Beyond Ballet, Beyond Yoga

Life after ballet can be tough . For me its a never-ending cycle of doubting if your decision was sound and being happy and content about the freedom and financial stability I know enjoy.  Thoughts of  what could have been always enter my mind.  But at the end of the day, I do know that I have every reason to say, I've made the right choice.To avoid these moments of self doubt, I have to fill the void that is ballet.

 Though I still perform occasionally,  my body  has long said goodbye to the rigorous 5-8 hour training and rehearsal schedules I used to have. Reunions with the barre are always liberating as it reminds me of who I really am as a person. . Invitations to dance invigorate me as they give me that temporary thrill of being a performer. Making time for my passion however, is not always a possibility. There are times that real life will steer my direction another way.There are days that it saddens me too much to have small doses of ballet and not be part of the  bigger picture. That's why at one point in time, I silently decided to explore other things that may  fill the void.

2010 was the year I was introduced to Yoga by a good friend. Since then I was hooked. For me it was the reverse of everything I learned in ballet yet it strengthened and pushed my body beyond my limits just like ballet. A ballerina will have a hard time with the turned in positions that Yoga will require but it will increase its inner thigh and outer thigh muscle strength. Yoga body binds push the blood circulation to be more active and releases bad toxins from the joints. Both enable the body to heal faster the tissues that need to heal. Furthermore the stretching poses  allow the body to increase flexibility while being at a relaxed state which is the best possible way to stretch. I guess you might say I am an advocate of Yoga.

 Recently, I was encouraged to take a new kind of yoga pioneered  here in the Philippines by Beyond Yoga. I took on the challenge of Anti Gravity Yoga. This type of yoga is a bit similar to aerial arts only it still revolves around the yoga fundamentals. The focus is still in strength, stretch and body healing using the hammock as the instrument The hammock alone and the prospect of being gracefully wrapped by the silk enticed me. I was ready for something new to divert my attention from ballet.  So I excitedly gave it a try.









STRENGTH
Based on my experience, Anti Gravity really puts emphasis in building core strength. Positions will make it almost impossible for the participant not to use their abdominal muscles. Since your arms are constantly connected to the silk, most definitely, the exercises will tone your arms. The exercises will particularly be beneficial to dancers because it will enable them to understand the physics behind inversions . This will give them a better idea on how to respond to a partner during lifts . An example would be how to recover from an inverted position  going to a  flip shoulder lift Another would be how to hang on a partner without him having to hold any body parts. (This is common in contemporary pieces)

STRETCH
Because movements are aided by the silk, the participant can go further . Similar to the concept of using therabands, it helps you go beyond your extremities during the stretch this time using gravity as the  force that pushes you further. Again, this is perfect for dancers because it leaves you no excuse to not be able to achieve the desired extension.

THE MIND
These exercises require trusting a piece of cloth. Actually at first, I felt hesitation take over my body. Thankfully, the teacher explained how strong the structure and the cloth was easing my worries. Antigravity requires you to trust not only the cloth but yourself. The instructor patiently explained each step towards  strange unfamiliar positions. And after every trick you start feeling better and better. At least I felt that way as I was surprised my body easily cooperated with the silk. The trick wasn't just physically mastering it, it was believing you could trust yourself to do it. Antigravity equals no fear! Again, this kind of exercises strengthen even the mind which is essential if you're a dancer. You must learn to trust yourself as you step unto that stage or attack a new choreography.

THE CALM
The best part of the class was the laying down on that hammock with its swaying swooshing motion. I almost fell asleep! It was as if I got rid of the outside world and literally entered a cocoon.  The silence, the peace, the feeling of accomplishment. Nothing better than a moment of peace.


As soon as I was able to gather my thoughts about the class,  I  realized that anti-gravity yoga is a perfect cross training activity  for dancers. It definitely occupied my mind for a couple of days. It was a beautiful experience that I hope I get to try again real soon.


 This is me trying it out. 

Lovely teachers of Beyond Yoga

This is what I want to do in the future.

Beyond Yoga Anti Gravity Studio

For inquiries check out

http://www.igobeyondyoga.com/

Pulso: The Filipino Soul in Dance

March seems to be the kick off month for the Dance Community. Pulso, is the 3rd major dance show  of the year and of the month of March. Having seen foreign shows recently, I was hungry for Filipino flavor. The title of the show being  "Pulso: The Filipino Soul in Dance", I looked forward for a  happy fill of beautiful movement. 

The production was supposed to highlight the current state of the dance community. The intention was to exemplify the Filipino's versatility and ability in various dance genres. Invited performers included heavy hitters such as Philippine Ballet Theatre, Ballet Philippines, Ballet Manila and Ramon Obusan Fokloric Group.

I braved the traffic for the gala show last March 31, 2012. As destiny would have it I missed the first two pieces because of the throng of people marching outside of the CCP in celebration of the lenten season. As they say, better late than never. I made it to my seat and I was still in high spirits with equally high expectations. But the build up, I'm afraid did not do me good. I sat through a few ho hum performances until I saw a few gems. For me a good performance requires three things 1. Strong Technique 2. Emotional Heart 3. A Moving choreography . If one of the three are  beyond good, then people will be forgiving about the other two.

