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Choreographers in Philippine Dance
Friday, 05 June 2009 04:53
Written by Nash

In the early years of the American colonization, ballet and modern dance were introduced to the Filipinos through a steady stream of foreign teachers, notable among whom were Luva Adameit, Kaethe Hauser, Trudl Dubsky and Anita Kane.  They promoted dance in the 1930s not only by opening their own schools but by staging performances and presenting their own choreographies.  In particular, for their works, Adameit and Kane drew inspiration from folk dances and themes; Adameit did Planting Rice and Cariñosa and Kane produced Mariang Makiling, Mutya ng Dagat, Aswang, among others.  Dubsky created works to classical music like Petite Suite-Au Bord de la Seine, Peer Gynt Suite, Polovetsky Dances, A Midsummer Night's Dream.   Then followed the arrival of Paul Szilard who choreographed The Four Seasons, La Gioconda, The Mad Thinker andRicardo and Roberta Cassell with Fifth Symphony, Adagietto, Graduation Ball, Peter and the Wolf, Lady Be Good.

These foreign artists undertook the task of shaping the first generation not only of Filipino ballet dancers and teachers but choreographers as well.  Among these were:
 

Leonor Orosa Goquingco, who continued her teachers' work of blending folk dances and classical ballet inTrend: Return to Native, Noli Dance Suite, Filipinescas;

Remedios de Oteyza
, who was known for her abstract ballets to music Rhapsody in Blue, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Serenade for Strings, Cappriccio Espagnol; 

Inday Gaston Mañosa
 with Four Elements, Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra with Eli Jacinto;

Rosalia Merino Santos
, who would later on concentrate on modern dance and produced What is Dance, Feminine Gender, Ugaling Pilipino, Halina't Maglaro, Of Cocks and Kings

Julie Borromeo 
with Zagalas de Manila, Mir-i-nisa, Babae at Lalake, Philippine Revue, Merry Widow, who later became one of the leading exponents of jazz

Corazon Generoso Iñigo 
with Lam-ang, Jubilation, Gabriela, Sisa, Baile de Ayer

Alice Reyes 
with Amada, Itim-Asu, Company, Tales of the Manuvu, Rama, Hari, Romeo & Juliet, The Nutcracker;

Eddie Elejar 
with Masks, Juru Pakal, Kapinangan, Misang Pilipino, Rigodon Sketches, May Day Eve;

Tony Llacer 
with In the Beginning, Les Patineurs, Quintet, Triad, Hijinks, Variacciones, Movements Cinq;

Israel Gabriel 
with Duetto, Jazz Piece on Ice, Le Printemps Eternel, Rashomon, Caprice;

Fe Sala Villarica 
with The Diadem, Zodiac, The Santo Niño, Philippine Panorama;

Felicitas Layag Radaic 
with Mir-i-nisa, May Day Eve, The Prey, Nan-Pangkat, La Innamorata, Tanan, Tubig!;

Effie Nañas 
with Variations d'Amour, Images, Parvatti, Chopin Piano Concerto, Snow White;

Lydia Madarang Gaston 
with Buntot Pagi, Tree of Life, Halad, Anak Bulan;

Alcuin Pastrano 
aka as Al Quinn;

Manolo Rosado 
with Claire de Lune, Arms Etude, Serenata d'Amore;

Rose Borromeo
;

Joji Felix-Velarde
;

Kristin Jackson 
with Field, Arctic Archipelago, Mail Order Bride, Still Waters; and

Lulu Puertollano 
with Diego Silang

The second generation of dance artists were born with the subsequent formations of dance companies and opening of dance schools.  De Oteyza founded the Classic Ballet Academy in 1947, Orosa-Goquingco theFilipinescas Dance Company and Merino Santos the FEU Experimental Dance Group in 1958, Fe Sala Villarica the Queen City Junior Ballet in 1963, both in 1968 de Oteyza and Gaston-Mañosa formed the Hariraya Ballet Company; and Borromeo, Elejar and Layag-Radaic the Dance Theater Philippines.  These companies would produce significant choreographers like:
 

