What to expect at PH’s 1st Int’l Dance Day Fest
In a bid to become the city’s prime artistic hub, Circuit Makati is organizing activities in various genres, among them the country’s first International Dance Day (IDD) Fest. The four-day event will include galas featuring prominent dance companies, lectures, a dance film workshop and a dance marketplace at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.
IDD is an international celebration of dance in all forms, conceptualized by the International Theater Institute, Unesco’s performing arts partner.
IDD is observed every April 29, the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre, the 18th-century French choreographer and teacher who revolutionized ballet from a technical spectacle to a theater art.
Since this year’s IDD falls on a Monday, the IDD Festival galas will be held April 25 to April 28.
Christopher Mohnani, managing director of the Samsung Theater and the festival’s executive producer, says the developer, Ayala Land, aims to strengthen Circuit Makati’s value proposition as an arts and culture district because of its modern facilities and accessibility. The estate can offer various spaces and opportunities where artists and audiences can connect.
“The vision is that when you want to experience anything culturally related, you will find it at Circuit,” says Mohnani. “We have been accustomed to watching plays, concerts and musicals. The dance festival came about because I wanted to push Circuit as the place where you can enjoy dance.”
Mohnani was inspired by Dance St. Louis, one of America’s oldest dance presenters, where he held a managerial position before the pandemic. It organizes dance festivals that present world-class performances in various dance genres not normally accessible in the US Midwest.
During the IDD festival, each of the four nights will highlight a different dance genre in a 90-minute concert featuring more than 10 companies per gala.
April 25—Folk dance: Bayanihan, The National Folk Dance Company; Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group; UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe; The Kalilayan Folkloric Group; PNU Kislap Sining Dance Troupe.
“There won’t be the usual folk dance concert that starts with the Cordillera suite and ends with the Muslim dances,” Mohnani said.
April 26—Street dance: UPeepz; Sayawatha; The Crew; Junior Electro Groovers; Mixed Nuts; TPM (Team Package Makers); Femme MNL; Dancehall Manila; VPeepz.
According to Mohnani, “The street dance gala will show the evolution of the hiphop community in the Philippines.”
April 27—Ballet: Ballet Manila; Ballet Philippines; Philippine Ballet Theatre; Alice Reyes Dance Philippines; Hong Kong Ballet; Steps Dance Project; Association of Ballet Academies in the Philippines; Hope Dance Academy Philippines; Halili Cruz School of Dance.
“The ballet gala will bring the four major companies onstage. Guest artists from the Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) will present excerpts from ‘Swan Lake’ (choreographed by Yuri Possokhov) and ‘Carmina Burana’ (choreographed by HKB artistic director Septime Webre). We’ve also invited dance schools that have won in international competitions,” says Mohnani.
April 28—Contemporary: Myra Beltran’s Dance Forum; University of the Philippines Dance Company; Guang Ming College; Airdance; Nude Floor; Nunoy Revlon; Daloy Dance Company; Galaw Dance Company; Hiraya Dance Company.
Mohnani tapped Beltran, the country’s pioneer in independent dance companies and curator for the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) Choreographers’ Series. Through this program, she hopes to revive the Contemporary Dance Map series, an initiative that works out alternative spaces for indie companies in a performance tour.
Fifth Wall, an international movement platform, will hold a dance film workshop, “Sayaw Sabay Kuha,” on April 28, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It will be moderated by founder Madge Reyes. Participants will produce work on-site, to be conducted by film directors Dominic Bekaert and Miko Reyes.
Mohnani says the ultimate vision is to galvanize the dance audience and offer Circuit Makati as the choice for entertainment and culture. Ayala Land is not only providing the venue and production team, but will also offer honoraria to the performers.
The CCP will help bolster the audience by bringing schools.
“I’m excited to have the audience experience the wide spectrum of dance on one stage,” says Mohnani. “These shows can be as exciting as a musical. The Filipino dance artists are performing on a high level. It’s about time that our audiences, particularly the younger generation, can experience them. Talent is abundant in this country. These artists need a platform and an audience to appreciate them. We are fortunate to have the resources and make them available to these artists.” — INQ
