Friday, August 23, 2013

Zumba, SONA & Other Forms of Dance




THERE ARE SHORTCUTS to happiness, and dancing is one of them, says Austrian author Vicki Baum.
    
         I’m not lonely but doing zumba for one hour early Thursday nights are happy times. I’m sure my classmates – including high school friends Lydia and Ruby – share the same feeling, otherwise they won’t come back after the summer class.



    Here’s the House of Dance’s poster announcing the school year’s regular zumba classes. I am in the next picture – flushed but feeling refreshed and energized after 60 minutes of moving to the beat. Oh, did I hear you say poster girl for zumba? Nah …
 



O dance is to reach a word
that doesn’t exist,
To sing the heartsong of
a thousand generations,
To feel the meaning of
a moment in time.

    

      Bestselling author and speaker Beth Jones could not have said it more eloquently and this best describes the recent Smart Jump In Dance Off Grand Finals held at the Araneta Coliseum. Students from different schools and universities from various parts of the country converged to show their version of street dance and using today’s parlance, they really had their moment! 

       [It makes me wish though that I was a better photographer to capture their heart-stopping performances.]


 

     One of my favorite authors, Maya Angelou, whose book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is in my small library of books, has said that everything in the universe has rhythm; everything dances.
    
     During the recent State of the Nation Address of President Noynoy – nicknamed SONA – everybody had rhythm and all the President’s men as well as other members of Congress and the Senate, including their spouses, partners and other companions traipsed the red carpet, exhibiting different steps, moves and body English. Oh yes, how they danced!

    Surely, you know where this is leading to and I am about to tell you what you already know. Life is a dance and dance is a perfect metaphor for life.


ZUMBA SPEAK

    Dance is a way of life and this is not just for legitimate dancers. For the rest of us, including Thursday zumba-ers like me, it is also a feeling and a state of mind. 

     Phrases like “I’m so happy, I could dance” and “you make me feel like dancing’” are equated to great happiness and unexplained bliss like falling in love and perhaps winning the lotto.

    Even St. Augustine has a poem in praise of the dance –
I praise the dance,
for it frees people from
the heaviness of matter
and binds the isolated
to community.

I praise the dance, which
demands everything: health
and a clear spirit and
a buoyant soul.

Dance is a transformation
of space, of time, of people,
who are in constant danger
of becoming all brain,
will or feeling.

Dancing demands a whole
                       person, one who is firmly
anchored in the center
of his life, who is not
obsessed by lust for people
and things and the demon
of isolation in his own ego.

     And I’m not done talking about zumba yet. Just like all the other types, this modern day dance is relevant to what St. Augustine is raving over.

     I simply enjoy the dance and I have stopped being self-conscious about how I do it. Personally, I was never really distracted by how the others are faring on the floor. I just felt awkward the first time because, well, it was a new thing for me – dancing in front of mirrors!

     But zumba has much to teach us in terms of not getting affected by what others think or say about us. As that text message I got from niece Sylvia Marie on Mother’s Day –

Learn not to compete with others
because no one else is in the contest
of being you. You are wonderfully
made and there’s only one you
in the world.

     The dancing activity makes me aware of my body and how far it can go. My pace, my moves are uniquely my own. There is no need to base it on others – not even the great moves of teacher Roz. She herself would tell you in between her “let’s go! … let’s go!” to find our own pace, most especially when we start to feel the steps are getting faster or harder.  

     So very much like in real life – there are limitations and there is pain. But there are also – as what Toni Gonzaga’s character in Four Sisters and A Wedding has said with aplomb – options, options, options!

     And here comes award-winning TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey who philosophizes, “Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance.” My version would be to put on my Chucks ...


     British poet Lord Byron, for his part, urges, “on with the dance! … let joy be unconfined.”



FASHION MANEUVERS



    Doris Humphrey has said that there are times when the simple dignity of movement can fulfil the function of a volume of words.



     This dancer and choreographer of the early 20th century must have met somebody like new senator, Grace Poe-Llamanzares; new congresswoman Lenny Robredo; re-elected Congresswoman Lucy Torres-Gomez; and former Senator Nikki Coseteng, who emanated their inner grace as they ambled into the halls of Congress during the SONA. [Photos below from NPPA Images and InterAksyon.com]


 



     French-born Swiss dancer Maurice Bejart says the dance is “a minimum of explanation, a minimum of anecdotes, and a maximum of sensations.”

