Candice Adea: Hong Kong Ballet's newest Kitri

candice adea 

I've always wanted to watch Candice perform the lead in Hong Kong Ballet. But something always happens.  I grew up with this girl and I literally saw her blossom into the person that she is right now. The thing is there are people who are just born with a sparkle in the heart. Candice  was  golden ever since she was born. On stage or off she heats it up with either her warmth or her sizzle. So to those who happen to be in Hong Kong this coming weekend, come see a Filipino claim her spot  on stage. Come see Candice Adea  perform as Hong Kong Ballet's newest Kitri. You will not be disappointed.  I will miss this show but I'm quite sure she'll have more than enough opportunities in the future to blow my mind. 

Click below for the schedule 

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fhkballet.com%2Fweb%2Fproductions%2F2014%2F3%2Fimg%2FDonQ_CastList.pdf&h=yAQF-AoiD

                               Dancer: Candice Adea Photo Courtesy by USA International Ballet Competition

Swept off my feet: Hong Kong Ballet's Don Quixote

Don Quixote is one of those ballets that brings a rush of warm fuzzy feelings of excitement for the audience before the show. It's a light story ballet sprinkled with love and laughter. The libretto  itself is colorful. The music from Ludwig Minkus is  absolutely exquisite. The very basic choreography of Marius Petipa  from which all versions are largely based is exciting. It's very difficult to not like this ballet regardless of  who restaged or performed it. Theoretically speaking, you can do no wrong with this ballet. 

I caught the evening show of Hong Kong Ballet last Aug 22, 2014. The set was ready for us as we entered the theatre. When the music started, the image (similar to the graphic above) came to life and ushered us forward to the  the beginning of  Don Quixote's journey. That was definitely a cute and unexpected touch that tickled my fancy. Kudos to  Billy Chan ( Lighting Director) and Thomas Mika ( Set Designer ) for that simple  but tasteful introduction. Unfortunately, there was very little follow through. The set transitioned into  the town and out came the dancers looking  painfully bored with not a touch of spanish flair.Act 1 corp de ballet was a huge disappointment. Either I need a pair of glasses or the dancers thought they were transported to the set of Giselle or even Swan Lake in townspeople mode. Don Quixote is a spanish ballet. This is what makes it special, a different flavor. Unfortunately I don't think the dancers understood  that. I have been an avid fan of Hong Kong Ballet and truth be told, I've never been this underwhelmed by their corp de ballet ( which in my opinion has always delivered). I suspect a lot of them were new to the company but I could be wrong. 

Thankfully, the leads bursted on stage exploding with energy. Anna Tsygankova with the charm of a spanish senorita exuding effervescent beauty. She was such a breath of fresh air. It was almost heroic as she disrupted the energy of the corp de ballet .She was soon followed by  the adonis that is Mathew Golding. His machismo was definitely inviting. These two Dutch National Ballet Prilncipals were not just aesthetically pleasing. They really delivered in Act 1. As Basilio, Golding easily nailed all of his pirouettes averaging four revolutions each time. His flexibility will make women hate him (or love him even more). I can talk about his sharpe double cabrioles or  swift saut de  basque that defy gravity. However that's not what makes him special.

This male danseur was born an actor. While doing all  of his technical steps as well as ably partnering his Kitri, he was able to add nuances to  his performance. In between, there were kisses to the shoulder,  double looks to his Kitri snd even solo moments of comedy. All were heavily appreciated by the audience.  His Kitri Anna Tsygankova danced beautifully in her  first variation and pas de deux. Noteworthy  is how she managed to dance the very slow and pianissimo-ish rendition of the variation. I was clapping louder and faster in my head. If i could only do mental telepathy I would have told the orchestra to speed up! Nonetheless, her vitality was extraordinary. It didn't seem to bother her a bit . Her professionalism  showed in her every developpe'. Her tour de finis had a confident bravura to it. Her tour jetes just looked wonderful. 

Kitri's friends were performed with good technique by  Jessica Burrows and Yi Sugawara. I just wished they had enjoyed themselves more and pushed the spanish flair a bit more. Character actor Jonathan Spigner as Gamache was a hoot. His physical acting was quite funny. 

