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| Photo from Hong Kong Ballet Page |
Hong Kong Ballet has always been part of my travel considerations. If my memory serves me right, I've seen at least one show from each season for the last five or more years. Through the years they have created so many beautiful memories of art but nothing compares to days you get to sit in that audience and see Filipinos shine. There is a robust flurry of Adrenalin that occupies me when our very own Filipinos take on that massive Hong Kong Cultural Center Theater. In the past, I silently cheered for Carlos Pacis who was a refreshing bravura danseur who colored that stage passionately. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey of one of our laureled ballerinas Candice Adea as Soloist of Hong Kong Ballet. My heart was overjoyed to see her at her very best. I've had the pleasure of witnessing former BP dancer Luis Cabrera's first season with Hong Kong Ballet and was impressed that he stood out nicely with his schooled modern technique and unique earthy style.Thankfully, destiny would ensure that there always be a Filipino to watch out for. Former Ballet Philippines artist Gary Corpus recently joined the company and I have no doubt that his stay will be just as fruitful. In my point of view, the Company seems to have been very good to our Kababayans, providing them with good experience, artistic opportunities and priceless mentorship from international stars. But this year is is a game changer. Not only do we currently have two Filipinos with the Company, we have something new to celebrate.
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| Luis Cabrera Photo by Conrad Dy Liacco from Hong Kong Ballet Page |
Hong Kong Ballet has an annual choreographer's showcase pretty much structured like Neo Filipino, Bagong Sayaw or Koryolab of CCP. It is an annual effort to encourage their dancers to evolve as dancers and at the same time explore choreography. Historically, it has been the launchpad for choreographers in Hong Kong since the 1980's. The Company accepts applications from their dancers, screens their initial concepts and ideas and picks the most promising ones to mount in the show. In July of this year, I was ecstatic to see in the press release that our very own Luis Cabrera was accepted into the program.The selected choreographers were mentored in the aspects of mounting choreography, music, lighting, costume design and production design. Joining the Company's new artistic director Septime Webre in the panel of mentors is Yuri Ng of YatPo Singers and Anna Chan Head of Dance of Peforming Arts of West Kowloon Cultural District Authority. This is apart from the company's very own talent pool who are very much involved in making the choreographers' vision a reality. Needless to say it is a very good opportunity for Cabrera to make a mark for himself as a Choreographer. This opportunity however does come without a challenge. It is very much like a baptism of fire as it is actually his first attempt to create work showcasing commissioned work with professional dancers. Even with his extensive schooling from Philippine High School of the Arts, Ballet Philippines and Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, I reckon the word easy still would not be appropriate for developing his international debut.
According to Cabrera, his first step was to find inspiration. As he explained, he was initially drawn to the movie "Schindler's List" . His piece is in no way a representation of the movie but touches on the recurrent issue of death and puncturing feeling of loss. With the piercing quality of the music he explored how loss and fear can put you at a crossroad. Will the struggle hold you back or push you forward?Will the pain complete you or break you? In this piece he attempts to translate the abstract concept of loss in movement. His piece will be performed by Principal Dancer Ll Jiabo, Soloist LIU Miao Miao, Coryphee Shunsuki Arimizu, artists Forrest Oliveros, Henry Seldon and Liang Yonglin. His piece debuts at the Choreographer's Showcase on September 15 and runs until the 17th at the Studio Theater of the Hong kong Cultural Center.
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| Luis Cabrera Photo By Tim Wong From Hong Kong Ballet FB Page |
While his status in the Company is already enough for the Philippines to be proud of him, it is equally stirring to see an international company recognize his potential as a creator of dance. Truly this one in a lifetime chance is one that brings pride to the Philippines. May his baptism of fire be from a radiant candle that can illuminate his path. May its flickers of light be just the right amount to temper his skill and his passion so that he can move forward gloriously. I wish him luck and encourage others to send a prayer or two to the heavens above for a flawless staging of his vision. His success after all is our success too. Cheers to a Filipino pride. Cheers to Philippine dance.
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