Joy and Daloy, a contemporary dance production for one night only at the CCP

The Cultural Center of the Philippines and Daloy Dance Company, in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut Philippinen, present Joy and Daloy happening on January 27, 2024, 7:30 PM at Tanghalang Ignacio B. Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater).

This twinbill contemporary dance production features Joy Alpuerto Ritter's Babae and Daloy Dance Company's ItikLandia.

More info about this one night only production can be read at the press release reprinted below.

SWAY WITH JOY AND DALOY IN A ONE-NIGHT-ONLY SHOW

Create a deeper connection with cultural roots with the fusion of Filipino heritage and contemporary experiences, while reimagining femininity in strength, grace, and resiliency in a one-night-only production, “Joy and Daloy,” on January 27, 2024, 7:30 PM, at the Tanghalang Ignacio B. Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater).

Joy and Daloy, a twin-bill production by Daloy Dance Company and choreographer-dancer Joy Alpuerto Ritter, features ItikLandia and BABAE, imaginative choreographies that aim to re-develop and nurture an appreciation for contemporary dance. The choreographies explore intriguing themes, fusing traditional Filipino elements with contemporary expressions.

ItikLandia

Created by Daloy Dance Company during their residency at the British School Manila in 2023, ItikLandia is inspired by the traditional Filipino folk dance Itik-Itik, but with a unique and thought-provoking twist that will surely captivate audiences. It is a physical homage to the natural environment we all share, live in, and rely on.

Babae
Photo ©Piotr Jaruga

Meanwhile, Ritter’s BABAE is a 30-minute solo performance piece where the choreographer-dancer reimagines the mystical rituals and power-summoning traditions often associated with women as witches.

Taking inspiration from Mary Wigman’s “Witch Dance,” Ritter combines her training in hip hop, voguing, classical and contemporary styles, and Philippine folk dance to create a mesmerizing interplay between the sensual and animalistic aspects of ritual and power.

On January 25 at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater), Ritter holds a Shapeshifting Dynamics workshop where she will share her dance practice stemming from several movement approaches she learned and trained in her 30 years as a dancer. Her workshop focuses on the subtleties of articulating and isolating body parts in relation to musicality and rhythmical patterns, as well as grounded, dynamic physicality and grooves that strengthen the presence and virtuosity in space.

Founded in 2014 by its artistic director Ea Torrado, Daloy Dance Company has been creating bold and evocative dance theater productions with a dynamic cast of actors, dancers, and other artists. Daloy combines dance, theater, and improvisation to craft innovative and thought-provoking works. With its groundbreaking productions such as Pieces of Me, The Sky Changed, Inter/Act that push the boundaries of contemporary dance, Daloy has created quite a stir in the Manila art scene since its founding. Meanwhile, its highly regarded works Dysmorphilia, Canton, and Himalaya encourage audiences to both celebrate and critically examine societal culture. The company has partnered with notable visual artists in several Philippine museums and galleries.

Ritter enrolled in her first ballet courses at the Ballettstudio Krain, which marked the beginning of her dancing career at four. She took ballet and jazz training for ten years, and participated in dance competitions, ballet performances, and presentations with her mother's group, the Philippine and Polynesian Culture Dance Group. She received a diploma from the Palucca Dancing School in Dresden, Germany, where she was accepted at the age of 17. Following that, she began working as a freelance contemporary dancer in and around Berlin, collaborating with choreographers such as Heike Hennig, Anja Kozik, Constanza Macras, Wangramirez, and Christoph Winkler. She expanded her repertoire in breakdancing, voguing, hip-hop/new style, and participated in several dance battles.

For ticket inquiries, visit the CCP TIG Box Office or visit TicketWorld at https://premier.ticketworld.com.ph.

Visit the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) or follow the official social media accounts on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates.

CCP gives tribute to Huseng Batute, the first king of the Balagtasan

The performers of Pagbabalik-Tanaw sa Unang Hari ng Balagtasan

The poetry, lyrics, and verses of Jose Corazon de Jesus, aka Huseng Batute were celebrated in Pagbabalik-Tanaw sa Unang Hari ng Balagtasan, a fitting tribute by the Cultural Center of the Philippines at the building’s intimate 220 seater black box theater named after the renowned writer and poet.

