Dancing in the Park 2016

When you live in a place marked by harsh winters and freezing temperatures, you maximize the outdoor time nature provides you with sunny +20 weather. Yesterday was such a day when we decided to stroll around the Farmer's Market at South Common, the Street Performers Festival at the Churchill Square and the Dancing in the Park at the Alberta Legislative grounds.

Dancing in the Park was a roving performance of five groups - Read Fenton and Happy Hep Cats, Hit that Jive Dance Crew; Tia Kushniruk, Katherine Semchuk (and another girl whose name I missed); CRIPSiE (Collaborative Radically Integrated Performers Society in Edmonton); and Toy Guns Dance Theatre, lead by Artistic Director Jake Hastey. The evening ended with a swing dance lesson and party by Let's Swing Dance.

The reason we went to Dancing in the Park was to see Katherine Semchuk perform again. We were so impressed with her technique, musicality and movement sensibility at the Feats Festival of Dance last July 8, which we watched due to our son's performance with Synaethesis Dance Theatre. We were pleasantly surprised to discover that Katherine was one of the dancers we gave master classes to at Victoria School of Performing Arts, and in Jojo's choreography "Women in Waiting". Amazing dancer.

It was wonderful to see CRIPSiE once again. The first time I saw them was in an Orchesis show at the University of Alberta. I was so moved that I joined them in a movement class at the Glenrose.

Toy Guns Dance Theatre was an absolute delight. It's a pity that it took us a while to know of this group. Easily rectifiable, their next show is at the Fringe. From the title alone, "Watching Netflix at 3am Questioning Your Mortality" you get a sense that you will witness tongue in cheek humour. But you get more - strong and eloquent dancing, clever choreographic counterpoints, movements and musicality that felt Pina Bausch-y. And yes, we found out after the show that he did follow the Pina Bausch company like a groupie (in a good way). Good to know too that there's a little bit of history with choreographer/artistic director Jake Hastey, as our paths have crossed at some point with the Edmonton School of Ballet and Dance Unlimited connections. As mentioned previously, do catch the Toy Guns Dance Theatre's performances at the Fringe Festival. They are so inspiring that I even verbalized the idea of taking their class. Well, let's see how my body and courage will hold up to that.

Needless to say, our foray into outdoor performances yesterday made for one exhilarating experience.

Karilagan Dance Society at the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta

The Karilagan Dance Society is one of the featured performers at the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta on June 11 and 12, 2016 at the Sir Winston Churchill Square.

Karilagan Dance Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1971 from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is composed of Filipino-Canadians who aim to promote and live the Filipino culture and heritage through dances, songs and culture. This group has been travelling, performing and competing in and out of the country taking home major prizes.

For the Fiesta, they will be performing:

Bumaya - Is an Ifugao dance of thanksgiving to their God for a bountiful harvest. The movements of this dance mimic those of a rooster scratching the ground.

Binasuan - Means with the use of a drinking glass. The dancers display good balance, graceful movements, and unusual skills. They dance with three glasses half-full of water, one on their heads and one each in the palm of their hands as they execute continuous fast turns, sitting and rolling on the floor.

Binuyugan - A dance that portrays women fetching water from the well.

Tinikling - Known as the bamboo dance, the national dance of the Philippines. It is a dance imitating the movements of “tikling” birds as they play and chase each other. The dancers show their skills, endurance and grace as they hop and leap between two bamboo poles that are clicked together in time with the music.

Paunjalay - From the island of Mindanao, here is a tribal dance called “Paunjalay” that is traditionally performed by the bride and groom prior to their wedding.

Singkil - A dance of Muslim royalty, to the rhythmic clapping of bamboo poles, the dancers weave expertly through crisscrossed bamboo poles in solemn faces and maintaining a dignified pose dancing at a slow pace as it progresses to a faster tempo.

D'9 Zero Crew at the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta

The D'9 Zero Crew is one of the featured performers in the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta on June 11 and 12, 2016 at the Sir Winston Churchill Square.

The D’9 Zero Crew was formed in October 2015. They are a group of 4 millennials who were teenagers during the 90’s in the Philippines. That’s what the “9 Zero” stands for, the decade of the 90’s. They didn’t know each other then in the Philippines, and just met each other through friends here in Edmonton. They discovered that they all have the same passion, dancing.They all had their own dance crew back then. They claim “We may be old now, don’t have the same body built and can’t perform as energetic as we were before, but our passion for dancing is still burning inside.”

