DANCE REVIEWS : ‘Voices in Motion’ on Filipino Culture

Theater and pageantry dominated the four-part installment devoted to Filipino culture in the “Voices in Motion” series Sunday afternoon at the New Ivar Theatre in Hollywood--to the detriment, some might say, of the promise in the series title.

As an introduction to Filipino culture, sure, “Malakas at Maganda,” created and presented by the folk-arts troupe Kayamanan Ng Lahi, offered an engaging if brief look at another version of the creation myth, in addition to some richly colored folk costumes.

But, mostly, it required just standing, walking and posing from the participants.

As kids’ entertainment, “Juan and the Crocodile,” choreographed by Dulce Capadocia and enacted by Kidd Street members, taught an important lesson about gratitude through a Filipino folk tale.

It also provided 14-year-old Manop Buranapramest with agile opportunities as the impish hero; Samuel Donlavy with deserved prominence as the kinetic, good-natured Monkey and Kidd Street director Timothy Kuster as the wry head-segment of the four-sectioned Crocodile.

But the piece was essentially storytelling through movement--inventive movement, to be sure, but episodic and limited.

Inspired by a character in Jose Rizal’s seismic social novel, “Noli me tangere,” Capadocia’s choreography for the solo “Song for Sisa” relied more on Fatima Hynson’s histrionic abilities than her movement skills. She proved a fine dramatic actress, but little more than that was required of her.

About the time at least one member of the audience was wondering if he would see any dance that afternoon, the program closed with Capadocia’s “Legend of the Mayon Volcano.”

Even this, however, was billed as a “dance drama,” and Capadocia rarely amplified the plot with movement. She favored paring down the vocabulary to suggest folk dance steps, although she gave herself greater latitude and proved an intense, finely honed dancer.

The cast, however, exhibited differing levels of technical ability. In movement terms, the villain, Oscar Baldemor, who danced the ultimately frustrated Buhawen, simply outclassed the hero, Michael Myers as Gat Malayo.

The program also was part of the 1993 Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture.