2012-11-21
The Filipino community and their friends in Ontario received an early Christmas gift last 07 November when the Bayanihan performed for one night at the Cardinal Carter Theater in Toronto. The show was organized by the Bayanihan Ontario 2012 Core Organizing Group composed of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto, Philippine Embassy in Ottawa and volunteers from the Filipino community.
Fresh from providing cheer and inspiration to jam-packed audiences in New York and Washington, D.C. in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Bayanihan gave a wonderfully enchanting performance which featured the “Amorsolo Suite”, a tribute to the Philippines’ first National Artist, Fernando Amorsolo. Each segment of the suite depicted the idyllic life in the countryside, a subject much-loved by the great painter, which ended with the dancers in tableaux that were juxtaposed with projected masterpieces of Amorsolo, to the amazed delight of the audience.
Another highly applauded number was the “Mindanao Mosaic” with vigorous tribal rhythms and cadences that evoked Arabian and Indo-Malayan influences. Bayanihan’s requirement for authenticity and deep research in the dances it creates was further showcased in “Traditions Renewed” which was inspired by the ancient rituals and traditions in the highlands of Mindanao and in the Sulu Archipelago.
The charm of rural life in the Philippines scintillated in “People under the Sun” with such well-loved numbers as Pandanggo Oasiwas, Maglalalatik, Sa Kabukiran, Subli, Bahay Kubo, Bangko and Tinikling.
“Intramuros of Memory” toasted four centuries of Spanish influence through Cancion, En La Luneta, Bravo Cavitena, Habanera de Dilao and El Cani, while the “Fiesta Extravaganza” was an intoxicating blend of movement, colors, sounds and forms in celebration of a bountiful harvest and to give thanks for blessings received.
The audience thanked the Bayanihan for their outstanding artistry with a thunderous standing ovation. The show left the audience enlightened, inspired and even more proud of the Philippines and its culture. Bayanihan’s next visit is eagerly anticipated.