In Act 2, better dancers were showcased in the the ensemble. That was the Hong Kong Ballet I was familiar with. The vision scene was executed nicely with impeccable clarity in movement from all the dancers. The younger dancers were just so adorable. It warmed my heart to see them perform with  conviction.  Dryad Queen  Gao Ge was classically clean and graceful melting down on her feet beautifully with every landing. Cupid Naomi Yuzawa was endearing.  Her hopping turns were clap worthy. Anna Tsygankova was elegant in her variation. Again, bothersome was how incredibly SLOOOOOOOW the tempo of the music was during the hops on one leg. 

In the wedding scene, Liu Miao-Miao sparkled in her black flashy costume. She definitely got the memo. Though the dance was more character than  technique, I appreciated her style. I would love to see more of her in the next opportunities that come. In the Grand Pas De Deux, the couple earned howls of bravo from the audience. The one handed lifts by Golding were particularly amusing as while Tsygankova was suspended in the air, she would do a few cutesy head twists.  I loved Tsgankova's flashy fouttes. She did single single double fouettes with her fan opening on the double turns. I believe this is her signature style. I've seen her on You tube doing it just as perfectly.  Not to be outdone, Golding did a series of ala seconde turns followed by quadruple attitude turns  and pull ins. I did want to see a little bit more of jumping tricks from Golding as I'm absolutely certain  he is more than capable of doing them. I would have loved to see more spagat or maybe a hellicopter or 560 to add to his tricks. 

When the curtains closed, I realized I was a bit disappointed with some of the dancers of Hong Kong Ballet . This is only because I've been a fan for a number of years.  A lot of dancers have seemingly left or moved on from the Company and now they have the burden of being equally good or better.  Taking everything into account, the show was still a total success. There were a lot of redeeming factors in the show.  I was swept off my feet by the guests. They really did make the difference this time around. I am now officially a fan of both Golding and Tsygankova. 

Don Quixote remains  one of the joyful ballets that can go on replay any day of the year. Til we meet again Hong Kong Ballet. Sending you all my love and support. 

  With Filipino Dance Candice Adea and  my husband Lucas Jacinto 

Hong Kong Street arts says "Art Saves Lives!" I agree. 

Define Contemporary: Why I worship Agnes Locsin

Not so long ago, there were discussions about how to define or identify contemporary dance. Some interpret it as dances that are NOT identified to a particular dance technique. Some define it as modern ballet. Some even insist it must be mixed with different art forms and mediums. My personal take on it is that contemporary dance is about liberation. It is the product of allowing a person to creatively color beyond the lines. To even attempt to define it is destroying it all together.

I definitely cannot put contemporary in a box.  I can however talk about what I think it could be. For me, contemporary dance is any movement that is a product of unique thought, innovation and a solid concept. It doesn't matter what dance vocabulary is used as long as the output reflects a leap away from template classics and or staging. I thought I should write about it this because after watching Ballet Philippines' La Revolucion Filipina, I realized that Agnes Locsin after all this years still is the best representation of a contemporary choreographer. It's ironic that her inspiration is derived from history and ethnic roots. While I know quite a few might contest this idea, I wanted to write about it anyway. 

Agnes Locsin created La Rev in the 90s. This is the 2nd attempt to restage La Rev. Every time I watch her creation, I seem to see more layers of her work. I realized  that her innovation is not merely the intricately  linked movements that she has created but rather  the fact that she has  created a whole language to communicate her message. Her medium is still ballet transformed in  neo-ethnic form which  she developed herself through various inspirations. What is more contemporary than creating  your dialect through dance. Her choreography is not only beautiful it is also very technically difficult to replicate by both dancers and choreographers. The dancers may be able to go home with the Agnes Locsin technique but it's  her rich mind that is hard to copy.  I highly respect people like her who dare to  make something they can call their own. In her case, Agnes Locsin has created a signature style that I call "nature moves". I tend to be disappointed on how "some" of the choreographers out there  have  done the opposite. A lot have gone against the grain of contemporary and  have joined the bandwagon of  supporting the template. I would love to see choreographers  develop their own style. Think Martha Graham, Twyla Tharp, George Balanchine. Better yet, think Agnes Locsin. They were once thought of as contemporary before they were established as pillars. To this day, they still represent (at least to me) the unique perspective. It may be difficult at first. It's quite possible that nobody will understand. But one day, an audience member will say "Thank you for being different". 

