Philippine dance

OROSA-GOQUINGCO

In 1934, at the age of 17, she started her major dance experiments and in 1939, was the only dancer on the First Cultural Mission to Japan. That same year, she produced Circling the Globe, and a year later, Dance Panorama. In 1940, she created The Elements, the first ballet choreographed by a Filipino to commis- sioned music, and Sports, featuring cheerleaders, a tennis match, and a basketball game. A year later, she choreographed the first Philippine folkloric ballet: Trend: Return to the Native. After WWII, she organized the Philippine Ballet where she brought to life Maria Clara, the leper, Sisa, Elias, and Salome, all characters in Rizal's novel Noli me tangere (Touch Me Not). In 1958, she founded the Filipinescas Dance Company. Orosa-Goquingco was inclined not only to classi- cal ballet but also to Indian and Spanish, as well as modern, dance. She is noted for her courage in break- ing traditions in dance despite public indifference. Her other important works include Vinta, Morolandia (choreographed in 1938), Festival in Maguindanao (de- picting a Muslim royal wedding), Eons Ago: The Crea- tion (depicting Philippine legends of the creation of the world and of the first man and woman), Fili- pinescas: Philippine Life, Legend, and Lore in Dance, and Miner's Song. Inevitably her innovations revolu- tionized the folk dances. The Bird and the Planters is the first weaving together of the various rice-planting sequences, climaxed by a new version of the tinik.ling where the dancer personifies the tikling bird. It was the first to utilize bamboo poles to catch the bird, the first to use a double-time finale and breathtakingly rapid turns while the dancer hops in and out of the bamboo poles. Orosa-Goquingco's Tribal, about the death of a warrior, is the first dance composition in the Mt Pro- vince dance style. Other works along the same line are Ang Antipos (The Flagellant), Salubong (Meeting), Pabasa (Reading)-all dance sequences celebrating Philippine lenten practices. Philippine games such as palo-sebo, sipa, and juego de anillo were depicted in Eas- ter Sunday Fiesta. Orosa-Goquingco is also remem- bered for her transmutation into dance theater of the cockfight, the asalto, and the fiestas. Additionally, under her own name and pen name (Cristina Luna), she has been published by the Philip- pine Cultural Foundation and Philippine periodicals, by Arts of Asia (Hong Kong), Enciclopedia dello Spet- tacolo (Rome, Italy), and Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians. She is the author of a history of Philip- pine dance, Dances of the Emerald Isles, 1980, and of the popular one-act play, Her Son, Jose Rizal. Orosa-Goquingco has received numerous awards, among them the Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan

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ARTISTS

PACANA, NICOLAS DE VILLA b. Cebu City 10 Sept 1953. Dancer, teacher, choreographer. He is the son of Herminigildo Pacana and Eva de Villa, who used to act in Visayan movies. He trained with Fe Sala- Villarica and Mario Recto, and danced with the Queen City Junior Ballet. He has been in the US since 1973, training first in San Francisco and Los Angeles, then joining the Honolulu City Ballet in 1974. In 1976, he joined Boston Ballet as a soloist, to rise as a principal dancer, in roles like Colas in La Fille Mal Gardee, Albrecht in Giselle, and the Gypsy Boy and Espada in Rudolf Nureyev's Don Quixote production. He toured China, the Middle East, and Europe with the company. In 1982, Pacana joined Atlanta Ballet as principal dancer, with major roles in Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Thor Sutowski's Midsommernatten, Femand Nault's Carmina Burana, Thomas Pazik's Romeo and Juliet, and Madame Butterfly which he had also danced in Manila with Philippine Ballet Theater (PBT). He has danced in several Balanchine ballets, in Boston and Atlanta, and taken principal parts in the ballets of Bruce Wells, Jerome Robbins, Chao San Goh, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Robert Barnett, Peter Anastos, Dennis Nahat, John McFall, and Lisa de Ribere, as well as the title . roles in Mikhail Lavrosky's Casanova, Matthew Wright's Gustav, Fare- well, Joseph Rusillo's Shakespeare Suite, Eric Cruz's Carmen, and'Gener Caringal's Vinta. Pacana is a principal teacher with the Atlanta School of Ballet, and has taught in Boston, San Francis- co, and Hawaii, and ballet master for PBT in 1993. As choreographer, he has staged El Amor Brujo (Wild Love) for Honolulu City Ballet, 1975; El Amor pas de deux for Hariraya Ballet in Manila, 1983; Ballet Imperial (Imperial Ballet) for Atlanta Ballet apprentices and the Atlanta Symphony, 1985; Ballet Classique for Atlanta Ballet II, 1986; and classical excerpts for Clayton Festival Ballet where he has been artistic adviser since 1991.

