Ballet Philippine’s launches “The Sapphire Season” on May 21

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Enjoy the wonderful world of theater ! 

THEATER NEWS 2014: BALLET PHILIPPINES SET TO LAUNCH 45TH ANNIVERSARY – THE SAPPHIRE SEASON ON MAY 21

BP’s Sapphire Season: 10 Things You Should Be Excited About!

1. Opening our season is the award winning choreography of Agnes Locsin, LA REVOLUCION FILIPINA, with a libretto by Dennis Marasigan and set to the music of Maestro Ryan Cayabyab. This “powerful and poignant” production will give you another reason to be honored to be born of the Filipino race.

2. Guest Artists from the American Ballet Theater (ABT) essay the roles of Giselle and Albrecht in our Fundraising Gala of GISELLE. Watch out for ABT Soloist Stella Abrera and Principal Dancer James Whiteside as they dance with Ballet Philippines. Did we mention that Ms. Stella Abrera is a Filipina?! More Philippine pride!

3. THE BLUE MOON GALA and THE HOMECOMING GALA: two “once in a blue moon” gatherings of BP’s dance community celebrating its 45 years.

4. Ballet Philippines will go on a US Tour on October 2014 – Get ready, West Coast!

5. Alice Reyes’ CINDERELLA will bring merriment to families – especially to children – as this happy production’s comeback will surely bring fun to the Yuletide season!

6. Ballet + superheroes + the music of Eraserheads back when they were in UP all in one production = MANHID: THE FILIPINO SUPERHERO MUSICAL, which will bring the season to a rocking close. This production features Tanghalang Pilipino was created by Auraeus Solito and choreographed by Artistic Director Paul Alexander Morales and Resident Choreographer Alden Lugnasin

7. Three schools of Ballet Philippines officially opened in the beginning of the season – CCP Dance School (for its 45th Summer Dance Workshop), Ballet Philippines Dance School in SM Aura and Studio 1 near Folk Arts Theater. More space, more opportunity for young dance talents!

8. Ballet Philippines goes to USA International Ballet Competition and Varna International Ballet Competition. Support our dancers who DREAM BIG!

9. MANanayaw, a documentary on the male dancers of Ballet Philippines, will be part of Cine Totoo: the First Philippine International Documentary Film Festival!

10. Ballet Philippines now offers FLEXIBLE SUBSCRIPTION where you can choose 4-series, 3-series, and 2 -series. Subscribers can get to choose the productions they want this early, choose seats before they are posted publicly, and save up to 25 percent!

Join us and without your enthusiastic support, where would we be?
THANK YOU FOR A GLORIOUS 45th YEAR!

Renaissance Art Gallery : “Driven to Abstraction”

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Renaissance Art Gallery as the celebration of its 11th anniversary, an art exhibit “Driven to Abstraction” will feature abstract artists: Max Balatbat, Bien Benitez, Benji Bisaya, Marco Coching, Arley Carig, Jane Ebarle, Fitz Herrera, Josef Laureano, Sio Montera, Cid Reyes, Aner Sebastian, Resty Tica and Valen Valero.

A highlight of the show are the works of master abstractionists such as National Artists Hernando R. Ocampo, Jose Joya and Arturo Luz, as well as Malang, Romulo Olazo, Gus Albor, Lao Lianben, and Nestor Vinluan.

Renaissance Art Gallery's 11th Annniversary Exhibit “DRIVEN TO ABSTRACTION” to be held

June 6 - 24, 2014 at the Art Center, 4th Level, Bldg. A, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

Malang

Through over a decade, Renaissance Art Gallery has built a reputation as a nurturing ground for emerging abstractionists.

Here's from Cid Reyes:

“DRIVEN TO ABSTRACTION”

By CID REYES

In this writer's early interview, the late National Artist Jose Joya reminded the reader of the universality of abstraction:

"It was only during the late '50s or early '60s that I started doing these Abstract Expressionist paintings, and I use that label as mere convenience, a label attached to the New York School of Painting.... Abstraction is an international trend; it isn't a contemporary development as most people would think. Even in ancient times, the Orientals were already doing calligraphy and Persian geometric designs; it isn't at all a recent phenomenon.... No, abstraction is not a time-honored convention in the Western world as it is in the Eastern world."

Credited with having created the first abstract work in the West is the Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky. In 1906, he did a watercolor consisting of squiggly lines and blots of colors commingling, suggesting no reference to the visible world, yet seemingly engaged with the spirit, akin to the mysterious power of music to touch the soul. The works of the American abstractionist Mark Rothko were said to move the audience into tears.