Timpuyog People's Club of Canada at the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta

Timpuyog People's Club of Canada is one of the featured performers in the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta on June 11 and 12, 2016 at the Sir Winston Churchill Square.

Timpuyog People's Club is a non-profit organization founded in the year 2008 which are joined by all Filipino individuals living in Canada regardless of sex, religion, occupation and ethnic diversity with the following objectives:

1. To establish unity and camaraderie among members.
2. To cultivate, understand and promote cultural diversity.
3. To act as a support group to all members in need.

APRICITY at the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta

APRICITY is one of the featured performers in the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta on June 11 and 12, 2016 at the Sir Winston Churchill Square.

APRICITY is an Edmonton-based dance team founded in 2015. APRICITY consists of a group of people who have a passion for dance and are inspired by both Korean Pop and Western urban choreography. Their role models include the popular k-pop group, BTS, and the US-based dance team, Kinjaz.

The performers for the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta include: Catherine Sampaga, Donovan Tung, Mike Truong, Alina Qi, and Julia Sumbilla.

For more information on the group: apricityyeg@gmail.com

For more videos, check APRICITY Official in YouTube.

For more information on the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta:
http://www.thelucilaproject.com/#!edmonton-filipino-fiesta/nsgtp
Facebook: Edmonton Filipino Fiesta
Twitter: @yegpinoyfiesta
Instagram: @yegpinoyfiesta

Word UP at the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta

Word UP is one of the featured performers in the Edmonton Filipino Fiesta on June 11 and 12, 2016 at the Sir Winston Churchill Square.

Word UP is a faith-based dance group, founded in September 2013. Word UP consists of a group of young people who strive to be a positive light in the community. Their mission is to encourage and serve others through dance by performing at various charity/church events and fundraisers. As of September 2015, Word UP also started participating in local dance competitions. This group is inspired by the Bible verse Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

Class is held at the Kore Dance Studio every Tuesday night from 8:15-9:45 p.m.; open to ages 16+; come dance, fellowship and explore your faith with us! To register or for bookings, please contact Lindsay Pantoja at lindsay.piojo@gmail.com or 780-993-8229.

Edmonton Filipino Fiesta 2016

Everyone is invited to Sir Winston Churchill Square on June 11 and 12, 2016 to celebrate Edmonton's first Filipino

Fiesta!

"Fiesta" means festival and they are a renowned tradition of the Philippines. Held in almost every town and province in honour of each locale's patron saint, these joyful and grand celebrations are at the heart of Filipino culture. The fiesta is also about thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest, the blessings of a full life, an observance of local rituals, and a commemoration of local milestones or significant events.

Typically, fiesta activities are held in churches, town plazas or town squares, and homes but often spill into the streets where people of all ages and walks of life take part in parades, processions, and other colourful activities. The celebrations always involve a feast of food and, of course, a lot of music and dancing!

"Edmonton is known as Festival City and well over 40,000 people of Filipino descent call Edmonton home so it seemed a natural fit that we finally celebrate a fiesta here," said Tony Santiago, one of the event organizers. "We are excited to host this fiesta and look forward to sharing our culture and traditions with everyone!"

Edmonton Filipino Fiesta
June 11 and 12, 2016
Churchill Square, Edmonton
Free admission. Donations for the Food Bank are most welcome.

Edmonton Filipino Fiesta will feature something for the entire family:

June 11, Saturday (12 noon to 10 p.m.): mini-parade, talent showcase and street dancing in the Square
June 12, Sunday (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.): Filipino outdoor mass, martial arts workshop, talent showcase
All weekend: bouncy castle, face painting, crafts and story time

A market place with food kiosks, exhibitors and vendors will also be onsite.

Facebook: Edmonton Filipino Fiesta
Twitter: @yegpinoyfiesta
Instagram: @yegpinoyfiesta

Modern Dance/Lyrical Class

Edmonton Performing Groups: Philippine Choral and Pacific Island Dance Troupe

For this issue, I would like to spotlight on two Edmonton performing groups, both of which have shown passion and dedication to their respective artistic endeavors - the Philippine Choral with leaders Artie Atienza, Ray “Bart” Kavinta and Chito Atienza; and the Pacific Island Dance Troup, headed by Emily Soriano.  These two groups we have continually worked with, due to both our respect for their artistic outputs and the friendships we have developed.  They are also featured performers in the upcoming Philippine Arts Festival this June at the University of Alberta’s Myer Horowitz Theatre.