Photos: From CCP Website presumably from Kiko Cabuena as stated in the photo

Loving Life: Dani Girl

Before the hype, I read the book "Fault in the Stars". I was crying like a lunatic backstage wallowing in inconsolable pain. This is why I didn't even dare watch the film. I thought it too heart breaking and masochistic. Then I saw an invite in my Facebook and got a first glimpse of Dani Girl. Bald beautiful Rebecca Coates,...... cancer. I am quite honestly a big fan of this actress so I  thought  it couldn't be all that bad. She was smiling in the photo after all.

The ads said it was a musical for the soul. So I came and watched it.  I left the theatre completely in love with the play. They spoke the truth, it was a musical for the soul. No it wasn't a praise the Lord Project. It wasn't  make them all sad for the cancer battles that are just unbelievably difficult. Neither was it a play who made fun of the cancer. I'll tell you what it was. It was actually not a story. It was more of sharing with a couple of hundred people a mental and emotional state of being.  Rebecca Coates took me to a place familiar. With her melodic voice and her youthful acting, she made me see MY life in a different perspective. In the play, her character tries to figure out Cancer. "Why does Cancer exist?". The answer is, it does because it exists as a stepping stone to something of value. You can never really figure out what life lessons something so bad can give you. The fact of the matter is, whether we recognize it or not, the good always measure more than the bad. Dani's cancer gave her a chance to see a whole other world out there. Yes it did put tears in her eyes repeatedly but it did give her an adventure with a friend. Dani's father left her but it was because of this that she felt how it was to be loved. The play made me emotional. They play made me laugh like a hyena. The play made me get mad. But most of all, it made me feel in love with life. I actually don't believe in "YOLO" because I associate it with people doing a bunch of stupid things. I believe in "You only live your life so BE AS BEAUTIFUL AS YOU WANT TO BE. BE GRATEFUL AS YOU CAN BE. BE AS POSITIVE AS YOU NEED TO BE".  The play was a beautiful reminder of my own life mantras. Sometimes things get so tough you forget even your own voice. 

Thank you Rebecca Coates for your honesty on stage. Thank you too for the beautiful music which filled my heart with  happiness.

Thank you Reb Atadero for representing all the voices in our heads. Thank you for that memorable latino show. It's like a youtube video that keeps on going on replay in my head. Thank you for making us laugh at you, and at ourselves. 

Thank you Luigi for being a hero. Enough said. 

Congratulations Sandbox Collective. You have transformed my adult self to a weeping 5 year old.  You have erased the sadness acquired from reading Fault in the Stars and replaced it with  hope and love. Thank you and more power. 

Directed by Toff de Venecia

Music by Michael Kooman

Book and Lyrics by Christopher Dimond
Pictures from  Sanbox Collective 

A bit of a throwback: Waiting Until Dark and Noises off

I would say it's a pity that I don't get to spend as much time reflecting on my thoughts and spitting words out on paper.  But then again, I make a habit of living life fully so I must have had worthwhile activities that led to my brief hiatus in blogging. While I missed my "me" time for writing, I surely made use of my time at the theatre. Despite the showers that come, theatre in Manila is sizzling hot. Here's what I have to say ....

Waiting until Dark

The only thing I knew about this play was that my ultimate idol had done a movie version of it during her prime. Repertory's first offering for 2014 was a suspense thriller starring Liesl Batucan as Suzie Henderson. The story revolves around Suzie a blind woman who gets caught up in in a complicated criminal rendezvous without her knowing.

Liesl Batucan was simply astounding. Her performance was incredibly precise. Only a veteran can pull of the nuisances like that. For a blind character, her physicality was what she used to establish her disability. More than the blank stare, it was how she had mastered the room that made the  difference. Her every tap  of her cane in every spot was calculated or so it seemed that way. Halfway through the play I forgot she was playing a role. Her sensitive portrayal made me silently root for her ala telenovela even if i knew audience opinion wouldn't affect the ending.  She was supported by a beautiful ensemble cast. Joel Trinidad for me was the very able storyteller of this show. He played Mike Talman one of the crooks. It was a delight to see Robbie Guevara play crook #2 Sgt Carlino. He provided the comedy needed to neutralize this thriller. Arnel Carreon played Henry Roat, the mastermind. Hats off to this actor for his dark theatrical version of a sinister mind. Lorenz Martinez plays a cameo as Suzie's husband delivering ever so ably. Last but not the least is Dani Gana who played annoying 9 year old Gloria.  The young thespian left a lasting imprint of plates crashing on the floor in my head. Definitely one to watch out for. She was either heavily coached or naturally brilliant, or maybe even both.

