By Walter Ang
April 22, 2013
Philippine Daily Inquirer
"Contemporary Dance Map is laid out once again, this year in its original format: with several studio shows spread out across the metro in the span of a week that culminate at the UP annex garden on April 29," says Angela Lawenko-Baguilat.
Lawenko-Baguilat, University of the Philippines (UP) Dance Company artistic director, is the chair of CDNM, an organization of contemporary dance companies, artists, school-based organizations, and institutions, whose goal is to promote contemporary dance in the Philippines.
Series
Member groups of CDNM will present their latest works in their respective studios. "As the pioneering groups did in order to activate independent contemporary dance in the country."
CDNM has staged several Contemporary Dance Map events over the years, as well as organizing several Wifi Body Independent Contemporary Dance Festivals. The group's series began in 2005 and aims to "map alternative spaces for dance in a performance tour of these spaces."
The series has included performances in spaces such as the LRT2 line (2010), the streets of Araneta Center in Cubao (2011), and a performance at Dance Forum Space last year.
"This year, the network looks back on its roots to revive the excitement that blossomed into our current contemporary dance scene. We want to excite burgeoning dance artists and encourage them to explore, experiment, and exceed all previous experiments and explorations."
Mapping
The series began yesterday (April 21) in San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City with "X-pose: In\Stall\Ment" staged by Airdance at their recently inaugurated studio.
On April 25, UP Dance Company will stage "X-traction: Linings in Between" in Diliman, Quezon City at UP College of Music's dance studio. This is followed by Chameleon Dance Theater's " New DireXion: Episode 1" in Cubao on April 26.
The series moves to Manila on April 27 as Lyceum Dance Theater stages "Xtension" at Lyceum of the Philippines University' Jose Laurel Hall of Freedom.
Philippine National Dance Week, celebrated every last week of April, began in 1993 as per Presidential Proclamation 154 signed by then President Fidel Ramos.
Gala
The series concludes in Quezon City with a gala performance and a dance-film screening.
The Contemporary Dance Map Gala will be staged at the UP College of Music's annex garden on April 29 featuring the works of choreographers Elena Laniog, Jun Saagundo, Rhosam Prudenciado, Rudoplh Segundo and Ava Villanueva.
International Dance Day, celebrated every April 29, was founded in 1982 by the International Dance Committee of Unesco's International Theater Institute. The date commemorates the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre, a French dancer and ballet master regarded as the creator of modern ballet.
Lawenko says, "The series ends at Dance Forum Space, the performance space created by CDNM founding chair and current vice-chair Myra Beltran, where it all began."
On April 30, Dance Forum Space will host the showing of two dance films with an open forum. "Uncensored Bodies X-plore" will screen "Merce Cunningham: A Lifetime of Dance" (about the American dancer and choreographer known for his involvement in the avant-garde dance movement) and "Meredith Monk: Inner Voice" (about the American composer, performer, director, vocalist, filmmaker, and choreographer known for her multi-disciplinary works that combine music, theatre, and dance.).
Workshop
"Uncensored Bodies X-plore," a dance film workshop, will also be held from May 1 to 4.
Throughout the past few years, CDNM has nurtured the exploration of dance as part of and for film. "Past Wifi Body festivals have produced insightful short films that challenge artists hovering between genres, and the genres themselves."
The four-day workshop will have topics such as aesthetics, production, film language for choreography. Participants will then pitch their ideas to choreographers for collaboration.
Workshop facilitators Sherad Anthony Sanchez and Ruelo Zendo will choose seven projects to be mentored and realized. The films will be screened at the end of May.
All performances begin at 7 PM. Some shows have student and senior citizen discounts. Contact cdnmdance@gmail.com or 09175760212.
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