About the Event
Denisa Reyes’s NEOFILIPINO once again bolts to the stage with new works from some of the most persistent voices in Philippine contemporary dance. NEOFILIPINO: TAKE OFF will have three performances across two dates; October 8 at 3pm and 8pm and October 9 at 3pm at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino, Cultural Center of the Philippines.
Beginning in New York in 1987, NEOFILIPINO is a platform for Filipino choreographers to make dance the central force, the impetus, and the muscle in collaborating with the other art forms: music, visual arts, literature, theatre, literature and film. Dance artists aired experimental and provocative works that spoke of inquiries about Philippine contemporary life through dance.
This year's "TAKE OFF" premiers four original pieces by Raul Alcoseba, Jose Jay Cruz, Ma. Elena Laniog, Kris-Belle Paclibar-Mamangun, and Ronelson Yadao, interpreted by the country’s leading performers; Candice and Carissa Adea, PJ Rebullida, Jed Amihan, Mia Cabalfin, and the UP Dance Company among others. Stemming from the conflicted climate the nation is presently undergoing, these dance works aim to reveal, investigate, and challenge current notions of the Philippine identity in—bold insights and fresh facets of the new Filipino. Directed by NEOFILIPINO creator Denisa Reyes, the dance concert is presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines in cooperation of the College of St. Benilde.
Tickets at Php500. For inquiries and updates, call +632-832-3704, +632-891-9999 or visit www.culturalcenter.gov.ph or facebook.com/neofilipinodance/
When words fail to express our collective truth, can dance tell us who we are? #neofilipino2016
NEO Filipino: TAKE OFF
Features works that present fresh insights on how dance could be relevant to Philippine society rendered in an original, contemporary language. The thrust is to question, to inquire, and to challenge notions about how it is to be a Filipino in the 21st century using the language of dance.
“KANAAN” by RAUL ALCOSEBA
Dancers: Candice Adea and Carissa Adea
Collaborator: Shamaine Buencamino
Lighting Design: Katsch Catoy
“ON CRACKED GROUND” by Ma. Elena Laniog
Dancers: UP DANCE COMPANY
Lighting Design: Katsch Catoy
Costumes: James Reyes
“A PERSISTENT STRUCTURE” by Jose Jay Cruz
Dancers: Rhosam Prudenciado Jr, Jed Amihan, Mia Cabalfin, Carlos Deriada Jr, Nicole Primero, Christopher Chan, Jenica Tavares, Pj Rebullida, Julie Alagde-Carretas
Lighting Design: Katsch Catoy
Lighting Consultant: Joseph Matheiu
“DIVERTISSEMENT” by Kris-Belle Paclibar M. & Ronelson Yadao
Dancers: Kris-Belle Paclibar & Ronelson Yadao
Lighting Design: Katsch Catoy
NEOFILIPNO: TAKE OFF | CHOREOGRAPHERS
RAUL ALCOSEBA | “KANAAN”
The former artistic director of Chameleon Dance Theatre, Raul Alcoseba's choreography delves deep into the human condition, revealing beauty from the innermost sources of everyday experience that are otherwise hidden in plain sight. Throughout decades of dancemaking, performing, and teaching locally and internationally as a member of the World Dance Alliance and the Manila Contemporary Dance Network, Raul's vision continues to sharpen, producing works that never cease to be visually potent and emotionally charged. In this year's NEO-FILIPINO: TAKE OFF, Raul brings to the stage "Kanaan", an original piece that tackles the gravity of loss--the atmosphere that death leaves in its wake, and the phantom spectacles it stains our memory with. Featuring the award-winning Adea Sisters, Candice and Carissa, two former principal dancers of Ballet Philippines, "Kanaan" promises to deliver a harrowing yet redemptive look into the grieving process of the Filipino.
JOSE JAY CRUZ | “A PERSISTENT STRUCTURE”
Jose Jay B. Cruz is the Artistic Director of Transitopia Contemporary Dance Commune, one of the leading, most innovative contemporary dance companies in the Philippines. He has participated in international dance festivals as a solo dancer in Hong Kong, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Korea, Shanghai and finalist to the 2006 Yokohama SoloXDuo Dance Competition in Japan. He is also a Carlos Palanca Awardee for Literature and a fellow to the UP Writers Workshop. He received the 2009 Asian Cultural Council’s Josie Natori Award to study choreography and dance composition in New York. Seeing the blurring of functions between dance and theater in the 21st century through Contemporary Performances, Jay Cruz spearheaded the Performance Research Network (PResNt) together with Tess Jamias of Kolab Co. and Jk Anikoche of Sipat Lawin Ensemble, an initiative directed in the grounding of performance innovations in relation to cultural discourses around contemporary theater practices vis a vis the Philippines and its connection to the world. Seeing the urgency of facilitating multi realities and understanding the advantage of being able to fluidly surf in between worlds to survive the precarity of choosing a life to be in Dance, Jay Cruz stumbled on a pioneering work as an acting coach in mainstream TV and Cinema.