Eric V. Cruz Visions in Blue, Panaginip, Carmen, Mir-i-nisa, Medea, La Gitana,
Camille, The Interior Castle
Reynaldo Alejandro The Legend of Sarimanok, Kay Selya, Sayaw Silangan, Bagong Salta
Cesar Mendoza Etude Moderne, Hallucinations, By the Hillside, The Book of Job, Ecole de Ballet, Difficult Years
Rene Dimacali  
Basilio Esteban Villaruz La Lampara, Mosque Baroque, Tropical Tapestry, Ode to Botticeli, Misa Filipina, Testament Spiritual Canticle: An Eclogue-Oepratorio
Eli Jacinto  
Tommy Sabarre Puntan dos Amantes
Luis Layag Take Four, Positive-Negative, Transcept, Fugitive, Bagatelle
Veda Bañez Alonso  
Carmelito Castillo Solitaire, The Creation, Jesus Christ Superstar
Nicolas Pacaña El Amor Brujo, El Amor, Ballet Imperial, Ballet Classique



Modern dance was given an impetus by Alice Reyes with the CCP Dance Company (later Ballet Philippines).  Her company strove to excel both in modern and classical ballet thereby creating an expansive and impressive repertoireWith established and young choreographers were given an avenue for their artistic creations.  Most of the current choreographers came from the ranks or were developed in this company:
 

Tony Fabella Kristo, Prince of the Pagodas, Orpheus Descending, Batuque, Limang Dipa, Ang Kasal, Mantones
Denisa Reyes For the Gods, Te Deum, Muybridge/Frames, Siete Dolores
Gener Caringal Ang Sulatan, Recuerdos, Labaw Donggon, Vinta, Prism, Pinoy Komiks
Edna Vida Pagsamba, Vision of Fire, Peter Pan, Ensalada, Ibong Adarna, Thatness, Thereness
Ester Rimpos Duo
Brando Miranda The Awakening, Lawang Paoay, Vivaldi Concerto
Agnes Locsin Igorot, Bagobo, Moriones, Encantada, Babaylan, La Revolucion Filipina
Nonoy Froilan Danzas, One Afternoon, Amparo, Kung Hindi Man, Stone Figures
Enrico Labayen Mindstorm, Etchings, Icarus, Sa Isip, Sa Salita at sa Gawa?
Hazel Sabas Six to Borodin, Daragang Magayon, Padyak Tadyak, La Belleza de la Filipina
Jojo Lucila I, Judas, Huling Hibla, South Road, Banished: Genesis 4, Sari at Bahag, Martial Ways
Manuel Molina South American Suite
Joy Coronel Handurawan, Fandango, Tango Argentino, Kulintangan
Myra Beltran Star Maiden, Women Waiting
Ric Culalic Arnis
Judell de Guzman  
Alden Lugnasin The Swan
Melvin Martinez  
Brezhnev Larlar  
Conrad Dy-Liacco Simplex
Douglas Nierras specializes in jazz dance


Innovative works have also been produced by the following, who all continue their choreographic pursuits in their respective regions.
 

Osias Barroso In Quest, Gabriela Silang
Liza Fernandez Femina
Raul Alcoseba Subic Bay, Ego has Me, Earth Moves
Shirley H. Cruz Alice in Wonderland, Valse Engrande, Konsiyerto
Sonia Domingo Anak ni Pulau
Jess de Paz The Barren Flower, Oh, Mga Huyohoy, Mariang Maya, Pintados
Steven Patrick Fernandez  
Carmen D. Locsin  
Edwin Duero Hinilawod
Odon Sabarre  


Since the time of Adameit, Kane and Dubsky, several foreign choreographers would follow but three would stand out by enriching Philippine dance with their body of works:
 

  1. Madame Sulamith Messerer who restaged Paquita, La Bayadere and Esmeralda
    • Norman Walker Season of Flight, Songs of a Wayfarer, Wanderings of a Wayfarer, Nijinsky
  1. William Morgan Ang Pilya, Cincerella, Nuances
  2.  

