A group of graduating dance students from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde is set to premiere Alimuom sa Takip-Silim, a research-driven production critiquing social injustices during the Martial Law era, on Aug. 15 and 16 at the Benilde Design + Arts Campus in Malate, Manila.
Presented by Unfolding Productions, the show is grounded in choreography based on data gathered from historians and sociologists. It explores the use of dance as a form of socio-political commentary and a tool to provoke critical thinking. The production uses the concept of rain as a metaphor to deconstruct narratives shaped by privilege and oppression during what the group describes as one of the darkest chapters in Philippine history.
The four-act drama combines technical dance execution with advocacy. “Alimuom sa Takip-Silim seeks to emphasize the importance of cognitive dissonance in the discussion of historical awareness,” the team said in a statement. “It is a radical reclamation of space and narrative. It uses dance as a tool to disrupt dominant histories and uplift silenced voices – not just to open eyes, but to retell what was seen.”
The show is directed by Lorayne Toledo and co-directed by Jaybee Larioza under the mentorship of Mycs Villoso, Benilde Dance coach and artistic director of the De La Salle University-Manila Dance Company. It features performances by BPAD Dance majors Kyla Enano, Angela Doloroso, Krisalyn Llemit, Justine Ausan, and James Velasquez.
Dramaturgy is provided by Monica Amanda Gana, a dancer with Alice Reyes Dance Philippines, and Aaron Kaiser Garcia, a performance-maker and Benilde Dance talent under the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP). Musical curation is led by composer, musician, educator, and Benilde Music Production alum Snow Toledo.
The production also features the works of photographer Anton Armovit and movement director Natalia Armovit.
Alimuom sa Takip-Silim will be staged at the 5th Floor Theater of the Benilde Design + Arts Campus, 950 Pablo Ocampo Street, Malate, Manila.
Tickets are priced at P350 for regular audiences, P300 for Benilde students, and P250 for senior high school learners. Group rates are available: P1,600 for five regular attendees and P1,350 for five Benildeans.
Ticket registration is available at bit.ly/AlimuonSaTakip-SilimTicketRegistrationForm. For updates, visit tinyurl.com/UnfoldingProductions