MA. ELENA LANIOG-ALVAREZ | “ON CRACKED GROUND”
Elena Laniog serves as co-artistic director and resident choreographer of the UP Dance Company at the UP College of Music Dance Program. She has premiered works for the seven-year running WiFi Body.ph Festival and the Contemporary Dance Map. Her body of work helped the UP Dance Company weave through and define its distinct contemporary style. She has also worked with Ballet Philippines, AIRDANCE, Dance Theater Arts, Center for Movement and Music, The Dance Conservatory, and the UP Pep Squad and has gone to various choreographic residencies and teaching workshops in Taipei and Kaoshiung, Taiwan and Kobe, Japan under the auspices of the World Dance Alliance-Philippines, Dance Box-Kobe, and the JEnesys Program of the Japan Foundation-Manila. Yearly, she is a visiting artist at the Singapore School of the Arts (SOTA) for the Medici Program. In 2015, her recent works “On the Wings of 44” and “Feet of Clay” earned reviews at the 5th Sibu International Dance Festival in Sarawak and the 5th International Festival of Arts and Culture in Thailand; the latter being performed at the recently concluded Dance MNL at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
KRIS-BELLE PACLIBAR-MAMANGON | “DIVERTISSEMENT”
A former principal dancer of Ballet Philippines, Kris-Belle Paclibar has essayed a multitude of lead and featured roles in various productions to consistent acclaim. In 2005, she left for Hong Kong to be part of Hong Kong Disneyland’s Opening Team, where she performed in the park’s “Festival of the Lion King” stageshow. In 2008, Kris-Belle was given a role in Cirque Du Soleil’s first resident show in Asia–“ZAIA” at the Venetian Hotel Resort. Since 2012, she has returned to the Philippine stage through a number of dance productions. She has been nominated for “Best Female Performance for Modern Dance” in 2013 for Carlo Pacis’ “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and in 2014 for her performance of Agnes Locsin’s “Salome”. “The country’s best in modern ballet today”- Agnes Locsin (Edge Davao, 8/21/2015), Kris-Belle is currently involved in different dance projects as a performer or choreographer. She recently returned from Vancouver, Canada as part of Co. Erasga’s “Collected, Traces and Still Here”.
RONELSON YADAO | “DIVERTISSEMENT”
Ronelson is an independent performing artist, teacher and choreographer for modern and contemporary dance. He’s currently the Artistic Director of BP’s Ballet Philippines 2. An alumnus of the Philippine High School for the Arts, he continued his dance studies at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) while being a soloist with Ballet Philippines. He placed 2nd at the National Music Competition for Young Artists in 2007 and became the recipient of PHILSTAGE's Gawad Buhay Awards for Male Lead in 2009. In 2010, he joined Cloud Gate Dance Theater in Taiwan and toured extensively in Europe, China and USA.
NEOFILIPNO: TAKE OFF | DANCERS
CANDICE ADEA | “KANAAN”
A former Principal Dancer of Ballet Philippines, has performed the principal roles in many productions including Don Quixote, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia, The Nutcracker, Peter Pan, Snow White and Diana and Acteon to name some. She won first prize at the 7th Helsinki International Ballet Competition in the senior women’s division in 2012, the Maris Liepa Award for Outstanding Artistry and Lead Role in Russian Ballet Performance Award at the Boston International Ballet Competition in 2011, the bronze medal at the Seoul International Dance Competition in 2011 and the silver medal at the 2010 USA International Ballet Competition senior women’s division.
CARISSA ADEA | “KANAAN”
Carissa Adea studied ballet under the country's top teachers; Josette Salang, Jinggay Formoso, Sofia Zobel, Brezhnev Larlar, and Lisa Macuja. In 1997, she received a scholarship to study at the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet in Australia under Christine Walsh. Formerly a Principal Dancer of Ballet Philippines, she is consistent Philstage Gawad Buhay! Awards contender, winning Outstanding Featured Female in a Dance Production for Crisostomo Ibarra in 2010, Best Female Featured Performance in a Modern Dance Production for Encantada in 2011, Female Lead Performance in a Modern Dance Production for Rama Hari in 2012, and Female Lead Performance in Modern dance for Rock Supremo in 2013.
MIA CABALFIN |”A PERSISTENT STRUCTURE”
Mia Cabalfin is a senior choreographer and company member of Airdance, having started her career in contemporary dance in 2006 with the company. She participated in the 2008 Danceweb Europe Scholarship Programme at Impulstanz in Vienna, Austria. She is currently exploring a choreographic duo together with co-Airdance member Rhosam Prudenciado Jr., having created works for the Kyoto Art Center Artist-in-Residence program, Yokohama Dance Collection September Sessions, M1 Contact Dance Festival in Singapore, Dancing in Place Festival in Malaysia, as well as an ASEAN Tour for the Japan Foundation, among others.
