Everyday and any day is a good day to dance. But when one day of the year is declared International Dance Day, it is almost a sin not to spend that day dancing with the rest of the world.
And dance we did, together with over 30 performing groups and dance schools from all over the Metro, at Ballet Manila-NCCA’s International Dance Day Festival last April 29 at the Aliw Theatre. The Company of Dance Artists, made up of dancers from TEAM and sister school Hampton Court Ballet (more on CODA here– http://www.teamdancestudio.co/#coda), rendered two works by Eli Jacinto. The classic folk-ethnic Giri has been performed many times in the past in different venues including a Folk Dance Convention, and once also reconfigured for film, but always well-received. Pangilin, a dance of faith and inspired by Filipino lenten traditions practiced in Jacinto’s native hometown, is a work from 2006, an old choreography made new. Here is a clip of a section of Pangilin, danced by Jacqui Jacinto and sisters Frances and Irene Canto–
The BM-NCCA IDD Festival was a whole day affair, coinciding with other IDD events organised and participated in by other dance groups in the Philippines, and chiming in with worldwide celebrations. It was indeed a day to celebrate, but for us it was just another chance to dance.
Video courtesy of Frances Canto; photo courtesy of Nikki Lim
Giri. Choreography by Eli Jacinto
TheStudio 