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| TAU-LUWA PERFORMED BY BALLET PHILIPPINES 2 PHOTO BY KURT COPON |
For a class I took, we were given the opportunity to explore any topic related to understanding the relationship between art and culture. After having finished all the previous requirements and doing my own research and looking at my own materials, I was quite sure that I wanted to explore transnational art. I am fully aware that transnational art is too wide a spectrum to discuss in one blow. After all it has been interpreted in so many ways by so many art academe professionals here and abroad. And so I narrowed down the study. I was drawn to the concept of art (and the artist) defining a nation's identity. I narrowed it down even more by concentrating on art that reflects specific cultural attributes like values and traditions. Quite recently I was floored after having seen a perfect example of this. I was thoroughly impressed and so I decided he was a perfect fit to be my resource speaker. Below is the link of my interview with Al Bernard Garcia. It includes snippets of my personal research. Beyond the interview, I have chosen to include snippets of a research I personally conducted on the Philippine Dance Contemporary platform in MANILA covering 2016 output performed in one of the most reputable (if not the most) cultural institution in the Philippines to add context to the conversation. It also includes a summary of the output of the three major ballet companies in the Philippines. All research references and resource persons were included in the acknowledgements to give full credit.
Al Bernard Garcia has a
calming effect on people. His soft voice and dark brooding eyes make you think
that the words that come out of his mouth are truthful. Quite an unassuming
guy, he spoke intently about his journey as an artist. The dance world being too
small for comfort in the Philippines, I have been given several opportunities
to speak to him about dance and art appreciation. I have also seen him perform
and seen his pieces. I already knew he was a serious and passionate artist. But
only because of the time we spent doing the interview did I understand why he
has become this way. As a young boy, art touched his soul and left its mark and
so now it has become his language.
In grade school, he was part
of the Leyte Dance Theatre which introduced to him folk dance. Encouraged by
his joyful experience as a dancer he gave Philippine High School for the Arts a
try. Al specialized in Folk Dance and finished with an Outstanding Artist Award
and the Maria Scholarship. In the absence of any other course related to his
specialization he enrolled in the University of the Philippines and took the
dance course. It was then that he was exposed to several dance genres and his
vocabulary of movement grew overtime. He fell in love with dance. As he
progressed in his technique, he developed a love for creating movement. But
seeing more of dance never diminished his appreciation for his roots which is
folk life. In contrast, it empowered him and allowed him to creatively open up
to possibilities. In fact he revisited folk dance when he created his thesis
Sulog sa Kinabuhi (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_-74G0sSCk). It
was a dance drama inspired by the Subanen Tribe. The completion of this
ambitous project was a pivotal moment that intensified his passion for
choreography. It was the discovery that you could produce something new using
something old that comforted him.
His journey as a
choreographer is a beautiful one because at a young age he has had the chance
to learn from both local and international artists. Enriched by opportunities
to create works of art and opportunities to witness art within the dance community
developed his choreographic skill. Last September, he earned a spot in Ballet
Philippines' "Bagong Sayaw". His latest creation which we discussed
heavily in the videoclip is his first major work for a ballet company,
performed in no less than a respective cultural institution. When asked
why he chose a theme so intrinsically
Filipino and far from the So You Think You Can Dance genre so popularly loved,
his answer was clear. It was his first major body of work and he felt that he
needed to share with his audience something that he felt was close to him. In
his resolve not to show anything underdeveloped he went back to his roots and
found his voice where he started. He took another look at his thesis and
research on Filipino Tribes and ethnic culture and decided to take another shot
at creating something Filipino. This
time his intention was more solid. So what was his intention? In his own words
he says, "I want to show the audience that our roots should never be
forgotten. Our heritage should no longer be looked at as museum pieces that
cannot be touched or experienced. I want to show that new art can humanize and
contextualize our Filipino roots. My work is a reminder of the richness of our heritage. I don't intend
to recreate tradition but I want to create works that are strangely familiar yet new. I want to create curiosity
about our roots.". And so it seems
to me that what started as an interest in folk dance has became a personal advocacy in favor of the Filipino.
His words stayed with me.
Strangely familiar yet new. It was a simple goal but it struck me hard. He has
reenacted his educated consciousness in progressing pattern with his body of
work but he remains at the end of the day steadfast in illuminating "The
Traditional Filipino" with new
pieces. In his twenties, he is a sparkling example that one can stay true to
being Filipino despite Global influence in technique, taste and education. He
remains humbly grounded to his journey
but intent in approaching the future.
While Al shies away from
labels, I believe to a certain degree that he is on his way to becoming a
nationalistic artist. It comforts me to know that somewhere along the way,
there were teachers and choreographers who were able to plant the seeds of
inspiration in him. Truly he is proudly wearing his Filipino colors.
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| PHOTO BY KURT COPON |
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