    He’s right, there wasn’t a need to spell out how these gracious ladies carried themselves that afternoon. If they were a dance, it would be the ballet because they seem to fit Webster’s definition to a T, “a classical dance form demanding grace and precision and employing formalized steps and gestures set in intricate, flowing patterns to create expression through movement.”


     Same thing with controversial couple re-elected Senator Chiz Escudero and actress Heart Evangelista, who walked in the red carpet effortlessly, seemingly telling everyone that the storm they had to face at the start of their relationship has been weathered. Ambush interviews verify their positive vibe. [Photo from gmanetwork.com]

     Long-time Senator Loren Legarda, whom Grace dislodged in the voters’ #1 spot, prepared a Press Release published at the Senate website to elaborate on her SONA outfit. A maximum of explanation, maybe, but she meant well because she wanted us to be aware of the beautiful and intricate the fabrics and clothes woven by indigenous Filipinos and literary “walked her talk.”

    “My outfit represents ‘fashionalism’ – fashion and nationalism,” says Legarda in the said release. “I wanted to wear something relevant and meaningful.”

     For those who missed it, despite the fact that it was much publicized, Loren wore a red, beaded Gaddang [they are people from the Mountain Province and other parts of the Cordillera and Nueva Vizcaya] outfit composed of an aken [skirt], a barawasi [blouse] and a bakwat [belt], which are all woven out of kapat [cotton] thread and accessorized with the traditional Gaddang beadwork. A Bontoc necklace completed the outfit.


     I’m not sure about the blouse because what I saw on TV was a black cotton long-sleeved off-shoulder shirt but it combined well with the skirt [exactly what the photo below shows her wearing; photo from InterAksyon.com]. 

     Her outfit and that of Nikki are my favorites.

     A couple of years back, we featured Nikki in MOD’s Career section and she revealed that she likes to accessorize her clothes with fabrics she buys here and abroad and she would simply drape them on her shoulders and let them flow.
 
     And this is what she did in the SONA and I liked her outfit’s color combination of royal blue and green. News reports described it as Indian-inspired.

     Indeed with this mini fashion show, we can say a woman’s place is also in the House – and the Senate.  




SONA THROWBACK



    I remember covering the SONA of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo a couple of years back. The MOD Editor, Ms. Chay, was sent an invitation by then congressional spouse now Pangasinan congresswoman, Gina de Venecia. My mandate was to interview those stunning women attendees – who made their gowns and why that style; and what is their usual dress code when not attending the SONA.



     I was accompanied by photographers Sir Boy and Tonton ( may he rest in peace), who enjoyed taking shots as the formally-dressed ladies gamely posed and smiled into their cameras.

     That was my first time to enter the House of Representatives and I was seated at the Gallery. Seated in the row in front of me was then Paranaque City Vice Mayor now Quezon City Councilor Anjo Yllana; and about four rows ahead on the left aisle was boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, who was yet to enter the crazy world of politics a year or two later.
  

     Since I was there as a guest and not as a member of Media, I had the chance to attend the after-SONA cocktails at the VIP Lounge and it was one great gastronomic experience. All those hors d’oeuvre in silver platters! ... and they never tasted so good!




     Pia was stunning in a pink terno and she said in the interview that the color of her gown speaks for her advocacy on women. In the latest SONA, however, she wore a black modern Filipiniana silk gown [Photo from InterAksyon.com]. I wonder what she was pushing for this time.



     Then Congresswoman now Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos came in jeans and a black T-shirt. She said she boycotted GMA’s SONA and opted to join a street protest. And that was her reason for not wearing the usual Filipiniana gown.

     I didn’t get to ask her the rest of my generic questions as she became busy airing her comments – more like venting her ire – against the little girl President to the reporters of the major TV networks.

     Other ladies we featured at that time included Manay Gina and another congressional spouse, Aleli Arroyo, wife of the late Congressman Iggy Arroyo.


NOYNOY’S FACE DANCE

    Several Mondays have passed since the latest SONA and you must have it up to here with comments, opinions and points of view.

     Add to this the recent revolting disclosures about the pork barrel scam which mocks Noynoy’s campaign against corruption. Masterminded by Janet Lim-Napoles, this is a blatant declaration that corruption still exists – actually never left! – in government.

     Anyway, Noynoy’s haters and bashers had their heyday hating and bashing on SONA day but there were also those who were simply impressed. Some think he said too much; others feel there is so much to be desired.