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He is listed in Who's Who in America. • B.E.S. Villaruz

PHILIPPINE BALLET THEATER (PBT) Founded in 1986 and operated in 1987, it was formed in re- sponse to an appeal to support ballet artists outside of Ballet Philippines after the 1986 EDSA Revolution. The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) gave it funds and a seasonal home at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Active companies that merged to form it, like Dance Concert Company, Dance Theater Philip- pines, Hariraya Ballet, and Manila Metropolis Ballet,

lent costumes and their repertoires. Its first studio was based in the Classic Ballet Academy of Inday Gaston- Maii.osa in Makati, until it moved to the Meralco Thea- ter in 1989. Behind its board of directors is an artistic council composed of directors of affiliated schools and com- panies that chose dancers and merged to form PBT. Among its founding members is National Artist Leonor Orosa-Goquingco. Its first director was Gaston-Maii.osa, followed by Julie Borromeo and Eddie Elejar. Among its ballet and rehearsal masters were Vella Damian, Sonia Domingo, Nida Onglengco, Wu Zhen Rong, and Rinat Gizatulin. In its record of productions from 1987 to 1991 are ballets by Basilio: Exultations to music by Nicanor Abelardo, Mga Awit ni Basil (Songs of Basil), Ritual Bonds to Alfredo Buenaventura, La Lampara (The Lamp) to Jerry Dadap, and Testament to Britten; by Julie Borromeo: Merry Widow to Lehar and Graduation Ball, after Ricardo Cassell, to Strauss; by Gener Caringal: Haram to Lucrecia Kasilag, The Tribe to Power of Classi- cal Rock, Vinta and The Offering, both to Vangelis, Prism to Mozart; by Eric Cruz: Camille and La Gitana, both to Jeffrey Ching, Panaginip (Dream) to Molina, and Carmen to Bizet; by Eddie Elejar: Rigodon to Castillo and Masks to Ramon Santos and Virginia Moreno; by Antonio Fabella: Brahms Overture, Limang Dipa (Five Arm- stretches) to Ryan Cayabyab and others, Pas Classique to Glazounov, Pinoy Talaga (Genuine Filipino), Beautiful Girls to Jose Mari Chan, Three Tchaikovsky Waltzes, and The Company to Czerny; and by Felicitas Layag-Radaic: Tanan (Elopement) to Juan Silos. From 1989, Lisa Macuja joined the PBT as prima ballerina, forming a partnership with soloist Osias Barroso. Among its leading dancers have been Melanie Motus, Noreen Ostrea, Maritoni Rufino, Mylene Saldana, Raoul Banzon, Mike Uy, Edward Malagkit, and Robert Policarpio. It also had guest artists and directors in Nicolas Pacaii.a, Paul de Masson, Harold King, Thomas Shoemaker, and Robert Barnett, and Atlanta Ballet ballerinas Maniya Barredo, Maiqui Maii.osa, and Mia Monica. It guested Anna Villadolid from Munich, Toni Lopez Gonzalez from Washington DC, Rebecca Rodriguez from Cincinnati, Yvonne Cutaran from Montreal, and China Central Ballet's Zhang Roufei, Wei Dong Sheng, and Zhang Dandan. Among its guest choreographers have been Barnett (Reflections, Arensky Dances), Thomas Pazik (Scherzo, Romeo and Juliet, Madame Butterfly), Jiang Zuhui (New Year's Sacrifice Act III, Farewell Maria Clara), and Paul de Masson (Impromptus). It has also acquired classical and contemporary works like Paquita, La Bayadere Divertissement, Aurora's Wedding, Giselle,

PHILIPPINE DANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK

Swan Lake Act II, Coppelia, and Fokine's Les Syl- phides, Balanchine's Valse Fantaisie, Serenade, Con- certo Barocco, Prodigal Son, and Cranko's Pineapple Poll. • B.E.S. Villaruz