Alongside the introduction of ballet during the American period was the introduction of jazz dancing via the bodabil shows.  In the 1960s, it became main feature in television, movies, variety shows and musical productions.  Leading exponents of jazz were Julie Borromeo, Al Quinn and Jamin Alcoriza.  Inevitably, other artists would venture into these alternative dance forms and medium.  These include : Generoso-Iñigo, Rally Calvo, Ruben Nieto, Lito Calzado, Ernie Estrella, Julie Borromeo, Alice Reyes, Amelia Apolinario, Lally and Terry Aldeguer, Choy Talosig.   In the 1980s and 1990s, television and variety shows would be dominated by choreographers like: Bobby Ongkiko, Maribeth Bichara, Lito Calzado, Geleen Eugenio, Eric Edralin, Mel Feliciano, Douglas Nierras and Veda Bañez.

13690.JPG (800×531)


 
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Discuss this item on the forums. (19 posts)
Discuss (19 posts)
Re: Choreographers in Philippine Dance #3023 Jun 22 2009 09:18:14 ..yEp..
..tama ka mark..
..go! go! go!..
..^^..
Choreographers in Philippine Dance #3020 Jun 22 2009 08:48:25 Well dont stop in dreaming kasi ako noon pinapanood ko lang sila sa TV now nakaksama ko na sila!!!...Kaya ang pangarap totoo yan sabayan lang ng dedication and Sipag!!!...
Re:Choreographers in Philippine Dance #2459 Jun 13 2009 13:03:16 ang ulo
na ng forum
Re: Choreographers in Philippine Dance #2453 Jun 13 2009 13:00:55 ..antOk na akuh..
..la nMan ata ibang taO xa forum..
..ahehehe..

..dancers make noise nMan dyan..
..hehehe..
Re: Choreographers in Philippine Dance #2186 Jun 13 2009 06:27:53 ..galaw galaw mga adik..
Re:Choreographers in Philippine Dance #1348 Jun 10 2009 07:50:07 >> paRanG ang hiRap abUtiN un AHhh>>

pEro db' nothiNg iS impoSSibLe++++

kYa tRy anD tRy unTil you diE+++


peaCe poH teuh*** hEk heK
Re:Choreographers in Philippine Dance #1291 Jun 10 2009 06:27:58 lahat nmn tau pede...hek hek basta my chaga..my nilaga...hek hek
Re:Choreographers in Philippine Dance #1272 Jun 10 2009 06:09:09 Hahahaha!!!

@enRiQue...

hNdi aMan mSamang ManGarap d b???

APIR!!!

PAK!!!!
Re:Choreographers in Philippine Dance #1223 Jun 10 2009 01:23:10 hmmmm...??????//


sana mapabilang ako sa magaling na choreo!!!


hahahaha

kasu hindi eh!!!

hehehe


marami pa akong kakaining sako sako ng bigas!!!!


hahahaha
Re:Choreographers in Philippine Dance #1215 Jun 10 2009 00:47:34 Eduardo Loey ^_^ kids at work
Re:Choreographers in Philippine Dance #1155 Jun 09 2009 05:53:46 MGaGaLing dIn uNg ChoReO s G-Force Eh!!!!
Choreographers in Philippine Dance #1037 Jun 08 2009 03:48:56 nice article in gives me a lot of info about people involve in Philippine Dance History...thanks Nash
Re:Choreographers in Philippine Dance #1010 Jun 07 2009 18:04:18 yeah.............



thanks poh talga!!!!



Re:Choreographers in Philippine Dance #1008 Jun 07 2009 18:00:08 well, thanks for posting it all the same.
Re:Choreographers in Philippine Dance #1007 Jun 07 2009 17:58:46 ohh????


matagal na pala toh??

ok lang yan

atleast nabasa ko pa

at napahag ko pa

yung part ko hehehehe
Re:Choreographers in Philippine Dance #1005 Jun 07 2009 17:52:16 matagal tagal na din yang article na yan eh
Re:Choreographers in Philippine Dance #1002 Jun 07 2009 17:36:04 for me, mr. edgar querido.....
Choreographers in Philippine Dance #1001 Jun 07 2009 17:31:32 wow, Eric edralin. Fantastic! i'm actually glad this was posted up! thanks a lot Nash!
Choreographers in Philippine Dance #1000 Jun 07 2009 17:31:31 ** This thread discusses the content article: Choreographers in Philippine Dance **

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