Aner Sebastion 

Thus, through over a century, abstraction has evolved its many variants, from gestural to geometric to minimalist. In his last public lectures, Kirk Varnedoe, director of the Museum of Modern Art, then in the grip of a terminal illness, kept the faith and trained one final light on abstraction: "It is the production of forms of order that are not recognizable as order, but vehicles of feeling that seem impersonal, vessels of intelligence that appear utterly dumb. Abstract art is a symbolic game, and it is akin to all human games: you have to get into it, risk and all, and this takes a certain act of faith. But what kind of faith? Not faith in absolutes, not a religious kind of faith. A faith in possibility, a faith not that we will know finally, but faith in not knowing, a faith in our ignorance, a faith in our being confounded and dumbfounded, a faith fertile with possible meaning and growth."

Indeed, there are Filipino artists, too, who believe in this faith. In 1951, the first group exhibition exclusively devoted to abstraction, or nonobjective art, was held. Over half a century later, Renaissance Art Gallery continues to uphold the tradition of promoting the works of both emerging and established abstractionists. 

From its inception eleven years ago, Noli and Agnes Romero made a commitment that the aptly named gallery will be instrumental in the rebirth and regeneration of abstraction in the country.

Max Balatbat

To this day, they are driven by the conviction that abstraction is an essential visual language that enriches the human spirit, capable, as no other idiom can, to connect man to the depths of universal emotion.

Arley Carig

Arturo Luz

Benjie Bisaya

Bien Benitez

Fitz Herrera

Gus Albor

HR Ocampo

Jane Ebarle

Josef Laureno

Lao Lianben

Marco Coching

Nestor Vinluan

Resty Tica

Romulo Olazo

Sio Montera

Jose Joya - Urban Beat

ABS-CBN Sports + Action will air Azkals Matchups in the AFC Challenge Cup Live from Maldives

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Watch the matchups of the Azkals in the AFC Challenge Cup live! 

ABS-CBN Sports + Action, a free TV channel that serves as your primary go-to hub for all the sporting events you care about, indulges football fans as it airs the group stage of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup held in Maldives with focus on the tournament’s group B, which includes the Azkals, the Philippine national team.

Each game, each goal, each cheer counts for the Azkals in this year’s Challenge Cup as the country’s national football team looks to improve on their third-place record in 2012’s AFC Challenge Cup. At the same time, the winner of the tournament will earn a spot in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

A stronger and more experienced national team will enter this year’s tournament as the roster includes returnees from the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup third-placing Azkals team such as captain and defender Rob Gier, midfielder Paul Mulders, goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, and brothers Phil Younghusband and James Younghusband. They will be joined by emerging new recruits in defender Simone Rota, midfielder Martin Steuble, goalkeeper Patrick Deyto, and forward Ruben “Balut” Doctora, Jr.

Calling the shots for the Azkals this year is international coach and former team captain of the USA national football team Thomas Dooley. The USA Football Hall of Famer brings with him his experience and a new playing style that enforces teamwork, pressing defense and tiki-taka style of passing.

Aside from the Azkals, group B of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup includes Afghanistan, Laos, and the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup first runner-up Turkmenistan.

All of Azkals’ games will air live on ABS-CBN Sports + Action beginning with the team’s first matchup against Afghanistan on Tuesday (May 20) at 11:30pm with replay on Wednesday (May 21) at 4:00pm. 

This is followed by its games against Laos on Thursday (May 22) at 6:30pm with replay on Friday (May 23) at 4:00pm, and against Turkmenistan on Saturday (May 24) at 6:30pm with replay on Sunday (May 25) at 4:00pm.

ABS-CBN Sports + Action continues its coverage of the AFC Challenge Cup group B with the special telecast of Turkmenistan vs Laos on Wednesday (May 21) at 10:00pm, and Afghanistan vs Turkmenistan on Friday (May 23) at 10:00pm.

Watch the matchups between the Azkals and the rest of group B of the AFC Challenge Cup during the group stage beginning with the live coverage of the Azkals’ first game on Tuesday (May 20), 11:30pm on ABS-CBN Sports + Action (SkyCable channel 17).

UNWTO to Lead in Bohol Tourism Recovery Roadmap Turnover

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Tagbilaran, Bohol (May 16, 2014) – United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary General Dr. Taleb Rifai arrives here today to lead the turnover rites of the tourism recovery roadmap for the province, an output of a multi-sectoral collaboration to help the province recover from the effects of last year's earthquake.

The Bohol Tourism Recovery Plan (BTRP) is a collaborative project of the Department of Tourism (DOT), the United States Agency for International Development under its Advancing Philippine Competitiveness Project (USAID-COMPETE), UNWTO and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). It was developed following a series of fact-finding missions and extensive research over a five-month period.