Philippine Choral

The Philippine Choral was formed in 1991 from a group of friends who constantly gathered in basements for karaoke nights.  Fortuitously, they discovered at that time that Mil Villareal, Cebu’s best musical director and regarded by many as a musical genius, was quietly retired in Edmonton.  Through mutual friends, they were able to set up a meeting, and immediately worked on  forming a four voice group.  Within a week they had a four-part choral harmony of the kundiman “Dahil Isang Bulaklak” down pat.  Composing this founding group, among others, were Ferdie Belvis, Onie Nitoral, Rene Alcantara and Delia Marsh - who the other members fondly recall as their Tony Bennett, Ray Valera, Yoyoy Villame and Barbara Streisand, respectively.  And of this original group, five are still active members of the choral - Artie Atienza, Alex de Leon, Chito Atienza, Gilda Yee, Leny Dagondon.

This love of singing then branched out to the local church community in Edmonton.  Currently, they are now one of the most sought after cultural performers for major events, community functions and special promotions throughout the city of Edmonton. And  with these increasing engagements, came an expansion of their repertoire to Filipino, English, Spanish, Italian and French song favorites.  In 1999, they had a major concert at the Winspear - the first Filipino group to perform at this prestigious venue.  This sold out concert featured a 10-piece orchestra, culled from members of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.  Other concerts were held at the Myer Horowitz Theatre and Victoria’s Eva O. Howard Theatre.  They also had a road tour of Filipino restaurants for a period of three weeks.  A pipe dream is a performance of songs of faith, hope and love in a stone-built Catholic cathedral.

Current membership is a high of 24, comprising 8 sopranos, 6 altos, 5 tenors and 5 bass, always of Filipino descent.  An exception however, was made when Angela Chen, of Taiwanese descent and who earned her Master’s Degree in Music and Voice from a conservatory in Vienna, wanted to join.  Fluent in 6 languages, she was able to tackle the Filipino lyrics competently.  Membership is open to both professionals and non-professionals, Filipino or non-Filipino - the essential requirement being a pure love for singing.

Moving on to its third decade of existence, the group shows no signs of slowing down.  For the members, their continued rehearsals is a source of therapy and a good excuse to share food and drinks.  It has enabled them to simultaneously fulfill a passion and establish friendships.  This all together gives a whole new meaning to their title as Musical Ambassadors of Filipino-Canadian Goodwill.

Pacific Island Dance Troupe

Last April 20, the Pacific Island Dance Troupe had their 7th Luau, and indeed it turned out to be a night of hawaiian/polynesian dancing, games, and good food.  On hand were booths for face painting, photo booths, crafts table, and jewelry.  People came decked in Hawaiian attire and reveled in the performances of hula, tahitian, and a few modern take dances.  The event showed all the traits of the indefatigable Emily Soriano, who harnessed her years of experience as a cultural dancer in the Philippines, an event organizer, her good eye for design and penchant for fun.  This group, who not only performs Hawaiian/Polynesian dances but also Philippine folk dances, has consistently participated in Heritage Days and community events.  It adds another dimension to the interesting landscape of Filipino offerings in the Edmonton arts scene.

* This was written for and published in May 2012 issue of Pinoy Times.

Celebrating the Filipino Artist - the Philippine Arts Festival

Philippine Choral

Filipino artists take center stage in the Philippine Arts Festival on June 23, 2012 at the University of Alberta’s Myer Horowitz Theatre.  On its 2nd offering, the festival is a bi-yearly celebration of the arts, life and the spirit of the Philippines.  It is a multi-disciplinary festival of theatre, dance, classical and contemporary music, film, literature, visual arts, design and more.

Filipino-Canadian Saranay Association

A brainchild of yours truly as Festival Director and choreographer Jojo Lucila as Artistic Director, the Philippine Arts Festival aims to increase awareness and promote the public’s appreciation of Philippine arts and culture; collaborate with artists and companies by initiating and producing new work; provide artists of all ages and at all stages of their career with greater exposure, recognition, networking opportunities and professional development; and to forge unity and community spirit within the Filipino community.

