Charisse C.

del Castillo “The Classic and the Modern”

2018-46134 Philippine Arts 110 (MHB)

Growing Rootsv
Change, whether innovation or degradation, evolution or subtle stagnation, is an infallible

occurrence in human history and experience. From a child’s first cry to the silent resilient tears of

old souls saying goodbye, time harbors inevitable, often both unrecognizable, yet familiar change.

At times, new chapters and new phases are met with open arms and pleasantries. Conversely,

however, others are received with somber silence and clenched fists. Nonetheless, the death of the

past and its irrefutable rebirth in new structure is a law that all life and universe bend to.

It follows, then, that art, among the most superfluous expressions of humanistic principles

and ideas, remains unspared by agents of change. In the case of various fields of art, innovation

often complies to the shifting interests of both the creator and audience as dictated by a given era

and social structure. The contemporary man may at times find it difficult to find profound

sentiments in the art forms of eras such as the Macedonian, while on the other hand, a man out of

the ages of the Victorian era may find the colorful neon character of modern-day digital art rather

excessive and appalling.

Most times, art has spoken through and to the society that governed it. Among the most

easily identifiable in this regard is the field of theater. In older times, both in Western and also

Asian cultures, theater was produced and performed merely for entertainment. Plays would often

be staged in royal courts or specifically in Philippine culture, the Moro-moro was shown in

Christianized villages and fiestas. Over the years, it has evolved accordingly to both social and

political relevance, as awareness and interest in such has become more prominent among the

audiences. Today, especially in the Philippines, most productions that are staged carry themes of

1
social injustices, often going as far as to parody eras such as the Martial law and even take shots

at the current administration. This demonstrates how different fields of art adhere to the cultures

that they are concerned with at the time of their conception.

Moving away from theater, dance is another field of art which has unarguably evolved

throughout the years since it was first conceived as a performance art . Despite the popularization

of newer forms of dance such as street dance or breakdance, there is no denying that ballet has

remained among the dance forms as one of the most highly regarded in the artistic scene ever since

it was first produced in the Renaissance. It lends its timelessness to its adaptability with modern

day music, themes, and narratives. Though traditional renditions of ballet performances are still

widely staged and easily accessible to engage in that viewing, other renditions of ballet have not

been afraid to veer away from the formerly established norms of the dance form.

One such rendition which serves as a distinguished example of traditional ballet coming

into anew with modern day nuances is Carmen and Other Dances as staged by the Innovators at

the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The opening number, Love Lies Bleeding, makes this

statement clear from the very beginning of the program. Where obstructive masks and large

headdresses adorned with ornaments were once the standard attire for ballet performers, the

opening number begins with seven performers dressed in more conventional, everyday clothing.

Though the opening number carries the familiar theme of romance, featured prominently

throughout the history of ballet, it goes on to deconstruct this theme by choosing to portray the

pain which two lovers tend to inflict on one another rather than the more traditional view on love

as being idealistic and perennially happy and joyful. The stories of the three couples as presented

by the storyteller of the piece makes it clear from the very start of the program that the staging will

incorporate modern changes and interpretations.

2
 The very next act, This is My Life, continues this trend by presenting a solo performance

uplifting the concept of a woman’s independence. Most performances in traditional, and even

contemporary ballet, demonstrate women being lifted by men. However, this act chooses to give

the entire stage to one woman who figuratively carries the act completely by herself. In line with

this portrayal, the theme of woman empowerment adheres to a socially relevant matter which has

rose to prominence in the current generation more so than it ever has in the past. Furthermore, the

music used was a song which featured clear vocals on the track as opposed to the more classical

renditions of ballet using more instrumental tunes.

Bringing it into the Philippine context, and choosing to voice more culturally relevant

concerns, the fourth act titled Swimming the Ilog Pasig approaches the dance form with a social

agenda. As detailed in the playbill, the piece was created in order to boost the campaign to clean

the Pasig River. This piece expounds on the previous point made on how ballet can be used for

social commentary, and furthers it by contextualizing in conjunction with a very specific issue

concerning a targeted advocacy.

Lastly, Carmen, the main act of the program, as adapted by the company from a classical

piece created by Bizet, remains both faithful and yet innovative of the established piece. From the

beginning of the act, the theme of minimalism throughout the program was amplified by its

physical set and the characters, formerly featuring an ensemble, now only presenting three main

ones. Save for the background set and lighting, the stage remained bare lending the focus to the

performance of the three dancers. This echoes the more common sentiment shared by viewers of

the current generation wherein there is a preference and inclination towards more minimalistic

portrayals and renditions. Despite being faithful in terms of the story, dance, costume narrative,

3
and theme of the original staging, the staging presented stripped the elements down to its core,

successfully bringing together strengths of both modern and traditional ballet.

Ultimately, the total performance was able to meld together changes and constants of the

art form as collected throughout the many years of perfecting and expanding the dance. It has both

welcomed change, and introduced tradition to it to create something new, original, yet all the same

familiar and cherished. By the closing of the curtains, one everlasting theme was made apparent:

Change was, is, and will be, yet the roots of old wither not, but simply grow on.