IT WAS indeed a lovely way to spend an afternoon, a delightful time to enjoy watching dance, listening to music and poetry.
That Sunday afternoon sort of ushered in the start of the “new normal” after all the gloominess of the pandemic and lockdowns. What better way to break free from its unintended confines than an afternoon of art appreciation particularly music, poetry and dance?
And it came to pass that Sunday March 13, 2022, at the Park Square Festive Walk Iloilo was the celebration of the culmination of National Arts Month in February and the start of Women’s Month in March with Sayaw, Musika at Tula.
It was an open air affair perfect with a slight breeze and warm sunshine under the watchful eye of the statue of Ilonggo revolutionary hero General Martin Delgado astride his magnificent horse.
The venue was so conducive to art appreciation, a lovely open air park just adjacent to the Iloilo Museum of Modern Art, Emperador Brandy Museum, and surrounded by cafes and coffee shops. You get your caffeine fix while appreciating and enjoying an afternoon of art, dance and music plus a bit of poetry.
The affair was to celebrate women exercising their choices, taking chances to make their voices heard, and trailblazing changes through the arts.
And “I Am Iloilo City” is fortunate to have the Claravall-Gonzalez School of Classical Ballet (CGSCB) – the only school in the Visayas, particularly in Iloilo, to be accredited by the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) London – collaborate with the management of Festive Walk Mall in presenting Sayaw, Musika at Tula, a music, poetry and dance celebration, of the tremendous efforts by women and girls in the arts around the world in shaping a more equal future.
The Claravall-Gonzalez School of Classical Ballet takes pride in the grace and technique of its dancers and its objective to inspire the dance enthusiasts of the Filipino youth. It gathered their students, faculty and Ilonggo artists to present classical ballet pieces, contemporary and hip-hop numbers with special participation of Renz Flores, Miguel Davao, Jomel Garcia, Bea Fernandez and John Anthony S. Estolloso resulting into that Sunday afternoon of artistic delight.
It was a joy to be there and fortunate enough to just sit back and together with a sizeable audience of discerning Ilonggos truly appreciative of the arts. A slight shower in the middle of the program was not even enough to dampen the spirits and enthusiasm of the audience made up mostly of the beautiful people of Iloilo City. They stayed on and just pulled out their umbrellas and hats.
I’m quite sure that the gods of art appreciation, particularly ballet, saw the slight shower was about to spoil the lovely afternoon that in just a few minutes the shower stopped.
And speaking of the beautiful people of Iloilo, the Claravall-Gonzalez School of Classical Ballet is now celebrating its 37th year of committed service and artistic excellence. The school, together with its artistic director, Life-Registered Member and Teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) London, Nila Claravall-Gonzalez, and it’s well-trained faculty continue to carry out its mission to develop the art and appreciation of classical ballet.
By the way, our title “Groovin on a Sunday Afternoon” is a line from a 1967 song by American rock band , The Rascals. The lyrics and beat of the song, a cool jazzy samba on a whimsical Sunday afternoon, seems to be the appropriate title for our article.
And since March is Women’s Month, it is but fitting that I leave you with some excerpts from a poem read that afternoon in Sayaw, Musika at Tula:
I am woman, I am the healer forever beckoned,
I am the mother, Giver of life,
I am the Hearth-Flame and Long-Suffering Wife,
Shall I tell you of wounds, by love and life injured?
Have you bore the pain that no man has endured?/PN