The document, touted as Bohol's tourism recovery “bible,” contains strategies for marketing the province to the global community, as well as the development of new tourism products that will strengthen Bohol's position as an eco-cultural destination.

The strategies will be a guide book for Bohol not only in bringing back local and international tourists, but also in further expanding its tourism base.

“Hosting these two major international events brings honor to our country and a wonderful opportunity to express our profound gratitude and appreciation to donors and supporters. It is also an opportunity to show the world how Bohol has quickly moved towards recovery, tourism-wise, with the technical assistance from UNWTO, USAID and PATA. Bohol has bounced back quickly judging from the rising travel statistics this year. We are optimistic that Tacloban will do the same as a tourism recovery plan is soon to be implemented,” DOT Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. said.

“It also warms our heart to share that no less than Dr. Rifai himself has volunteered to come early prior to the meetings to engage in the recovery-related activities despite his busy schedule. It truly shows his genuine concern for our country’s tourism recovery, the same commitment as he would show when addressing other member countries’ crises. Through the Climate Change conference, we can learn so much and agree to institute protocols and best practices, so that all countries in the world, more so the less prepared, would be better equipped to deal with these types of challenges,” the Secretary added.

Dr. Rifai will lead the turnover of the the BTRP to Gov. Edgar Chatto in the presence of national and local tourism officials and industry key players.

“This is a very important milestone for the Philippine tourism industry. Bohol has always been one of the top tourism destinations and we in USAID believe that by helping Bohol's tourism industry recover from the aftermath of the earthquake and Yolanda, we help the whole country towards achieving economic growth,” said Acting Mission Director Reed Aeschliman. 

“The U.S. Government and Bohol has a long history of partnership and we consider this province as one of the success stories of our development assistance. We are proud to be part of Bohol’s achievements as an emerging growth center and we look forward to further advancing this productive partnership as we work towards our shared goal of achieving broad-based and inclusive growth,” Director Aeschliman stressed.

USAID has identified Bohol as one of the priority areas for USAID-COMPETE. It was under USAID-COMPETE that UNWTO and PATA came in to help develop Bohol's tourism recovery plan.

The UNWTO is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability.

Dr. Rifai will be joined by DOT Assistant Secretary Rolando Canizal, USAID Acting Director Aeschliman, and USAID-COMPETE Chief of Party Enrico Basilio.

The turnover rites will be held at the South Palms Resort in Panglao and is expected to take a spotlight as an important tourism milestone.

Joining Rifai from the global news front is Anita Mendirata, lead consultant of the CNN International Task Group, according to Bohol Tourism Office (BTO) head Josephine Cabarrus.

Rifai is coming with another UNWTO official, Xu Jing, who is the Regional Director for Asia-Pacific. The UNWTO Headquarters is in Madrid, Spain.

UNWTO’s membership includes 156 countries, six continental territories and over 400 affiliate members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities.

Rifai and company will have a joint dinner meeting with the provincial government officials and Provincial Tourism Council (PTC) after the presentation.

The UNWTO secretary-general, also labeled the “traveling United Nations,” is set to visit the tarsier sanctuary in Corella, totally-destroyed Loboc church, Alburquerque church and Punta Cruz watchtower in Maribojoc.

Six promising OPM acts battle it out in “Dreams Get Real” talent search finals

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Getting a crack on being the next Original Pilipino Music (OPM) star are the Top 6 of “Dreams Get Real,” a music talent search organized by McJIM Classic Leather. Battling it out in the decisive grand finals slated on June 30 are Archetype, CK Arca, Dream of Pearl, Fifth Dynamics, JBK and Neo Domingo.

Would it be a band, a boy band, or a solo act? 

In the run up for the grand finals, the Top 6 have recorded and released their debut singles in radio stations nationwide and be featured in MTV Pinoy for the month of June. A jury composed of music industry stalwarts led by project head and public relations executive Chris Cahilig and multi-awarded arranger Jonathan Ong of Sonic State Studio will take into consideration radio airplay, radio chart and Youtube views as well as overall potential in selecting the grand winner.

“McJim Classic Leather initiated the competition to give undiscovered Filipino talents a chance to be heard while expanding the library of OPM with fresh melodies and lyrics that resonate the national sentiment,” says Cahilig.

“We applied McJim’s principle of quality and originality in choosing the six singles recorded by the finalists. We are optimistic and confident that these songs will help advance our agenda of enlivening the local music industry,” he adds.