So what was the impetus for this project?  Living in another country lends a new perspective on your own culture - things that one tend to take for granted.  I have worked with foreign artists in the past who have remarked on the incredible talent of the Filipinos, and all the while I thought that they were merely paying lip service.  Now, far removed from my home country, I realize that they were simply stating a fact.  And Filipino artists, all over the globe and in various disciplines, continue to give us pride and honor with their work.

Through this Philippine Arts Festival, we salute our artists and provide them a vehicle to showcase their talent, works and legacy.  We remember our country and the people who have shaped our culture through their art and became a voice for society.  We bank on the solidarity and bayanihan spirit that Filipinos are known for, no matter where in the world they may be.  So that at least for a couple of hours, in this festival, when we come together as a community and celebrate the core of our being - we bring the Filipino back home.

This year’s festival will headline the Filipino themes of love and romance, the traditional games of skills, the fiestas (feasts), and the social issue of Filipino migrants.  It will gather about 70 artists from Edmonton, Vancouver and Red Deer.  Featured artists include: Vancouver-based filmmaker Angelina Cantada, who has proven herself in film festival circuits in the US and Canada; the long-standing Filipino-Canadian Saranay Association; musical arranger Geris; the authentic Filipino martial arts Pekiti-Tirsia Kali - Alberta; the much sought after Philippine Choral; the versatile dancers of The Lucila Project; the Pacific Island Dance Troupe; the folk dance sector of the Phil. Canadian Association of Red Deer & District; and Pinoy Singing Sensation young champion Wency Calderon.  Lixmila Serrano of Gala Management and Event Services joins our team as Executive Producer.

* This was written for and published in the April 2012 issue of Pinoy Times.

Year in Review - the Philippine Arts in 2011

The year end is always a time to look back on the year past - as reflection, as learning, as an inspiration in facing the future.  Here, we review the biggest news and achievements in the Philippine arts scene, culled from direct information, news and the social media, focusing on Filipinos around the world.

Dance

• Candice Adea and Jean Marc Cordero, principal dancers of Ballet Philippines, garnered Special Awards in the Boston International Ballet Competition, winning the lead roles for a Russian ballet performance and in addition for Candice, the Maris Liepa Prize for Outstanding Artistry.
• in Edmonton, choreographer/director Jojo Lucila was one of the City’s Awardees for the Cultural Diversity in the Arts Award.

Film

Matthew Labatique, cinematographer for "Black Swan"

• Nino, a film portrait on the decline of a wealthy family by director Loy Arcenas, was awarded the $30,000 top prize New Currents at the Busan Film Festival in South Korea.  This festival is one of Asia’s most important showcases.
• Auraeus Solito’s Busong won the FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) International Critics Prize at the Eurasia International Film Festival, Kazakhstan.  Busong is a native Palawanon’s term for fate or instant karma. The film tackles the environmental degradation in Palawan and stars acclaimed actress Alessandra da Rosi.
• Matthew Libatique, Filipino cinematographer of “Black Swan” won the Best Cinematography prize in the Independent Spirit Awards in California.  He was also nominated in the Academy Awards for his work on the same film, and in the same category.
• the documentary program Storyline created by writer Patricia Evangelista and filmmaker Paolo Villaluna bagged two medals in the New York Festivals International TV and Film Awards
• 18 year old Paulo Reyes won the top prize for his film First Steps to Recovery in a global film competition by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation.  The judging panel included Hugh Jackman, Jet Li, Wendi Murdoch, and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, among others.
• Bisperas (Trespassers) won the Best Asian-Middle Eastern Film Award at the 24th Tokyo International Film Festival.  Directed by Jeffrey Jeturian, the film is about a family whose house is burglarized on Christmas Eve and amid the tension brought about by the burglary, the members of the family realize how treasured sentiments have been lost and relationships have evolved. 
• Cannes 2009 best director Brillante Mendoza’s independent film Lola got the Best Film award, and actors Anita Linda and Rustica Carpio tied for the Best Actress award, at the Tehran International Film Festival in Iran. This same film was also recognized at the 8th Asian Film Festival in Rome, won the Best Film at the Dubai International Filmfest, Grand Knight Award, the Miami International Filmfest and was also featured in the Tribeca International Film Fest in New York last April. 