Overall, this play was mentally and emotionally engaging. I loved it.

Noises Off

A play within a play. You'd think the plot would be complicated. Well, it's not. This show was simple comedy executed by a stellar cast. Worthy of mention would be  Carla Guevara Laforteza who portrayed the role of a starlet. She had me howling in laughter as she repeated her lines out of context repeatedly (as required by the play). I've seen her do a lot of stuff and apparently there is nothing she can't do. Comedy, check! Shiela Valderrama-Martinez played a gossiping actress straight out of pleasantville. She too was hilarious as she furiously attempted to keep everything in its proper place in her obsessive compulsive ways. Paul Holme who played a washed up alcoholic actor was the funniest of them all even if he had limited exposure.

The show was enjoyable. If anything, the pace of the play was a bit slow at times. This being how it was written, I can't really fault the production. There really are days when one just needs to have a good laugh.  Thank you for the laughter Repertory Philippines.

PHOTO CREDITS: REPERTORY PHILIPPINES

Hong Kong Arts Festival 2014 Presents Giselle

Being at the theatre is my ultimate guilty pleasure. I'm an avid fan of local productions in Manila but I'm often lured by Hong Kong, it being the closest link to the international ballet world. It's like I can't  say no   to the annual Hong Kong Arts festival. They just keep on coming up with a delectable array of dance  year after year. It almost ensures that I am in Hong Kong land every February, even when it's too cold and even when it isn't the best time to shop.  I never ever regret these trips because, it's always a fresh new  experience to bring home.  

This year, the Hong Kong Arts Festival brought the infamous Teatro La Scala Ballet to do one of my favorite ballets " Giselle". La Scala ballet is a company known to be more purist than contemporary and I was excited to see  how they would present it in such a modern city like Hong Kong. We came a day late and missed Prima Ballerina Svetlana Zakharova which frustrated me beyond belief. I had also heard from  friends that the "other cast" was a bit disappointing in comparison. Needless to say, I was at the edge of my seat, waiting for my Giselle. It turns out soloist Virna Toppi  was tasked to  entertain us that day. That she did. Virna Toppi portrayed Giselle with a definite character in mind. Giselle to most is a sweet playful girl  who because of  losss and betrayal transforms quite dramatically and theatrically mad. this is what I expected to see that night. This is what makes Giselle so famous. Light and dark, sweet and bitter. Virna Toppi did not do it quite like that.  She embodied Giselle in her own special way. In Act 1 she  found love, but unlike the very open hearted  (slightly gullible and  overly optimistic) Giselle, I was used to. I saw in her eyes a bit of hesitation. I saw in her a teenager on the verge of falling in love. She was scared yet deliriously happy at the same time. She was excited but still quite cautious until of course, she is surprised by the Albrecht's profession of love. Albrecht was portrayed by Antonino Sutero. He complimented Toppi's portrayal by playing a Prince who was actually swayed into lies because he was so overwhelmed and surprised by  Giselle's charm.    Their pas de deux was seamless and reminded me of  the Filipino practice of courtship. It was as if they had a whole lot of time to get to know each other in the five minutes or so of music. Nothing was ever rushed or forced. It was beautiful to watch  because, their story telling seemed organic. 

The mad scene is a pivotal moment in the ballet. It practically  is the biggest moment of the ballerina as she is tasked to  use mime to  portray a fusion of emotions.  Usually, this is the point in the ballet where the dancers use  a bit of physicality  in their actions to convey the emotions. Virna Tippi had none of that. This ballerina chose to go another route. Her pain was more internal. Her  internal conflict was not a loud voice but rather a silent pain. Her  emotional demise was did not include the crowd nor Albrecht. On that stage, she lost not just her one true love but she lost everything.  I absolutely loved her interpretation. It was not what I expected. It was not the version I have come obsessed with. What mattered then to me was I felt her pain. At that moment, I wanted to be her friend. I wanted to cry with her in my seat.  Just like all the other Giselles who impressed me, I wanted to just whack that pompous prince for hurting a delicate ballerina. 

