Galileo set it up to add more fun in their summer program. Although summer camps are fun and can be productive, Galileo has summer programs that are also fun and productive and can be used for their schooling.

Galileo launches the Math ADD-Venture Summer Programs that provides a different approach on how to solve math problems the systematic and easier way. I was invited by Galileo to attend a demonstration on how Singapore Math can make it easier to do Math.

I was one of the most people who is not good with Math and dreads everything that have something to do with Algebra and I am no physicist nor an engineer and I am not in a profession that has anything to do with mathematical solutions.

But after this demonstration for Singapore Math, I was convinced it can be useful in Math subjects to make it easier to learn the subject effectively. I recommend parents register their kids at Galileo’s Math Add-Venture summer programs if they don’t have plans to go out of town and give their kids some time to get busy while on a school break. Visit your nearest Galileo Center now and find out more of their summer programs.

For more programs about Galileo and more, follow this blog and like L.E.N.S. blogs on Facebook.

The Ayala Streets Lights Up Again For The Holidays

We all have yearly traditions. For me, I go to Ayala Triangle in Makati to see the lights that extends from Paseo De Roxas, Makati avenue and Ayala Avenue for the holiday season. This year, the theme is church altars of five Philippine churches like San Sebastian in Manila, San Miguel Archangel in Cebu, Molo Church in Iloilo, Immaculate Concepcion in Jasaan, Northern Mindanao and the Sanctuario de San Antonio in Makati.

It followed suit after previous year when the church structure was the theme. In addition of the altars, there are also Pinoy Christmas themed totems. This was designed by Zenas Pineda, a seasoned interior designer specializing in visual merchandising, who has been designing for Ayala Land street lights for seven years now.

This coming Friday night, the Ayala Triangle will once again feature the lights and sounds show and for the first time, it's a Disney theme.

Ani 40: Katutubo, CCP Literary Journal book launching

Press release

THE Ani 40: Katutubo was launched on October 26, 2018 at the Silangan Hall of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City. The book launching was free and open to the public. The literary journal features 130 writers of different cultures in the Philippines with their 189 works. Through the Intertextual Division, the CCP is one with the celebration of the National Indigenous People’s Month.

The special section entitled “Antolohiyang Marawi” is a collection of works written by Marawi people. The authors shared their experiences during the Marawi Siege last May 23, 2017. Ani 40 also features the artwork of the student Jalicareza R. Jamail that depicts a mother embracing her son. The editor for the special section is a professor from Marawi State University, Almayrah Abbas Tiburon, who also wrote about her pregnancy during the crisis.