     ABS-CBN’s full coverage called it Sa Gitna ng Daang Matuwid to which anchor Ted Failon teasingly said we are a country treading the daang ma-Tweet in deference to our penchant for the social networking site, Twitter. [Photo below: Screen shot of ABS-CBN's SONA coverage]


     Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who was absent during the event due to a chronic fatigue syndrome, wasn’t too tired to make a comment. She declared the SONA as some kind of a college paper.

     In a press statement, she wasn’t, as usual, too kind with words: “I watched TV and could not stand it. The SONA should be a serious time for the Congress to pick up policy directions indicated by the President. It should not be treated as Oscar night in Hollywood, with a red carpet, where peacocks spread their tails and turn around and around, as coached by media in a feeding frenzy.”


     But then again, it’s the so-called peacocks that make SONA worth watching. They provide entertainment complete with a touch of glamor and magic. And with Lucy and Heart, the SONA firmament has just got prettier. That bumper sticker saying politics is showbiz for ugly people is no longer true.

     Anyway, in between the applause, his smoker’s cough and buckling in reading his lines, Noynoy delivered his fourth SONA as if it was his first. Meaning in almost one hour, he failed to make me his captive audience.

     The president of the land has bragging rights and this could probably be the reason for the SONA. And so Noynoy exercised his right and droned on with a litany of sweet nothings – better known as achievements and statistics – but looking not too sweet, in fact his face was a bit stoic. He could have won a face dance contest if there was one.[Photo below: Screen shot from ABS-CBN's SONA coverage]


     He managed to catch my attention when he mentioned a physically challenged man who braved four floors just to be able to vote; that six out of 10 scholars of TESDA and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) have found jobs; and Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro is doing his job right.

     After that, I decided to wash the dishes I used in a lunch earlier and then checked my email and Facebook.
    
     He got me listening again when he talks about lady cop Edlyn Arbo, who even if off-duty and unarmed pursued a mugger; and two other cops – one who apprehends crime syndicates, and the other, one who helps a motorist change a tire, then declines a P1,000 tip.
 
     I would like to believe Noynoy when he said that these cops who are doing their jobs right are not really an endangered species.

    “Someone once said that dancers work just as hard as policemen, always alert, always tense,” says George Balanchine, dubbed Father of American Ballet, “but policemen don’t have to be beautiful at the same time.”

     Still, I would want them to look physically pleasant minus the beer bellies and their general unkemptness.

     And it was just right that he also gave a thumbs-up to the volunteers and disaster relief workers who have shown their heroism in times of need. For me, they are the real rock stars in these times of bad and wet weather.

    Regarding tourism, I was amused by his pronouncements – that in 2012, the country was chosen Best Tourist Destination; Scuba Diving Destination; and Most Romantic Destination. He added that Palawan was named Best Island.

     Wow, haven’t we been receiving such accolades since years back?

     Anyway, I like the way he ended his address: “Ako si Noynoy Aquino. Filipino ako. Napakasarap maging Filipino sa panahong ito.



HIP HOP HANGOVER

    “When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor,” says American self-help author and motivational speaker Wayne Dyer, “but to enjoy each step along the way.”

     This was what the participants of the Smart Jump In Dance Off have shown during the grand finals at the Araneta Coliseum. 

     Smart Communications, Inc. has successfully involved high school and college dance crews all over the country in this dance competition. And I say good job to them for coming up with this activity, which aims to “empower the youth and encourage them to pursue their passions, jump in to their dreams so they can live more.”

     The young participants’ passion for street dance was pretty obvious, too and echoing the words of American modern dancer and choreographer Martha Graham, “great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion.” 

     Watching these kids do street dance which is very much like hip hop has given me a hangover of sorts. I was simply amazed, I want to dance that way, too! 


      And I’m so in love with Vhong Navarro. My first time to see him dance live and I can’t find the exact words to describe the feeling. The moment he came on stage, the crowd – including me, my sister Maleck, her daughter Joanna, and friend Ana, who was covering the event – went wild. He was sexy and cool and graceful and everything. In other words, W O W!

 

 


 
  

     I’m beginning to really take seriously Ruby’s plan to do adult hip hop after we get enough of zumba. When I told Ana about this, she was like “what?” although she was quick to add that “well, it’s in your character.”

     So wanting to do hip hop defines my character? Well, I like that ... 


WINNING MOVES

    Competitions have winners.  If I were a judge, I would really be soooo torn among the 16 dance groups … well, except for one, who when interviewed, said their dance was influenced by “burlesque.” Really as street dance?

     I am proud to say that FMD Extreme of St. John Bosco Institute of Arts & Sciences-San Mateo emerged victorious in the college category. I live in San Mateo (Rizal) and, for all you know, some of them may even be my neighbors. Well, just saying …
 



     But seriously, this is an indication that street dance is not just the monopoly and talent of teenagers from the Big City.