Amongst those who delivered was Ballet Philippines' pride and joy Candice Adea. As expected, she delivered a crisp and clean  performance with her able partner JM Cordero. What was nice to see about their Diana and Actaeon was that it showed progression. It showed that even Principal dancers can  still up their performance a notch or two. Kudos to the pair for additional turns and longer balances. Their presence in the show was also fitting as their wins from  international competitions have instantly made them household names in the dance industry. They represent everything good about the dance community , skilled, versatile, fiery and most importantly unstoppable.

I saw a glimpse of Unschooled (Hip Hop Dance Group) in the finale and  I liked the little that I saw. They were exciting to watch. They exuded confidence and pride . I liked the fact that  their dancers came from different universities. Good fellowship makes my heart fuzzy happy. They too made a statement through their dancing and their existence. Filipino dancing is about overcoming obstacles with a smile on your face. In this case, it was literally a burst of happy energy on stage. They had more than a smile on their faces, their souls were shared with the audience.I'm not surprised that they are now called the new champions in hip hop.

Disappointing to me was the lack luster performance of the famous Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group. For me, their performance was close to amateur. Perhaps it was the inappropriateness of the their selected piece. It did not show the capacity of a CCP resident company. Perhaps, they were unrehearsed or bored?! Im a  BIG  fan of this group but for me, their performance  was boring and uninspired. Ramon Obusan probably wanted to stand up from his grave to give them a beating.

Dance Afficionados did not quite hit the mark . True, the kids were adorable. Yes they were graceful. But to be on stage with the best representing dance sport of the Philippines, you've simply got to bring the goods. It was nowhere near close to Filipinos' best dancing nor effort. They  did not represent the blooming dance sport industry.

The best part of this show was the coda and the curtain call. No sarcasm here. It literally was the coolest part of it all. All the dance groups performed the different genres as they bowed. I have to admit it did generate  a bit of laughter from me seeing some awkwardly dance. Led by no less than Lisa Macuja, they started a dance off. Hip hoppers were flying in the air. The ballroom dancers were spinning. Lisa Macuja and Candice Adea did a fouette showdown. The danseurs did ala seconde turns . The contemporary dancers showed off their fabulous lifts. In this case dancing with the heart (in my head) propelled the show  from ho hum to exhilarating. It was amazing. It filled the theatre with life. It made the people bravo til their throats hurt, clap til their palms hurt and dance til they hit the next person. And for that, we have Ms. Edna Vida and Mr. Nonoy Froilan to thank for. No the show was not quite perfect. However, to be able to put together such a spirited and united dance crowd out there is a big challenge. In the end, people stood up to dance. Isn't that the point of it all. Shows should always inspire and put a little happiness in people's heart . Just for that, I say Bravo to Pulso. We've got Soul.

Curtain Call (video quality isn't great . . .  but enjoy!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPVtbY-6NqY&feature=relmfu

Ballet inspires

Just a few things I found. . .... its good feeling when art inspires art :) Check out the links below

Afternoon Tea

Dinner Table

http://sincerelykymberly.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/ballet-inspired-design-board/

Giselle Table

 

http://freshome.com/2012/03/29/ballerina-inspired-giselle-lounge-table-from-russia

Ballerina Wedding 

 

http://apaperproposal.com/2011-2-21

Ballerina Baby

Ballerina Fashion

http://art-opology.blogspot.com/2011/12/swan-fever-ballerina-inspired-fashions.html

http://thefashionreporter.com/blog/2011/07/03/louboutin-ballerina-inspired-shoe/

Faithfulness: David Campos' Giselle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=6HEnLaBP3I4&feature=endscreen

The ballet Giselle belongs to my Top 5 favorite ballets. Aileen Gallinera belongs to my Top 5 Filipino ballerinas. I wondered if the combination would make it to my Top 5 favorite shows. Though it was highly unlikely, it piqued my interest. There was no way I would miss this show.

 After having watched David Campos' vibrant and techie-savvy Sleeping Beauty, I was anxious to know how he could top it. Was the concept of  set and choreography going to be the same ? Was the choreography going to be a fusion  of old and new again? I was pleasantly surprised that  he had more than one trick up his sleeve. .

David Campos this time did not use the original story. Instead he dug deep and re-interpreted with a realistic plot in modern times. Re-invention of  a story ballet  is not uncommon. Swan Lake has been reinterpreted by the Trockaderos, Nutcracker by Bejart and even by local choreographer Agnes Locsin. It's always interesting to see how they translate the story.  Pre-show press releases mentioned that it resembled a horror story (true!). Statements like that freaked me out a bit as I was afraid the point of the story would be bastardized. In my head were visions of thriller (Oh Dear Lord!)

It started with a video narration explaining the Legend of the Women of the Waters. The revenge of bruised women empowered by the powers of the dark waters. The powerful cinematography made the audience gasp. Eyes widened as if they were expecting a shrill voice expected of a horror movie. But it didn't come instead it left a taste of what would be a mind-blowing evening.