The works are written in some of the major languages in the Philippines such as Filipino, Meranaw, Ilokano, Akeanon, Bikol, Bikol-Naga, Chavacano, and Kinaray-a. The Ani 40 features the writers: Asral M. Abbas, Lylee Norah M. AbdelGafur, Lualhati Abreu, Tilde Acuña, Raquel Alawi, Rebekah Marohombsar Alawi, Caroline Albarando, Noramera D. Al-Habib, Aliah Ali, Vijae Orquia Alquisola, Mark Angeles, Marvin Davila Aquino, Lorna Arejola-Billanes, Abdulazis C. Arumpac, Markus Aserit, Maxine Awingan, Lingling Bacgalang, Mohamad Abdul Hamid A. Bantog, Amroding Tauter Baraiman, Romel M. Barrera, Rind Bawing, Jonel Baybay, Jade M. Baylon, Darren Bendanillo, April Mae M. Berza, Rommel Fabros Bonus, Botong Panday, Niles Jordan Breis, Dalomabi Lao Bula, Regine Cabato, RR Cagalingan, Jose Kervin Cesar B. Calabias, Annabelle M. Calleja, Mary Deane Camua, Ernesto Villaluz Carandang II, F. Jordan Carnice, Bojer B. Capati, Dexter B. Cayanes, Jeline Cayangen, Jose Jason L. Chancoco, Fernando Chávez, Melchor F. Cichon, Andrew Bonifacio L. Clete, Christopher Concha, Clariza Cassandra C. Concordia, Nur-Saleha D. Dadayan, Juliet Damgas, Lawdenmarc Decamora, Jalilah A. Diator, Divina Didican, Norhanie S. Domato-Macarao, Mary Louise Dumas, Norberto C. Ebuen, Francis Murillo Emralino, Raihana Barodi  Emran, Dennis Espada, Lesley Joy Masayon Estrella, James M. Fajarito, Jenny Rose Carbolledo Gacusan, Early Sol Gadong, Luis P. Gatmaitan, JC Gloria, Christine F. Godinez-Ortega, Genaro R. Gojo  Cruz, Judith Sulang Icnad, Omarjan Ibrahim Jahuran, Sharifa Sittie Zehanie Mante Jali, Ansherina May D. Jazul, Jeric F. Jimenez, Nat Pardo Labang, Jonalyn Buduan Labrador, Gexter O. Lacambra, Junley Lorenzana Lazaga, Al Joseph Academia Lumen, Ailannie D. Macagaan, Francis C. Macansantos, Noraisah L. Macasimbar, Aslainee T. Macatanong, Christine Marie Lim Magpile, Juliet Malidom, Shur C. Mangilaya, Salamoden M. Mangondaya, Noahlyn Maranan, Jann Dainver L. Maravilla, Cai Mariano, Francisco Arias Monteseña, Mark Dave Nacuray, Vim Nadera, Queen Tashneem U. Nouraldien, Wilhelmina S. Orozco, Pejay Amandy Padrigon, Hedaya D. Pangandag, Jean Pasigon, Ruffaida A. Pendatun, Aldrin P. Pentero, Honesto M. Pesimo, Jr., Morino Pizarro, Allan Popa, Ibrahim Pundato, MJ Rafal, Mohammad Abedin Rasuman, Raymund P. Reyes, Frank Rivera, Marlon Agbayani Rodrigo, Glen Sales, Princess Ann Bajar Sales, David Michael M. San Juan, E. San Juan, Jr., Louie Jon Sanchez, Jahara Abellera Solaiman, John Patrick F. Solano, T.S. Sungkit, Jr., Ariel Sotelo Tabag, Joey A. Tabula, Mubarak M. Tahir, Rem Tanauan, John Iremil Teodoro, Almayrah Abbas Tiburon, Christian Tordecillas, Angela Labiga Torred, Ronald Tumbaga, Nash Tysmans, Jhajha Umpar, Oswald A. Valente, Arnold Matencio Valledor, Marites Viesca, Sheryll V. Villa, Camilo Mendoza Villanueva, Jr., Henry Viray, and Sittie Johairah M. Yusoph.

Herminio S. Beltran, Jr. is the Editor-in-Chief while Louise Adrianne O. Lopez is the Managing Editor, and Kimberly Ann Nicole V. Lim as the Layout Artist and Art Director. The digital vector art featured on the cover is the GAMABA (Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan) awardee Yabing Masalon Dulo from the B’laan community is the work of Marthin Anthony Millado. Used as the dividers for the book are the visual artworks of Luce Domini F. Melegrito (student of Philippine High School for the Arts), Jalicareza R. Jamail (student from Marawi), at Juan Franco Sabado (artist based in Baguio) and of the Drawing Room.

Seven Filipino individuals named National Artists

PRESS RELEASE

October 26, 2018

Seven Filipino individuals named National Artists 

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has conferred the National Artist Awards to seven exemplar individuals for their significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts and culture on October 24, 2018, at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang Palace.

Upon recommendation by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), after the rigid evaluation and selection process conducted by panels of artists, cultural workers, scholars and experts, visual artist Lauro “Larry” Alcala, theater advocate Amelia Lapeña Bonifacio, music master Raymund "Ryan" Cayabyab, filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik, architect Francisco Mañosa, literary writers Resil Mojares and Ramon L. Muzones were declared National Artists, joining the league of Filipino artists who have received the highest recognition bestowed by the nation.

