Songs To Remember (Songs review)

FLEXING muscles in hands and legs, pivoting all over the stage. Gosh, never to mention the nostalgic alternative crossed-over into Enigmatic music, then turned into Juke box popular song for every scene. You could see a wooed and amazed crowd which results in an endless and loud applauses. Definitely, it’s a World-class performance as CCP & Ballet Philippines showcased once again a superb performance featuring Candice Acea, Ballet Philippines’ Principal dancer who won First Price, Senior Women’s Division at the recently concluded Helsinki International Ballet Competition. While her partner Jean Marc Cordero won a Special Jury Award for the Best in Pas de Deux Technique (partnering). Featuring works by BP artistic director Paul Alexander Morales, Agnes Locsin, Alden Lugnasin and French choreographer Rheda.

Candice and JM during their Helsinki International Ballet Competition

Lay-out design

Let me enumerate the cut-to-cut wow performances:

* Retro/70’s

-          The music under that they used is alternative with an emotional theme. The first two performers, a woman and man danced a combination of modern ballet, jazz, copeoara. Their expressive performance turned the audience hooked on the story that they’re telling. One thing that gives zest of humor on their stunts was the left and right bashing of their heads. Of course, the highlight was when Candice and John took the scene while wearing a 197o’s costume and changing the spectrum of light in different hues. Woah, the retro fever is contagious!

* Flexing-muscle man

-          This performance is one of the oddest yet catchy. The man mimics different kinds of animals’ movement. He loosens his muscles all over his body and keeps on flipping, flying in the air and evolving in an unusual creature during his scene. His facial expression gives justice to his performance too. Perfect!

*  Enigmatic and crippling

-          Sometimes, an art has its own way of expressing itself—whether it’s understandable or not, which makes it pleasing yet intriguing into one’s mind and perspective. That’s what’s exactly working on my mind while watching that longest yet one of the most “wow” piece.

The entrance of the warrior-like men gave me an idea that’s it’s going to be a huge performance. And my hunch was correct especially when the women, wearing an intricate designed dress started their act. I’m wondering where the setting is from, but it seems like it’s a tribe in which

women hold a certain control and fierceness—in the way they hold their dress and smash it, the way they look at the men and the way they walk held up-high. The music gives everyone an idea a sense of urgency and alertness, because of war—not just only between different parties, but also with gender equality. There were instances when women hold their skirts and bash it in the air, and the sound it produced, calls the spectator’s attention that she doesn’t want to remain passive. It consequently depicts a feminist view.

On the other hand, the color of their dress suits to the spotlight that they used. The intense music and sound effects add to the thrills and chills of an ascending sequence and the height of the show. The passion of their facial expression undeniably adds in conveying the moral of the narrative. The choreography is exceptionally fantastic. Honestly, to describe it as fantastic is underrated. Anyhow, the backdrop compliments the color of the performers’ garment.

Finally, when women do the silhouette dance it concludes that although they were born to be silent and passive (in the context of their environment), behind that they’ll still move gracefully.

Despite the fuzziness that I felt while watching it, the show’s impact is immense!

Intense!

* Mascara dance

-           On this part, I remember the Mascara festival in Bacolod. This also one of the funniest stunts in the whole performance. The music’s beat is catchy as well, opening your mind in the world of tribes and wildlife too.

* Music box

-          Does becoming a Ballerina/o became your childhood fantasy, especially when you look at the music box then once playing it, a ballerina will start pivoting?

Never mind what your answer is, this is what I thought of when I see a group of ballerinas dancing on this scene. It’s classic yet dreamy. It’ll transport you into a world of sweet wonderland.

*  The Highlight

-          Closed curtains. Hmmm… Am expecting a grandiose act on this and my anticipation was met. Open curtains….Voila, there are three huge chandeliers hanging above the ceiling, plus the entrance of Candice and JM. Hold up!  Am I in Helsinki or in another part of Europe? Ok, I pinched myself—I’m still in CCP. It made me sooo proud to watch these two performed, they’re so elegant and effortless. Their polka dots garments made me thought of candy version of Willy Wonka in Charlie and the chocolate factory or a Matruscka doll in Russia. Gosh, I turned out to be a fan girl waiting for their autograph after the performance. They garnered the loudest applause! Their world-class performance made perfectly convinced us why they won. =)

Itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny-yellow polka dots partner!

*  Juke box queen

-          “This is my life.” I became LSS with that jukebox song used on this performance. The frontliner here is one of the graceful dancers among all of them. She’s flexible and expert in a lot of ballet techniques. She received great compliments such as “bravo” and standing ovation from the people watching her.