PHILIPPINE BARANGAY FOLK DANCE TROUPE The troupe started informally in 1946 at the Philippine Normal School (later College, now Uni- versity), as a co-curricular activity of the physical education department, called the "mixed folk dancing group." In 1947, it began giving public performances, and a school-based dance troupe was founded by Paz Cielo Angeles-Belmonte. But it was not until1958 that the troupe was so named and formally organized. Their repertory portrays a panorama of Philippine life and culture through wedding and courtship dances, martial dances, occupational dances, festival dances, and some comic dances from tribal and va- rious ethnic groups, as well as Western-influenced dances of the Spanish period. A distinct characteristic of the group is that it continues the work of Francisca Reyes-Aquino by presenting her published folk dances as well as newly researched ones in a simple, precise, and instructional way. This mode stems from Belmonte's affiliation with Mrs Aquino in the Uni- versity of the Philippines Folk Song and Dance Group. In 1959 the troupe represented the Philippines in the First Floating Exposition which toured 10 countries in the Asia-Pacific. In 1963 it participated in the First Southeast Asian Cultural Festival in Singapore and Malaysia. In 1965, the troupe represented Manila in the Royal Orchid Revue in Bangkok, Thailand, and fulfilled a command performance before Cambodia's Prince Norodom Sihanouk and his queen mother. In the same year, it was adjudged the best in the Pageant of Asia Spectacular in Sydney, Australia. This was followed by concerts in Malaysia and Singapore in 1966. In 1968, it went on an eight-month world tour as official ambassador of goodwill. Upon Belmonte's retirement from Philippine Nor- mal College, the troupe became a foundation and is now no longer attached to the university. Among the awards received by the troupe are the Presidential Cultural Award, 1959 and the Presidential Medal of Merit, 1971. • L.A. Gabao

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ARTISTS

PHILIPPINE FoLK DANCE SOCIETY Founded in 1949 by Francisca Reyes-Aquino, with former mem- bers of the University of the Philippines Folk Song and Dance Club and the Bureau of Education Folk Dance Club, the Society sought to preserve the traditional characteristics of Philippine folk dances; to enrich the knowledge of these dances and develop appreciation for them; to promote nationalism through them; and to propagate authentic folk dances. It established chap- ters all over the country. In 1950, Reyes-Aquino initiated the annual dance festival, in cooperation with the Department of Educa- tion. Ethnic groups were invited to perform at the Rizal Memorial Complex. She also began dance clinics, where teachers from various Luzon provinces met every Sunday to learn the latest dances discovered through her researches. The clinic also served as a clearing house on issues of interpretation, costumes, music, and dance steps. Another significant activity of the Society was the Hiyas ng Lahi in 1959-1960 where school-based dance

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troupes presented their repertoire of Philippine folk dances. It also had special demonstrations and clinics for visiting foreigners such as members of the Interna- tional Recreation Association, the Folk Dance Society of America, and the Peace Corps. The Society became inactive but was revived in 1975 through the initiative of Lucrecia Reyes-Urtula, then artistic director for dance of the Folk Arts Theater. She invited some of the old members to help establish the new Society. As its main activity, it conducted folk dance workshops, the first being held at Philippine Normal College. Later, they were held at the Folk Arts Theater, in collaboration with the CCP and the Depart- ment of Education, Culture and Sports. Participants reached nearly 700 in 1990. • P.M. Arandez

POWERDANCE Founded by Douglas Nierras in 1988, this contemporary dance group was the first to launch full jazz concerts. The dancers received regular training in various techniques as well as in acting and production work, resulting in a characteristic theatrical dance performance style. The group's first public appearance was in Randy Santiago's concert Shades, followed by another performance in Louie Reyes' first major concert Passions, both in 1988. In 1989 the group launched a full jazz dance concert, The Body Sings, and in 1990, had another solo concert Tacos, Tamales, Burritos at lba Pa (Tacos, Tamales, Burritos, and Many Others) in a Manila preview of their show- pieces for the International Jazz Festival in Mexico a short time later. From Mexico, the group proceeded to New York and took classes with Phil Black, Alvin Ailey, and Steps. Back in Manila, they gave The Body Sings Too Part II at the Cultural Center of the Philip- pines in April1991. In December of that year, they had another major solo concert, Fundanggo sa Museo (Fun- danggo at the Museum), at the Music Museum, with a repeat performance in February 1992. Meanwhile, they continue to perform in concerts with other artists on- stage as well as on TV. • M.L. Maniquis