Throughout his 56 years of cartooning, Alcala utilized his comic strips to spice up the Filipino lives with witty illustrations, featuring over 500 characters in about 20 comic strips serialized in various publications. His iconic work Slice of Life, which had been circulated for decades, helped his avid readers and followers to find their sense of self amid the not-so-good environment and situations Filipinos experience. He also made two murals, and inspired the production of six motion pictures based on his cartoon creations.

“The cartoon is meant to entertain, record events and capture local color. It is also a self-correcting medium because it can humorously expose society’s ills and serve as a mirror in which people can see themselves. It can also project the best in a people and a country,” Alcala once remarked. His wife Guadalupe received the posthumous award.

Lapeña-Bonifacio established the Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas, which helped place the Philippines on the world theater map. She wrote plays based on materials culled from painstaking researches, and had been involved in the production and design of puppets. She was instrumental in the surge of children's theater in the Philippines, through the magic of puppetry.

Drawing upon the untapped wealth of Philippine and Asian folklore and experimenting with various forms and techniques of Asian theater arts and puppetry, she enriched the Philippine cultural heritage in drama. She successfully synthesized a myriad of rich puppet traditions from Southeast Asia, earning for herself the title "Grand Dame of Southeast Asian Children’s Theatre."

Cayabyab’s diverse compositions, which exhibit both mastery of composition technique and spontaneity, has made a great impact in the Philippine music industry. His music reflects the exuberance of life and human happiness, thus capturing the very essence of our Filipino soul. It embodies the Filipino values and social experiences. His learned, skillful, and versatile musical style spans a wide range of genres: from conservatory or art compositions such as concert religious music, symphonic work, art song, opera, and concerto to mainstream popular idioms in the music industry and in live contemporary multimedia shows (musical theater, dance, and film).

Mr. C, as he is fondly called, is distinctively a cosmopolitan nationalist. He is open to foreign influences but transforms these into expressions that are near to his experience as an urbanized Filipino. All throughout his career, Cayabyab never effaced his Filipino identity as he confronted the constant threat of making the Philippines a market for global expressions.

Kidlat Tahimik strongly believes that the films and the filmmaker are one. He has continually invented himself through his cinema, and so his cinema is as singular as the man. Kidlat has epitomized the possibilities of alternative modes of filmmaking and the artisanal form of production. The mode of making the film exhibited Kidlat Tahimik’s intense independence as an artist and, at the same time, the film itself called for Filipinos to actively live out their independence and not allow their culture to be imperialized by the west.

His debut film, Mababangong Bangungot (1977), was praised by critics and filmmakers from Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa and is still considered by many as a pioneering postcolonial essay film. Kidlat’s “imperfect” film is an exemplar of what is worldwide known as “Third Cinema,” a cinema that is critical of neocolonial exploitation and state oppression. But, unlike other Third Cinema films, Kidlat’s work does not glory in ugliness. His films, even those that lament injustice and violence, are premised on the hope of possible, though yet unrealized, triumph. His constant claim is that whatever “progress” has relegated to the realm of sadness and poverty should never remain self-referentially sad or poor.

In his more than 60 years of architecture life, Mañosa designed Filipino. From the 1960s until his retirement in 2015, he courageously and passionately created original Filipino forms, spaces with intricate and refined details. Through the years, he successfully and even playfully constructed these forms and spaces into masterpieces for both the poor and the rich. Mañosa knew that real creative growth happens when his architecture is isomorphic to the true nature of Filipino clients, in his Philippines.

At the heart and soul of a Philippine architectural movement, he intensively studied, mastered and interpreted many Filipino visual imageries. He passionately and painstakingly developed the use of indigenous materials, bamboo, coconut, rattan, capiz, and various kinds of inlay and applied all these into first class architectural finishes, furniture and furnishings.

Mañosa championed that Philippine architecture must be “true to itself, its land and its people” with such directness and conviction. Undaunted, Mañosa coined “Filipinism” as his style. This is quite evident in the buildings he designed, including the Tahanang Pilipino (or the Coconut Palace) where he invented numerous coconut product finishes, internationally awarded Aman Pulo Resort with its deconstructed “bahay kubos” style, and the San Miguel Building with its rice terrace–like green balconies and “tukod” inwardly slanting windows, a perfect example of sustainable architecture.

