Wifi Body 5 IndepenDance and Gala

Last year, I got my first taste of the Wifi Body Independent Contemporary Dance Festival during its 4th edition. I got dragged into it when my friends decided to watch the IndepenDance performance and they decided to surprise me with it thinking that I would like it.

I did like it since it is always interesting to watch contemporary dance performances since I usually see more variety in it. And I've learned not to set any expectations since getting surprised by the performances is one of the main draws for me.

I managed to catch two main performances held at the CCP Little Theater in this year's 5th edition. I was also able to catch the opening of the photo exhibit by Paolo Bicones and a viewing of the video by Ruelo Lozendo. These were preceded by a short performance by the UP Dance Company of the Bach piano pieces they performed at Greenbelt 5 a week before.

The first show that I was able to watch was the IndepenDance which featured previous winners of the New Choreographers Competition. There were seven dance pieces performed and they were:

Walk with Me
Choreography: Ava Maureen Villanueva
Dancers: Elena Laniog, Vinia Pamplona-Peralta and Ava Maureen Villanueva

Fickle Minded
Choreography: Rhosam Prudenciado Jr.
Dancers: Joanne Cabrega and Rhosam Prudenciado Jr.

Untitled
Choreography: Zyda Marie Baaya
Dancers: Jairo Ibarrientos, Christian Love Valdez, Philip Sustrina, Gary Gomez, Maynard Baylon, Zyda Marie Abaya

Pasaiyo
Choreography: Johnny Amar
Dancers: Ava Maureen Villanueva, Alfred Jan Mercado, Rhosam Prudenciado Jr.

Hiyas
Choreography: Gerardo Francisco
Dancer: Kim Mendoza

Elpidio
Choreography: Gerardo Francisco
Dancer: Elpidio Magat

Amidst Wanderings
Choreography: Herbert Alvarez
Dancers: Rhosam Prudenciado Jr., Elena Laniog, Ava Maureen Villanueva

Sloth (seven deadly sins... a sequel)
Choreography: Christine Crame
Dancers: Seven Contemporary Dance Company, Kristoffer Legarde, Christian Love Valdez, Zyda Marie Baaya, Jairo Ibarrientos, Joel Garcia, Mark Lauron, Christine Crame.

The IndepenDance featured dances with sentimental themes which surprised me a bit. Even though I don't set many expectations, I somehow hoped that the pieces were a lot more varied. After this performance, the UP Dance Company performed some sort of dance improv based on children's games of years past at the CCP ramp.

I was then able to catch the Wifi Body Gala that was held on the last night of the festival. I liked this show a lot better since there was a greater deal of variety in music and in themes. Heck, there was even humor in a couple of dances, even in one that featured Chopin's waltzes!

The pieces performed were:

Gothic
Choreography: Christine Crame
Dancers: Seven Contemporary Dance Company, Christian Love Valdez, Zyda Marie Baaya and Christine Crame

T-zone
Choreography: PJ Rebullida
Dancers: Karla Javier and PJ Rebullida

Silhouettes
Choreography: Ma. Elena Laniog
Dancers: UP Dance Company, Nicole Primero, Chantal Primero, Angela Sebastian, Dina Magat, Sarah Maria Samaniego, Criezamor Pardito, Eunice Velasco, Janessa de Guzman, Chaya Barris and Angela Betina Carlos

Rey-sing
Choreography: Carissa Adea
Dancers: Richardson Yadao, Angel Gabriel, Emmanuel Guillermo, Marvin Arizo, Ej Arisola

Loro
Choreography: Raul Alcoseba
Dancers: UP Dance Company, Al Bernard Garcia, Erl Emmanuel Sorilla, Jm Cabling, Dina Magat, Sarah Samaniego and Angela Sebastian

Bliss
Choreography and Performance: Julie Alagde

Transient
Choreography: Mia Cabalfin
Dancers: Airdance, Ava Maureen Villanueva, Rhosam Prudenciado Jr., Vinia Pamplona-Peralta, Joanne Cabrega, Carlo Valderama, Melvin Apostol, Alfred Jan Mercado and Anna Agawa

Excerpt from Sayaw Sabel
Choreography: Agnes Locsin
Dancer: Christine Crame

Waltzes
Choreography and Performance: Ma. Elena O. Laniog and Ava Maureen Villanueva

Mr. Morales wants to say
Choreography: Paul Alexander Morales

Impossible
Choreography: Myra Beltran
Dancers: Reagan Cornelio and Myra Beltran

Also performed were the winners of this year's edition of the New Choreographers Competition which I missed. The winning pieces performed were Kulambo by Frederick Fernandez which won 2nd place and Due Date by Alfred Jan Mercado which won 1st place and also the Audience Choice Award.

The most memorable number in here was Bliss and it was absolutely jaw dropping. Such extension and control was shown in this performance which drew the loudest applause from the audience.

And after the Wifi Gala, the people flocked to the CCP Main Theater Lobby for a performance of the Polecats which was wildly cheered by the people who decided to stay on. Overall, this year's edition is a bit trimmed down compared to last year which is a shame. I hope that I'd be able to catch this festival again during it's 6th staging.

Wifi Body @ Greenbelt

The UP Dance Company

I rarely go to Greenbelt 5 where a lot of beautiful people shop and dine since the price of stuff there are insanely not beautiful. But I still ended up there since wanted to catch the first offering of the Wifi Body 5 Independent Contemporary Dance Frestival. I've seen one of their shows during last year's edition and I was curious to see what they had to offer this year.

A bare stage was set up just outside the posh mall and it was so bare that most people probably had no idea what it was for. In fact right before the show started, not a lot of people were there waiting for the action to start. But when the costumed dancers finally appeared, curious shoppers and passersby stopped and decided to see what was happening there.

The show which lasted just about an hour featured the Lyceum Dance Troupe, UP Dance Company, Airdance and St. Benilde Romancon Dance Co. There was someone who did some yoyo exhibition at the beginning and also a guy who did a solo but I failed to get their names. And there were also performance artists who did their thing at the second floor overlooking the stage. Again, I failed to note who they are.

The music used ranging from Bach to Owl City was appealing to a wide variety of audiences and the performances were indeed visually arresting since a lot of people did stay for a while and watch the performances. Most of the performances were indeed comfortable and pleasing to watch and even someone who didn't have any clue about contemporary dance would appreciate at least one of the pieces performed there.

The groups that performed did well but I was most impressed by the UP Dance Company since they did the most numbers that showed nice variety and also showcased their versatility. I can't wait to see more performances from them.

What they presented was just a teaser of what is to be expected in this dance festival which continues the week after at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Compared to the French - Pinoy Contemporary Dance performance that I saw the week before, the performances by the groups were more accessible and somewhat less esoteric.

The main performances happen during the festival's 2nd week and I do hope that I will be able to catch the action there.