Literature

• political prisoner Ericson Acosta was named a finalist in the prestigious 2011 Imprisoned Artist Prize in the Freedom to Create Award Festival in Cape Town, South Africa.  The award is given to artists who are incarcerated because of their courage and creativity in pursuing their art, and the role of their work in highlighting injustice.  He bested more than 2,000 nominees from 145 countries by a jury consisting of Hollywood actress Daryl Hannah, novelist Salman Rushdie and ballet icon Mikhail Baryshnikov.
• Jose Antonio Vargas, a former reporter for The Washington Post who shared a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the Virginia Tech massacre, revealed in The New York Times magazine that he is an illegal immigrant and has been hiding it for nearly 20 years.

Music

Maria Aragon with Lady Gaga

• rise to fame of YouTube sensation Maria Aragon for her cover of Lady Gaga’s song, and Thia Meguia for her entry in American Idol
• Karla Maye Carreon was declared grand champion in the vocalist category in the K-pop World Festival in South Korea.  

Theater

• the passing away of National Artist Salvador Bernal

Visual Arts

• Mideo Cruz’s controversial installation Poleteismo, which mixed Catholic icons with pop culture and sexual imagery, caused a public uproar and debate on artistic freedom and resulted in the shutting down of the exhibit at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
• Rodel Tapaya was awarded the Signature Arts Grand Prize 2011, at the Singapore Arts Museum.  The winning entry selected from 15 artworks shortlisted from 130 nominations from 24 countries was Baston ni Kabunian, Bilang Pero di Mabilang (Cane of Kabunian, numbered but cannot be counted), an acrylic on canvas.
• the entries of photographers Reynaldo C. Mondez and Romeo B. Doneza, Solar Energy Panels and World Wide respectively, won top prizes in an Asia-Pacific Economic Competition, besting 204 photos from 95 other photographers.
• George Tapan won the National Geographic Photo Contest - Places Category.  The most prestigious international photo contest, 20,000 photographs from 130 countries were submitted.  George is the first Filipino to ever win, and on his first submission too.  The winning photo showcased the beaches of Palawan.
• winning entry in the International International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment was 13-year old Trisha Co Reyes’ work showing a young girl pulling back a large grey curtain covered in images of dying trees in a polluted landscape, to reveal a colorful forest filled with abundant life.  She was formally presented the award in Indonesia by the United Nations Environment Programme.
• Ifugao native Gilbert Bergano Alberto won the Silver Award and the Prix du Public (Audience Choice Award) at the 10th International Sculpture Symposium in Geneva for his sculpture A sitting old Igorot Man playing a Gong.

George Tapan's photo for National Geographic

* This article was written for the January 2012 issue of Pinoy Times.

The Lucila Project at the Alberta Arts Days - A. Blair McPherson School, Edmonton

All across Alberta, from Sept. 30 - Oct. 2 were events marking Alberta Arts Days.  Alberta Arts Days began in 2008 as a one-day event to recognize the value of Alberta’s arts and cultural communities.  Since then, it has expanded into a vibrant, three day province-wide celebration that has helped inspire the creation of Culture Days, showcasing the province’s artists, arts organizations and cultural identities, while encouraging Albertans to discover the important role the arts plays in developing a prosperous, vibrant society.  This year, a total of 64 host celebration sites were chosen by the Govt. of Alberta Culture and Community Spirit.

This is a brainchild of Minister of Culture and Community Spirit Lindsay Blackett, who says “We’ve got so many great artists of all different types and genres in all different places, we have to come together as a province to celebrate it.”  He fondly refers this as the “Pied Piper” project, “We’re just going to keep adding people until every Albertan joins in, like the Pied Piper.”

In Edmonton, the three day event was marked in various ways: free admission to provincially owned historic sites, attractions and museums; Film & Writing workshops, and a Storytelling Festival at the Edmonton Public Library; tours of the Winspear and Citadel Theatres; Edmonton Symphony Orchestra open rehearsals and special performances; InFuse, by the National Black Coalition of Canada, Edmonton chapter; and workshops and exhibits from the artists at the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts.  Two schools were also chosen to participate in this Alberta Arts Days Initiative: the Bishop Greschuk Elementary School and the A. Blair McPherson School.

