dancing with Condors

Yesterday was a whole day of contemporary dance sponsored/organized by the Japan Foundation Manila Office. It is heart-warming how despite our community's invisiblity in Philippine mainstream art discourse that significant institutions such as Japan Foundation have taken notice of our efforts and initiating exchanges that will surely make important turns to many of the contemporary dance artists now. The day kicked off with a lecture by Japanese dance critic Tatsuro Ishii on Japan Contemporary Dance today. Having just came in from Japan two weeks ago, I was very pleased to be in this lecture as I didnt have enough time to see and understand the movement of contemporary dance in Japan, even if I did meet some artists it was also interesting to see another point of view, which may be objective but also not necessarily.

Ishii particularly pointed out the borderline that separates modern and contemporary dance in Japan, modern dance being highly concerned with the perfection of form and faithful execution of codified modern dance language. What lacks is the inquiry and proposition on human condition, dance itself or even the concept of the body. Such concepts that, sad to say, only a few in our community want to take apart labouriously. Here, in Philippine dance, one is easily shun away if you are "too intellectual." A great tendency leans towards more expressionistic and emotional presentation of the self. Hmm, something we need to learn. As for myself, I have realized that as I try to rebel against this kind of attitude to creation, I still find myself predisposed into the "usual" choreographer mode of self expression. Now, as I walk into a more existentilist path, which of course is temporary (i dont know), self expression doesnt seem enough. Why the need to a third person or second person to communicate the "self." I am interested in this motivation, what moves us into performance.

Ishii also showed clips of different tendencies in Japan contemporary dance, he has divided this into three, albiet uncomfortable genres: contemporary dance, performance art and butoh. So here is where I find my generational position as I wonder how Dumb Type has been categorized into performance art, because of its priority overe multi-sensory architecture and manipulation of space. I still wonder, Ben Suzuki remarks on the side that Gen for example is highly influenced by this recent tendency in Japan.

In the afternoon was workshop with the all-male contemporary dance company Condors led by Ryohei Kondo along with company members Yoshihiro and Kojiro. I expected a more "dancy" and physical class, like what I have previosly seen of Ryohei's class in Fukuoka but this was different and leaned towards more group dynamic/partnering exercises. Kind of acrobatic, nevertheless very useful I think specially for partnering. Somehow, I feel it was a pity that mechanics and principles could have been explored and explained more rather than participants just executing the combinations and then done. Of course, the class was too big and a little impossible, maybe. Still, I found myself enjoying the physicality of it. Realizing also that comic doesnt come from this "acting out" (read pretending) to be funny but instead letting the physicality and detachment from it influence the its theatricality, one should not pre-empt emotion or feeling just because you feel you need to dance.

A good day indeed, capping it off with a showcase of Filipino contemporary dance artists, showing recent works. I am quite proud that slowly we are changing the mindset of "Filipino" to the rest of the world and collegeaues in the nearby region. There is more to our bananas,dried mangoes and San Miguel Pale Pilsen. Comment was that we are highly skilled dancers, what we now is find the other level to bring dance on a communicative level rather than this "presentation" mode.

A chat with the dancers after, I talked with Yoshiro and Kojiro about my recent trip to Tokyo. Yes, Kayabacho is a boring town. Shimokitazawa rocks, CD shopping is great, and Kirin is not as good as San Miguel Pale Pilsen. Meanwhile, we hold our breaths to see what Condors performance will be on Friday.