Batute championed the Filipino language through his daily columns in written in the local language in verse published in newspapers that were in still Spanish and then eventually in English. Prolific that he was, his works numbered in the thousands and a select handful of his poems and songs that he wrote the lyrics for were recited and performed during the tribute that was hosted by Vim Nadera and Louise Lopez.

Daloy Dance Company

The poem Pakpak that served as an invocation was given life through a fusion of the spoken word, theater, and contemporary dance via the Daloy Dance Company.

Lou Veloso, Anthony Falcon and POC's Nazer Salcedo

Lou Veloso with Anthony Falcon showed the relevance of Aking Bayan across generations with Nazer Salcedo of the Philippine Opera Company (POC) echoing these sentiments with the song Madaling Araw.

Ronnie Lazaro

Ronnie Lazaro championed the laborer with his impassioned take on Manggagawa.

Ony Carcamo with Nonoy

Isang Punong Kahoy, the last poem that Batute wrote, was delivered by ventriloquist Ony Carcamo with Nonoy. I think that this poem which is a reflection on mortality wasn’t a good match with the humor infused ventriloquist act.

POC's Kevin Guiman

The era when the kundiman reigned supreme was relived with the Philippine Opera Company’s Kevin Guiman singing of Pakiusap.

A re-enactment of Bulaklak ng Lahing Kalinis-linisan

A well-received portion of the tribute was the bridging of the traditional and the modern with mambabalagtas from Bulacan namely Jerryco Tanig and Melandro Pascual, rappers Beware and Negatibo, Karl Ivan Dan Orit, and POC’s Cris Go re-enacting portions of Bulaklak ng Lahing Kalinis-linisan, which is actually the first ever Balagtasan held back in April 6, 1924 between Jose Corazon de Jesus and Florentino Collantes.

The Makatas' Lester Abueg and Jose delos Reyes in an 'impromptu' balagtasan

The Makatas’ Lester Abueg and Jose delos Reyes showed how the balagtasan can work with millennial sensibilities when the two dueled with words whether one should cling to a former flame or find a spark with someone new.

Karla Gutierrez and John Arcilla

Huseng Batute’s love for his mother and for his motherland was made evident with his Ang Pamana, tearfully recited by John Arcilla that segued into Bayan Ko sang by the POC’s Karla Gutierrez, Cris Go, Kevin Guiman, Rein Pineda, and Nazer Salcedo before being joined by the rest of the performers. When Arcilla sang the verse that was a late addition to the song, it made me realize that it had been ages since I last heard him sing live. It is high time that people get reminded that there is a lot more to John Arcilla than just his expletive laden performance in Heneral Luna.

POC's Kevin Guiman, Rein Pineda, Cris Go, and Nazer Salcedo

A delightful Arimunding-munding and Dalagang Pilipina was the finale performed by the Philippine Opera Company’s Cris Go, Kevin Guiman, Rein Pineda, and Nazer Salcedo.

In between the performances, some esteemed personalities gave anecdotes, trivia, insights, messages and tributes to Batute including CCP President Arsenio “Nick” J. Lizaso, who is actually Batute’s nephew, Dr. Eliseo dela Cruz who represented Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado, educator Dr. Benilda Santos, and Pastor Ruel Garcia who represented Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.

Huseng Batute's photos and memorabilia

I couldn’t remember a time when the Tanghalang Huseng Batute was filled with the words of the man whom the space was named after. I admit that literary Filipino is not that easy to listen to as some words and phrases may need to be heard for a second time or more to fully understand the meaning. But there’s an undeniable sense of musicality in the words and the deft crafting of the verses makes the senses tingle once they’re heard.

Huseng Batute's typewriter

Too bad that despite the sheer number of his output during his short life, Batute’s works remain out of print. I wish that the audience were handed copies of the poems that were performed. I could’ve savored the words and study the works in detail even long after the tribute has wrapped up.