In Act 2, the corps de ballet  executed the difficult  choreography with  just the right amount of eeriness. In this portion of the ballet, the point of focus actually shifts to the ensemble as they create a paradigm shift. Emanuala Montanari and Alessandra Vasallo were exquisite as the  lead willis. Their endless arabesques were picture perfect and the pensive looks caused me to have shivers on my spine. Antonino Sutero  showcased his talent as he sustained his energy and dramatic flair even after all those clean brise's.   Virni Toppi in Act 2 was ethereal yet kept a bit of her sweet self. She did have a few technical flaws  in this section. Her adagio was a bit shaky to say the least. She remained calm  and  whimsical through it all. 

When the curtains came down, I was reminded of this quote that I came across not so long ago. It said " She was mad. But she was magic. There is no lie in her fire" by Charles Bukowski. I thought the show was memorable. It was not what quite what I expected but because there was so much honesty in the performance, the madness just worked. Bravo La Scalla Ballet. 

Giselle

Virna Toppi

Albrecht

Antonino Sutera

Duke of Courland

Luigi Saruggia

Princess Bathilde

Beatrice Carbone

Giselle’s mother

Monica Vaglietti

Hilarion

Marco Agostino

Wilfried

Massimo Garon

Hunter

Matthew Endicott

Peasant Pas de deux

Denise Gazzo, Federico Fresi

Giselle’s friends

Brigida Bossoni, Daniela Cavalleri, Serena Sarnataro, Stefania Ballone, Giulia Schembri, Marta Gerani

Myrtha, Queen of the Willis

Nicoletta Manni

Two Willis

Emanuela Montanari, Alessandra Vassallo

and Teatro alla Scala Ballet Company

Dance Forever

Photo by Kerwin Kaiser Yu

My sister introduced me to the hashtag "dancing in your thirties". It got me thinking about my life.  To dance is bliss. Every opportunity to perform is indeed a blessing. For me it's a celebration of who I am. But dancing in your thirties also means a couple other things that  come with the obvious perks. To me it means, struggling with insecurities, managing expectations and dealing with physical restrictions. I've read so many encouraging articles about how to dance forever and I tend to agree with them all. But to follow their lead, it requires emotional strength. 

Today I came home from rehearsals for a musical I'm doing.  I felt a bit down  because I didn't nail my finale turns, I hurried home to my happy thought. My daughter did not disappoint. She said to me " Mom, I can't wait to see you dance on stage! You're going to be amazing." For a couple of seconds. I believed her. To hear words from a  little girl affirming you have a place on that stage feels good. I needed it right then and there. 

My  little girl is an aspiring ballerina. She loves everything about ballet from the classes to the recitals. A couple of months ago, I danced as a guest artist of Team Dance Studio in their recital. I danced the title role of "Nikiya". My daughter was a part of that recital. She was one of the temple dancers. It's always a surreal experience when we share moments on stage. But as my daughter grows older it becomes more and more meaningful to me. The memories are etched deeper into my soul. As dancers always share with regular folk, every performance is a significant memory.  Sharing a performance with a little one propels it to epic moment level. Conquering the stage together fills me with pride and love. Seeing her revel in beauty and light makes me feel proud that she has the courage to dance. On the other hand I'm overwhelmed with love that she sees me as a beautiful ballerina. Some days, I forget to care what the rest of the world thinks. 

That's my little girl behind me (top left photo) Photo by Tricia Roxas

I guess my point in sharing all of this is that, dancing forever is not an easy feat. It's a battle to keep the passion for your art alive. Sometimes, dancers need a little help from  the people around us. I am blessed that I have a daughter who acts as my shield from negativity. Sometimes, I stop dancing for me and dance for her. It doesn't have to be a daughter. The important thing is to listen to  somebody who cares about you. Absorbing a little positivity, soaking in a compliment is not necessarily bad if it pushes you to dance for another day.  It gets harder......... but that doesn't mean it won't get even better than yesterday.