Amongst the artists showcased at the A. Blair McPherson (ABM) School Alberta Arts Days Celebration is The Lucila Project. This is a dance company specializing in modern ballet pieces infused with Philippine traditional customs and images.  Under the artistic direction of Jojo Lucila and Ida Beltran-Lucila, they held a dance photo exhibit, conducted a lecture-demonstration dance class and presented dances ranging from the contemporary, lyrical, athletic and tribal styles.  Their participation introduced the community to Philippine ethnic dances and traditions, music and modern ballet technique.

Other performers/artists at the ABM were: West African Dance Troupe (interactive workshop); French, German and Italian opera; traditional Indian dance; Prince Charles School Fiddlers and Dancers; Rosslyn School Chinese and Lion Dancers; 3rd Street Beat; Beaumont Society School of Dance; Bobby Boogaloo; Cindy Clarke The Clay Teacher; City Arts Centre Director’s Cut Program; Gail de Vos (Storyteller); Gail Sobat (Author); Jeff Hendrick (Saxophonist, Soul-singer, Songwriter & Canadian Producer); Shelley’s Dance Company; and Les Bucheron French Canadian Display.

It was a great couple of days for participating in art, dance and improvisation workshops, viewing exhibits, watching performances and shopping in the International Market.  The general feedback is enthusiasm for next year’s celebration, proving the concept of the Alberta Arts Days as a “Pied Piper” project.

* This article was written for and published in Pinoy Times, October 2011 issue.

Mayor's Arts Visioning Committee - Edmonton as a Cultural Hub

I was fortunate enough to be a part of a Discovery Dialogue for Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel's Arts Visioning Committee last August 10.  Co-chaired by Dianne Kipnes and Brian Webb, the committee was tasked to understand and develop how Edmonton can use arts and culture to promote citizens' pride in the city through 2035 and beyond.  In the kick-off event "Think Tank for the Arts" last June that brought together artists, entrepreneurs, activists, performers, students, developers and community leaders, Mayor Stephen Mandel remarked that "Arts and culture form the very heart and spirit of a community, and are the things from which great cities are made.  I believe that Edmonton's vibrant arts community, knack for creativity and innovation, and unique multicultural character position us for success. This Think Tank event is about listening and working with the community to start to pull together an integrated and coordinated plan to raise the profile of arts in our city."

The Discovery Dialogues were the next round of consultations with various sectors of the community undertaken by the committee over the summer. Present were Councilor Ben Henderson, Dick Wong of the City Arts Council, Brian Webb and John Mahon, Executive Director of the Edmonton Arts Council. There were also representatives from various cultural communities engaged in the different arts - dance, music, opera, literature and the visual arts. The discussion centered around concepts and sharing of experiences on gaps in the Edmonton arts community, strategies, integration of arts and the business community, possible arts venues/locations, mentorship program, opportunities for emerging but mature artists, networking opportunities, festivals, free or low cost space, more quality performing venues, grants and other sources of revenue, artist recognition and integration of the arts further into the civic fabric.

The next round will be business, design and architecture stakeholder conversations on transforming and repurposing identified areas. These include the Rossdale Power Generation Station and riverfront plaza, MacEwan Centre for the Arts and Communications, Quarters area, downtown area and airport lands. Topics will include developing and planning the details about the amenities, programs and services that can be offered in these locations. The report with recommendations is targeted to be submitted by the Arts Visioning Committee to City Council by end of the year.

Ida Beltran-Lucila with Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel

It is gratifying to see that in these times of financial uncertainty, city government is pulling out all the stops in raising the profile of the arts and elevating it across the city, whereas other governments may be inclined to relegate it to the bottom of the priority list. After all, in the words of Mayor Mandel, "If we truly want to focus on attracting business and creating a superior quality of life for Edmontonians, we must start with the creative industry of our citizens... Opening our city up to the kind of creative excellence and energy that drives the arts industry is good business.  The arts can be a valuable economic driver for region."  Indeed, Edmonton will prove itself to be a good place for people, especially artists, to be.


* this article was written for Pinoy Times, published in September 2011 issue

Performance for Atienza - Wolfaardt Wedding

Jojo Lucila conceptualized a surprise number to celebrate the union of Mia Atienza and Ulli Wolfaardt last May 2011 at the Matrix Hotel.  With the Philippine Choral Group and select dancers of The Lucila Project,  it was a presentation of Philippine and South African songs and dance that brought everyone, especially the bride and groom and their family, to tears.

2011 Summer Dance Workshop