PUERTOLLANO, LULU (Lourdes Puertollano- Mitchell) b. Gasan, Marinduque 2 Apr 1942. Dancer, choreographer, teacher. Lulu Puertollano is the sister of violinist and choral conductor Rosa Puertollano, and actor, visual artist, and set designer Joselito Puertollano. She received a bachelor's in business administration from the University of the East in 1960. She trained in ballet with Ricardo Cassell, for whose Studio Dance Group she was a young member. She continued with Puck Hoog Meyer and Remedios de Oteyza, for whose Manila Ballet Company she danced and made her farewell performance in 1960. As the first dance scholar of the Music Promotion Founda- tion of the Philippines, 1960-1965, and as endorsed by Alexandra Danilova for a scholarship at the School of American Ballet, she further trained there in 1960- 1961. Then from 1961-1964, she studied with Danilova at the International Dance School in Carnegie Hall. She also trained in jazz with Frank Wagner and Matt Mattox, and in character dance with Fedor Lensky and Yurek Lazouwsky. In 1964, Puertollano obtained another scholarship at the Juilliard School of Music and trained in the Humphrey-Limon and Graham modern dance techni- ques, and in choreography and Labanotation. She also trained with Anthony Tudor, Jose Limon, Anna Sokolow, Margaret Craske, and Alfredo Corvino. She was a

QUEEN CITY JUNIOR BALLET

member of the Juilliard Dance Ensemble and danced in Limon's There's a Time, Humphrey's Ritomo fonda, and other modern works. She was also principal dan- cer with the Radio City Music Hall, and danced Mei Li in a Flower Drum Song dream sequence in a tour of the USA and Canada. She also performed in Mara's dance dramas based on Asian legends and folklore. Coming home to the Philippines, she choreog- raphed dances for Alfredo Buenaventura' s opera Diego Silang, 1968, and shorter pieces. The Danish choreographer Poul Gnatt chose her for the Philippine premiere of his The Miraculous Mandarin in the 1968 debut of Dance Theater Philippines. Then she rejoined De Oteyza in her Hariraya Dance Company as dancer and ballet mistress. She also taught dance at St Joseph's College. • B.E.S. Villaruz Q

QUEEN CITY JUNIOR BALLET (QCJB) Founded in 1963 in Cebu City, the Queen City Junior Ballet was organized by Fe Sala-Villarica to provide an outlet for talented dancers of Cebu Ballet Center, and to cultivate an audience for ballet in Cebu and other provinces. She was artistic director and choreographer, with Mario Recto as associate choreographer. The company launched a series of quarterly infor- mal concerts called Ballet Happenings, low-tech but fully rehearsed and costumed presentations featuring original works by Sala-Villarica and Recto and excerpts from ballet classics. For 20 years, the company performed all over the Visayas and Mindanao in concerts sponsored by schools and civic and cultural organizations for fund- raising purposes. By performing on all kinds of stages-school auditoriums, gyms, and outdoor platforms-QCJB became one of the pioneers in bring- ing dance to the countryside. Among its dancers were Hebe Hife, Mary Faelnar, Lulu Araneta, Douglas Alo, Pinky Benedicta, Mary Boyarski, Mari Yasmin Villarica, Nicolas Pacaii.a, Noordin Jumalon, Mary Poblete, Julie Dingal, Charibi Abad, Tessa Solis, Christine Javier, Frederick Abellana, Carmen Cabaero, and Ann Grace Merin. Without subsidy or endowment, QCJB survived and fulfilled its objectives. None of its administrative and artistic staff were paid, and dancers received only modest allowances. • F.S. Villarica

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ARTISTS

QUINN, AL (Alcuin Gargaritano Pastrano) b. Guimbal, Iloilo 11 Nov 1933. Dancer, choreographer, TV and film director. The son of Anselmo Pastrano and Natividad Gargaritano, he was married to movie actor Lani Oteyza (Elizabeth Barnes), and then, in 1955 to Elizabeth Bolanos. He holds a fine arts degree from the University of Santo Tomas. He studied dance with Pancho Uytiepo while a student at the University of San Agustin in Iloilo, and later with Anita Kane, Ricardo Cassell, and Remedios de Oteyza in Manila. He formed the Modernaires with Jamin Alcoriza, Jack Jacinto, Arturo Zamora, Rally Calvo, Chito Feliciano, Shirley Santos, and Marie Cui, dancing on TV and stage shows. In 1961, Quinn joined Steve Parker's Philippine Festival in Las Vegas, USA. He choreographed for some 50 musical films, such as Bella Filipina (Filipina Belle), 1959. He also appeared as an actor, his first film being Maria Went To Town, 1958, starring Tita Duran and Pancho Magalona; he was also in Pagsikat ng Araw (At Daybreak), 1957, and Gitarang Ginto (Golden Guitar), both directed by Efren Reyes. He then went on to film and TV directing, beginning with Vilma Santos vehicles, 1978--1979. He directed three films starring Dolphy: Jack and Jill and John (co-directed by Ben Feleo), Good Father, and Manuela. On television, Quinn first directed in 1967 for Carmen on Camera; since then he has directed for