LIFE BEGINS ANEW (June 22, 2009)

The Cultural Center of the Philippines's life begins anew.

At 40.

While its principal patron, former First Lady Imelda Marcos is in the thick of the fight for $390 million cache of jewellery confiscated from her 23 years ago, CCP never looked back since its formal inauguration on September 8, 1969 – three years after it was created by former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos via Executive Order No.30.

Just this week, alone, mirrors how CCP has been tireless and true to its commitment in promoting and preserving arts and culture we can consider Filipino.

More so, how it evolves from, say, its Royal Danish past to its rehabilitated, decentralized, and expanded present under the leadership of its incumbent president and artistic director in former Ballet Philippines dancer, Nestor Jardin, who won the 2008 John D. Rockefeller Award as "a cultural leader of rare energy, commitment, and vision who has set an extraordinary example both regionally and internationally."

Yesterday saw the CCP sponsoring with Cartwheel Foundation, Inc. at its Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino a Floy Quintos-directed concert called Reconnecting with our Roots: A Cultural Exchange celebrating the identity, tradition, and modernity of Tala-Andig of Miarayon, Bukidnon, the Umajam of Cabanglasan, Bukidnon, the Ichananaw of Tinglayan, Kalinga, Cultures in Harmony, St. Scholastica’s College School of Music and Philippine Research for Developing Instrumental Soloists (PREDIS) with Cultures in Harmony – a group of classically trained American musicians – that had been conducting exchange workshops with our tribal communities annually since 2007.

Today is devoted to the recital of Tanghalang Pilipino and Philippine High School for the Arts' one-two punch in Pragress and Dong-ao, twin adaptations of Francisco Sionil Jose's masterpieces, before it will be staged around the country to highlight what good governance is all about.

Tomorrow, Virgin Labfest will once more stage unpublished and unproduced plays from playwrights -- both emerging and established -- in a two-week fiesta full of trainings, talkings, and toastings for the launch of the all the scripts collected in one book entitled like the greatest hits of a balding balladeer – after five years --"Best of the Virgin Labfest."

Visual Literary, and Media Arts co-head Herminio Beltran Jr. through her angels, Betty Uy-Regala and Ester Eban, reserved Wednesdays for poets who did the opening salvo of CCP's Brave New Works: Breaking Boundaries project – focusing on the Spoken Word, Theater, Dance, Visual Arts, and Music-- until July 26, the last day of Cinemalaya Cinco.

Or is it until August 16 during the closing of the 13 Artists Awards and Exhibition of works of Buen Calubayan, Don Djerassi Dalmacio, Kawayan de Guia, Racquel de Loyola, Christina Dy, Patricia Eustaquio, Winner Jumalon, Raya Martin, Iggy Rodriguez, Don M. Salubayba, Jaypee Samson, Pamela Yan-Santos, and MM Yu?

Two weeks ago, on June 10, while the almost everybody was in Makati to kick some Con Ass – Wordjam kicked off with its initial offering entitled Bukambibig under the direction of Njel de Mesa.

We, together with our Balagtasan partners in rhyme Teo Antonio and Mike Coroza, hosted the said trip back to the future of orature with Khavn de la Cruz, Angelo Suarez, and Radioactive Sago Project's Lourd de Veyra and Jay Gapasin. Poetry groups like Linangan ng Imahen, Retorika at Anyo (LIRA) was represented by Ony Carcamo, Francisco Montesena, Enrique Villasis while Neo-Angono Artists Collective had Philip Anorico, Richard Gappi, Marlon “Nunong” Olinares, and Raul “Tata” Funilas whose 8.5-foot Pres. Ramon Magsaysay sculpture was unveiled recently at the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center Inc. in Quezon City. On June 24, it will be protest poets' turn through Angal at Atungal, showcasing National Artist for Literature Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera with Heber Bartolome, Axel Pinpin, Jesus Manuel Santiago, and members of the Kilometer 64 Poetry Collective and the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP). It will be directed by Bonifacio Ilagan and be hosted by Mario Miclat and Ruby Alcantara. Next month, on July 1 to be exact, is alloted to the Karinyo of Mykel Andrada, J. Neil Garcia, Rhandee Garlitos, Nerisa del Carmen Guevara, Sharon Pangilinan, Roselle Pineda, Aida Santos, Anna Leah Sarabia, Roland Tolentino, and other lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender poet-performers with Ed Cabagnot as the event host.

While Music Underkunstruktion: Hearing The Future Symphonic on July 15 is the red-letter day for musicians, the moment for dancers is Wi-fi Body Independent Contemporary Dance Festival 4: The Evolving Body!

Festival director Paul Morales, associate director Angel Lawenko Baguilat, and World Dance Alliance-Philippines president Basilio Villaruz, to name a few, have collaborated for this dance-o-rama with the CCP, Contemporary Dance Network Philippines (CDNP), National Commission for Culture and the Arts, U.P. Dance Company, Japan Foundation Manila, and STEPS Dance Studio.

“From June 25 to July 5, aside from the gala of the contemporary dance panorama, we have activities like IndepenDance, New Choreographers Competition, 2nd Step, In Focus, Emerging Talent Showcase, Uncensored bodies, Photo exhibit: The Dancing Body, Plenary: Contemporary Dance Network Philippine contemporary Dance Workshops, among others,” founding director and 2001 Alab ng Haraya Awardee Myra Beltran announced.

“On June 27, at 8 piyem, New Wave will feature me with Raul Alcoseba, Robbie Hayden, and Christine Santillan,” a leading choreographer/dancer/teacher Nory Bereber added, “not to mention the world premiere of my new pieces called To Whom It May Concern as well as the workshop I will conduct on June 28 at 1 piyem. ” For his Mama Mila, created for the closing gala on July 5, he will dance with Mica Bernas, Gerlin Francisco, and Elena Laniog who was with him during their heydays in Iloilo National High School's Dagyaw Theater and Dance Company that represented the country since 1990 in various international dance festivals in Japan, Thailand, Spain, Egypt, France, Spain, Germany, Rome, United States, Canada, and Portugal. His claim to fame, aside from being the principal dancer during opening and closing Ceremonies of 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar – he is personal dance instructor of lookalike: BB Gandang Hari!

O di ba mas maganda kung may arts sa buhay mo?

To catch them all, please call CCP Marketing Dept. 8321125 local 1801 to 1808 0r 8323681/ CCP Box Office 8323704 www.culturalcenter.gov.ph. Tickets available at all Ticketworld outlets 8919999.

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