In the Top 6 is Archetype from Tondo, Manila who recorded “Di Na Biro,” which is the group’s own composition. Composed of Alvin Traqueña (rhythm guitar), Ar John Patalay (lead guitar), Nikko Martin Francisco (bass guitar), Tricia May Casauay (vocals) and Zejemiah Gonzaga (drums), the band plays alternative and rock music and considers Hillsong, Paramore, Up Dharma Down and Kamikazee as their musical influences.

Archetype

“At first I thought we join into this competition just for experience, because honestly, we lack outside exposure,” says bass guitarist Nikko Martin. “But as I think of it deeper, ‘Dreams Get Real’ is a venue for us to showcase our talent, to prove that we can do more.”

CK Arca

CK Arca, on the other hand, is Calvin Khaye from Caloocan City who interpreted “Certified Good Vibes,” an inspirational song composed by Raffy Calicdan, a PhilPop finalist and a member of The X-Factor finalist Take Off. CK usually sings and plays pop, R&B, classic rock and standard music and looks up to Bruno Mars, Michael Jackson, Steve Perry and Aerosmith as his musical idols. He joined the competition to “gain more experience as a singer and to work with one of the best management companies here in this industry.”

Dream of Pearl

Another Top 6 entrant is Dream of Pearl, whose debut single “Panalo” is composed by Oli Agustin of Letter Day Story. The amateur band, which hails from Caloocan City, is composed of Alfonso Abrenzosa (vocals), Mark Jayson Dizon (guitar), Von Christian Vizmanos (bass) and Evan Briones (drums). Playing alternative, rock and acoustic music, the band considers Eraserheads, Bamboo, Parokya ni Edgar and Silent Sanctuary as their musical influences. 

Being a part of Top 6 has been a big boost for the band’s confidence and considers the competition as a door opening to a myriad of opportunities. “We believe that ‘Dreams Get Real’ is a big break for us,” says vocalist Alfonso. “This is a chance to show our talent and our own music.”

Fifth Dynamics

Another group taking a shot for the grand prize is Fifth Dynamics, from Antipolo City, meanwhile recorded “Anyare” a self-composed piece written with the help of Cahilig, the discovered and manager of hitmaker boy band 1:43. Composed of Mark Cordovales (vocals), John Peterson Leyva (rhythm guitar), Eljon Nono (lead guitar), Daryl Jay Santos (bass guitar) and Aldrin Condat (drums), the group plays mainly pop rock and alternative rock and follows the musical lead of Rivermaya, Bamboo, Kris Allen and Boyce Avenue.

Dreaming one day of representing the Philippines in an international competition, Fifth Dynamics hopes to kickstart that goal by becoming a recording artist. The competition has proved to be an eye-opener in more ways than one. “So far our experience with ‘Dreams Get Real’ is beyond our expectations.”

JBK 

Also part of the Top 6 is JBK who released the love song “Anong Meron Ka,” composed by Urie Tesorio who is behind the hits “Hayop sa Ganda” and “Ikaw at Ako” of 1:43. Hailing from Mandaluyong City, the trio is composed of Joshua Bulot, Bryan del Rosario and Kim Ordonio. They have a variety of influences that include The Wanted, One Direction, All4one, Boys2Men, Bruno Mars, Jason Mraz and Emblem3, among others.

It was the competition that prompted the three friends to create a group and show their musical skills. “The tagline itself, ‘Dreams Get Real,’ prompted us to join the competition,” says Joshua. “We want that dream to get real. And knowing McJIM is there to back us up, we are very lucky be given an opportunity to represent an undeniably great brand.”

Neo Domingo

Last but not the least is Neo Domingo whose impressive vocals gave life to “Pagbigyan Mo Na,” also penned by Tesorio. Neo is Epifanio Domingo III from Quezon City who plays acoustic pop rock and R&B music and admires John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Bruno Mars and Gary Valenciano. The competition is a way for him to showcase his own composition and hopefully achieve success in the industry and “promote OPM” to a large audience.

The grand champion of the Dreams Get Real talent search will receive cash prize worth P50,000 from McJim Classic Leather, a recording and management contract, and a grant to record a single and release a music video. The Grand Winner will receive P50,000 in cash, a recording and management contract, and a grant to have the official music video of a single. The second placer will win P25,000 in cash and a trophy, while the third place winner will receive P15,000 in cash and a trophy.

“McJim Classic Leather is pulling all the stops in creating a memorable show during the Finals Night,” says Cahilig. “Having gone through an extensive, rigorous search, the Top 6 are poised to have the biggest performance in their budding musical careers. Only one will emerge as winner but I’m confident that, with the right attitude and motivation, all of them will stake their claims in the music industry.”

Like the Official McJIM Classic Leather Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/OfficialMcJIM) and find out how you can support the Top 6 of Dreams Get Real talent search.