    Emerging winners from out of town include University of the Philippines-Los Banos [UPLB]'s Street Jazz Company, Texters’ Choice in the College category; and University of Cebu-Main’s University of Cebu Dance Troupe, third place, also in the College category. 


 



     Agnes de Mille, American dancer and choreographer declares that many other women have kicked higher, balanced longer, or turned faster … these are poor substitutes for passion.

     True enough the girls from Miriam College’s Sayawatha Dance Troupe wore their passion in their sleeves and so they became the Texters’ Choice as well as champion in the High School category. 

 

   

     The other winners in the High School category are Ateneo de Manila’s Indayog ng Atenistang Kabataan or Indak; and Claret School of Quezon City’s Hataw, second and third place, respectively.

 




     Also coming out in flying colors in the College category is De La Salle University- Manila’s La Salle Dance Company-Street, who placed second. 





     “From the stage to the lights to the thousands of screaming fans gathered at the famed Araneta Coliseum, we made sure this Smart Jump In Dance Off experience is something the participants will never forget,” says Jane Basas, head of Smart’s Prepaid Business Group. “We honor and respect the participants’ impressive skills and we believe they only deserve the best.”

     Jump In Dance Off Grand Finals was hosted by Boys Night Out and Ramon Bautista. Aside from Vhong, other special guests included Luis Manzano and Elmo Magalona; and the Philippine All Stars, World Hip Hop Dance champions; as well as other much-admired dance groups, namely The Crew, Legit Status, G-Force and Manoeuvres.
 

 

   
     The 16 finalists received Php 20,000.00 in cash, a limited edition Jump In Jacket and SMART starter plug-it per member and an all-expenses paid trip to the Finals (airfare, accommodation, land travel and shuttle service) for provincial finalists.

     The champions brought home P300,000.00 each; while the Texters’ Choice winners got an extra P20,000.00 each.

     Second and third placers earned for them P150,000 and P100,000 each, respectively.

TEENAGE TEMPO

    Watching this Smart event was a fun experience. We should have more activities like this to keep teenagers preoccupied with their dreams instead of drugs and other negative influences.

     “We respect lahat ng groups kasi lahat sila panalo,” says Lema Diaz, one of the judges, and one of the founders of the Philippine All-Stars. “Yung hirap nila just to get here and the excellence that they showcased is beyond amazing.”

     Lema went on to say that they are all ready for the world. “Naiyak kami sa passion nila for dancing,” she adds. “Thank you Smart for bringing this great opportunity for the dancers.”

     The other judges were Jon Supan of the Manoeuvres; and Georcelle Dapat-Sy of G-Force.


   In ending the first-ever Smart event, Jane expressed their happiness over the good turnout saying, “we were beyond impressed with our finalists this year and this made us believe even more in the talent of the Filipino youth.”

     With this, she assured everyone that there will be another dance competition next year and the years to come.

     The Smart Jump In Dance Off is part of Smart’s Jump In campaign started with the Jump In music video starring international Filipino talents Jessica Sanchez and apl.de.ap. 




     Presently, Smart holds Jump In school tours to reach out to more students and help them realize their potentials through their passions and interests.
     For a few days, that Jump In jingle had me in an LSS (last song syndrome). Let me share with you the lyrics because they are good mantras even for non-teenagers like us –
   
Now’s the time, can’t make
it wait … It’s your life,
don’t hesitate …
Live it more, it can be great.
Jump in, [don‘t waste your time].
Jump in [just live
your life] / Jump into
the future, jump into
a new day, jump into the new you,
jump into a new way, jump into
a new life. Jump in
in things that you like.
It’s time for you to be
brave and jump into a new place.
Jump into love.



CODA

    Great people have spoken in praise of dance.

     Dancers and non-dancers alike show us that it is very much a part of our everyday life. We may choose to move rhythmically or stomp our feet; to simply glide and go with the flow or sway against the tide.

     We should always thank God that we are able to dance. Look around you, there are those who could hardly walk.

     And I’m not done sharing other people’s words. Let
me share with you some lyrics of the song I Hope You Dance by American music country singer and songwriter Lee Ann Womack –

I hope you never lose
your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
but always keep that hunger
May you never take one single
breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave
you empty-handed
I hope you still feel small
when you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes,
I hope one more opens
Promise me you’ll give faith
a fighting chance
And when you get the choice
to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance.



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