An educator, scholar, essayist and fictionist, and cultural/literary historian, Mojares is one of the leading figures in regional literature and history. As founding director of the Cebuano Studies Center, an important research institution which placed Cebu in the research and documentation map, he pioneered Cebuano and national identity formation. As a leading figure in cultural and literary history, he networked actively in many organizations.

For over 50 years, Mojares has published in diverse literary forms (fiction, essay, journalism, scholarly articles, and books) across a wide range of discipline (literature, history, biography, cultural studies, and others). To date, he has 17 published books (3 more in the press) and edited, co-edited, or co-authored 11 books, and written numerous articles for popular and scholarly publications.

Muzones was a Hiligaynon poet, essayist, short story writer, critic, grammarian, editor, lexicographer, and novelist who authored an unprecedented 61 completed novels. Some of his works represent groundbreaking “firsts’ in Hiligaynon literature such as the feminist Ang Bag-ong Maria Clara, the roman a clef Maambong Nga Sapat (Magnificent Brute,1940), the comic Si Tamblot (1946), the politically satirical Si Tamblot Kandidato Man (Tamblot is Also a Candidate, 1949), the 125-installment longest serialized novel Dama de Noche (1982-84), etc.

Hailed by his peers as the longest reigning (1938-1972) among “the three kings of the Hiligaynon novel,” Muzones brought about its most radical changes while ushering in modernism. With a literary career that spanned fifty-three years (1938-1990), his evolution covers the whole history of the Hiligaynon novel from its rise in the 1940s to its decline in the 1970s. Muzones tried his hand at a variety of types and proved adept in all as literary fashions. In the process, he not only extended with remarkable versatility and inventiveness the scope and style of the Hiligaynon novel, he enriched Hiligaynon literature’s dramatis personae.

In his prepared speech, Duterte urged the newly-proclaimed National Artists to never hesitate to pass down their knowledge and skills to the younger generations "because it is only by educating and training the youth that the legacy and work of our artists can live on.”

“To this year’s awardees, I laud you for the passion and dedication to your chosen craft. Your outstanding work does not only inspire self-determination, but likewise instills patriotism and brings prestige to our beloved country. As we celebrate Filipino excellence in all forms, may your creativity and artistry continue to inspire our people to become positive in building a more progressive and vibrant Philippines," said the President.

Duterte recognized the role of arts in the development of the Filipino society. "In ways more than one, art has been a witness to this storied history of our nation. It gave rise to the revolutions and served as a voice to those who fought for democracy and emboldened the spirit of the Filipino during the turbulent times. Indeed, art has gone as a general service and we recognize this by supporting our local and traditional artist and spearheading initiatives to safeguard, preserve, and protect our cultural sites.”

The selection for the new National Artists, jointly administer by the CCP and NCCA, began after the call for nominations on June 2017. A council of experts conducted the initial deliberation and shortlisted the nominees. The second deliberation by a Jury of experts further evaluated the nominees and their body of works.

After which, the Jury submitted their recommendations to the boards of the CCP and the NCCA. Joined by current and living National Artists, the boards voted on the final nominees, which they recommended to the President. The Office of the President’s Honors Committee reviewed the final list before transmitting to the President, who has the prerogative to affirm all or just some of the recommended names, but he is not allowed to add to what has been submitted by the NCCA and the CCP.

National Artist Virgilio Almario, who is also the NCCA chairman, congratulated the new National Artists and believed that the diversity and excellence of this year’s awardees is a reflection of the Filipino imagination.

“Bagama’t iba’t-iba ang larangan, lahat ito ay konektado, sumasalamin at kumakatawan sa kung ano ang pinakamainam at pinakamagaling sa Filipino at sa kulturang Filipino. Hindi lamang simpleng pagkilala ito kundi ito ay isa ring paglulok sa mga sagisag ng ating bansa na may mahabang kasaysayan ng haraya, pagkamalikhain at kagalingan para sa lahat,” he enthused.