The Story

Aileen Galinera portrayed Giselle. She was a vibrant, quirky nerdette. She was a geek and was not afraid to hide it. Though she did not seem like a woman who would draw the attention of many, she was playful and confident. Humor came to play as she danced in the first act  . She meets Jesus Pastor who plays  Albrecht, the heart throb. Level 1 introduction. Level 2 HHD, holding hands while dancing. Level 3 Sneak off into the moonlight. Oh how fast nights like these go.  As their date progresses, they  come across goons who try to mob them. During the fight however, Albrecht  had a window of opportunity to escape and he does. He leaves  Giselle to the wolves, a betrayal he will later regret.  He later finds her unconscious, barely breathing. He brings her to the hospital and together they fight death, him with his prayer and her with her body fighting inch by inch. She dies and he is overcome with grief. The legend of the waters unknown to him he goes to the cemetery near the waters to offer his flowers and his heartfelt apology. When he  enters the area of dark mystery, Giselle sees him. She appears in a different form. She has already  transformed into a woman of the water. Pain and anger  overpowered  her body so much so that she was lured to the water to live as one of the women who seek revenge. When she finally saw him. . . . she takes  a moment to look at herself  with regret for what she has become. It seemed even as a ghost, she still cared about him.  She regains her composure and goes to him and whispers to him . She brings her hair  over his face and makes her presence felt expecting him to flee just like the other men who have felt the eeriness of the waters. He grabs  her hand. Silence. . . . he looks at it caresses it, kisses it. He cries. Giselle is shocked. He cared after all. They dance passionately and for that moment they pretended that love could still be. But darkness was filling the night air. She knew he would not survive the night. She tells him that he must flee but he refuses. The women arrive and begin their moment of revenge. She fights for him...... He survives. Albrecht gets to live another day. The man won, and so I thought. It started with a video it ended with one.  It showed an old man. . . . walking towards the waters. With tears in his eyes and flowers in his hand, he reaches down to see the face of his Giselle. But unlike the introduction where it showed  the women swimming  in the water with sadness in their eyes, Giselle was seen in the water smiling at Albrecht. Love conquered all. 

David Campos' ballet was like a Nicholas Sparks film. Undoubtedly moving. I didn't cry in the theatre. I went home emotional, and I told my husband what I had seen. Then I cried. Only then did I realize how much I cared about this production. The story was simple and relatable but what was special about it  was that it allowed the audience to see Albrecht in a new light. In the original ballet, Albrecht  betrays her for a different reason but  he does not get to pay for his sins. In David Campos' creation, he pays with it with a life of regret. He redeems himself by letting the love that could have been flourish even after death. Tears in my eyes. 

The choreography was fresh and engaging. Most importantly it was always emotional. The movement was always in sync with the scene.  In the last scene, Giselle again puts her hair  on his face. This time, she executed it differently, frantically.  Some people giggled, but I understood. This time she wasn't merely making her presence felt. She was holding on. She was battling with the thought they both had to let go. Again tears in my eyes. Perhaps some people would find the "Monster Women" scene where the women come out of the water  funny  because of the jarred movements ( some people again were giggling ) but i felt it was appropriate . The women after all were there because of the weight of their pain. Also there were parts where found his choreography inventive and refreshing. Take into consideration his take on the peasant pas de deux. Instead of a duet he had a waitress ( a peasant ) do a solo. It was a small moment of distraction but it did honor the original concept at the same time it added texture and atmosphere to the story's reality. In Act 2 of the original ballet Giselle is lifted by the danseur in series as if she were floating or flying in the air. He took note of this and re-choreographed it with his own series of surprising lifts that came out of nowhere evoked the same emotion. He took the scenes and made it his own. B. Of course there were the obvious inspirations such as the willis chugging and gliding as they sliced through the fog and Act 1's peasant celebration where the dancers dance to a cross formation which were amusing too.

Aileen Gallinera's performance was outstanding. No words can describe how proud I was sitting in that chair seeing  her have the best performance of her life. I've always admired her for her technique ( and for being the humblest dancer I know ). But seeing her bare all her emotions and hitting every step perfectly  definitely impressed me. Love and years in Spain has done her well. 

Jesus Pastor had amazing technique. I'm a bit hard to please when it comes to male dancers seeing that my husband is just so good but he's that good. His leaps were high. His extensions were beautiful. His pirouettes always ending beautifully with a suspended moment. Most especially, he was an emotional dancer.

At the end of this ballet, I was a fan of David Campos and his company. The choreography was beautiful. The dancers were beautiful. The cinematography,set and new music  were beautiful. His faithfulness to the essence of the original Giselle was admirable. Nothing excessive or ostentatious, just a beautiful story of dance.  I'm glad I made it to the theatre.

 Aileen Gallinera with her PBT Friends  

 David Campos with Mrs. Felicitas Radaic (Artistic Council PBT)and Ms. Cha Cha Camacho (Pres. PBT)

 

SHOW DETAILS :

MARCH 25, 2012

CULTURAL CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES

BALLET DAVID CAMPOS