NICOLE PRIMERO | “A PERSISTENT STRUCTURE”
Nicole Primero graduated with a degree in Dance from the University of the Philippines (UP). She was a member of the UP Dance Company from 2006 until 2012. She has choreographed and performed in national events, as well as participated in international events held in Malaysia, Taiwan, Cambodia and Singapore. Recently she was awarded a danceWEB scholarship within the frame of ImPulsTanz - Vienna International Dance Festival. She has been a member of Airdance since 2013.
JED AMIHAN | “A PERSISTENT STRUCTURE”
Jed is one of the Associate Artistic Directors of Airdance Philippines. As choreographer, his recent works have been featured at the World Dance Alliance Asia Pacific- International Young Choreographers Project in Kaohsuing Taiwan, Dancing in Place Rimbun Dahan Malaysia, CMAP International Dance Festival in the Philippines and in numerous Festivals in our country. He is now an active member of World Dance Alliance -Philippines.
JULIE ALAGDE CARETTAS | “A PERSISTENT STRUCTURE”
Julie has danced, taught and performed for Douglas Nierras Powerdance, STEPS Dance Academy, Lion King the Musical in Sydney, Hong Kong Disneyland, Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, among others. She works with PJ Rebullida for Galaw Komunidad in helping promote dance education to the Filipino community. She practices and shares the Tradition of Ashtanga Yoga with her husband at Hamsa Ashtanga Yoga Shala.
PJ REBULLIDA | “A PERSISTENT STRUCTURE”
PJ Rebullida is an established Performing Artist, Teacher and Choreographer. His work has been in Manila and Germany with the likes of Ballet Philippines, 9 Works Theater, Dulaang UP, Ballet Lüneburg and Stage Entertainment, Germany. He has begun Galaw Komunidad with Julie Alagde-Carretas which currently shares dance education in Quezon City and plans to create work combining dance, theater and the Filipino Soul.
RHOSAM PRUDENCIADO JR. | “A PERSISTENT STRUCTURE”
Rhosam is an Artistic Director of Airdance Philippines. He is a recipient of “Ani ng Dangal 2010” awarded by Pres. Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo and NCCA (February 2010) and the French Embassy Prize for Young Choreographers of the Yokohama Dance Collection R 2009 held in Yokohama, Japan. He studied contemporary dance in Micadanses and Menagerie de Verre in Paris; and was granted a residency program under Centre Nationale de la Danse – Hoche, Paris. In 2012 Sam and Mia Cabalfin became a dance duo and were awarded Dance Residencies By Kyoto Arts Center to create their first full-length choreography “Housewarming”.
CARLOS DERIADA JR. | “A PERSISTENT STRUCTURE”
Carlos started as a theater actor as an active member of his community theater group in Bacolod City. In 2007, Carlos became a member of Airdance Philippines and performed in various shows and dance festivals here and abroad. He was a finalist of the 2009 WIFI-BODY New Choreographers Competition. He performed in the Philippine Pavillion for the WORLD EXPO 2010 in Shanghai, China.
CHRISTOPHER CHAN | ”A PERSISTENT STRUCTURE”
Christopher is a junior member of the Airdance Company. In 2014, he won best performer in the WiFi-Body.ph Independent Contemporary Dance Festival. He has performed at the Singapore Dance festival in a piece entitled “lightning talk”, and at the Yokohama Red Brick event in Japan 2015. In 2016, Christopher Chan won 2nd place at the Wifi-Body.ph contemporary Dance Competition, winning the first French Embassy award.
JENICA TAVARES | ”A PERSISTENT STRUCTURE”
Jenica Tavares is a graduate of the Philippine High School for the Arts as a Ballet Major under Victor Ursabia, Nonoy Froilan, and Robert Medina. She joined Airdance in the summer of 2016 and has performed with the company on international and local dance festivals including CCP’s Dance Manila, Body of Work: Performance and Workshop Tour across the Philippines, and World Dance Alliance in South Korea.
THE UP DANCE COMPANY | “ON CRACKED GROUND”
Founded in 1987, the UP Dance Company was set up for the apprenticeship and professional training of dance major students in the College Of Music, University of the Philippines. It Is meant to develop the technique and creativity of student dancers and choreographers as a company. Led by Founding Artistic Director and Professor Emeritus Basilio Esteban Villaruz along with co‐artistic directors Herbert Alvarez and Ma. Elena O. Laniog and faculty adviser Angela Lawenko Baguilat, UPDC produces well rounded dance artists trained in ballet and contemporary dance, as well as the ability to compose out of the box pieces that win accolades in festivals in the country and abroad. Most recently, UPDC was awarded the UP Honorific Award for Best Performing Group for Dance and the privilege to be an official performing group of the University of the Philippines.