Contempalaban: Lockdown Edition, a month-long online competition that challenged performers to showcase their creativity, resourcefulness and skills through a series of improvised challenges, has awarded young contemporary dancer Daphne Tamondong as the Grand Champion.
For her winning act, Tamondong, a resident artist with Hiraya Contemporary Dance Company and a member of Kinection, had to portray a “person who swallowed an atomic bomb”. She explored and maximized her interpretation as she moved to the beats of Lemon World by Australian alternative psychedelic rock band Ocean Valley.
Meanwhile, runner-up Eiana Nova, a Zambales-based hip-hop dancer and a member of powerhouse troupe A-Team PH, was asked to interpret “a hatching snake egg” scenario. The two-time Contempalaban finalist displayed her versatility to the tune of Kailan Tayo Sasayaw by Filipino musical artist Frank Ely.
Contempalaban aims to provide a platform for artists of all ages and all genres. The event wishes to bring and promote the art form in the digital landscape.
The competition, which started from a pool of participants, underwent a series of qualifying rounds that required the dancers to improvise using the music and props designated by officials.
The challenge was hosted by the award-winning Saint Benilde Romançon Dance Company (SBRDC)-Contemporary, the resident dance team of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
Contempalaban: Lockdown Edition was judged by a roster of experts including Erl Sorilla, Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Dance Workshop resident dancer, teacher and choreographer and long-time Ballet Philippines dancer; Zyda Baaya, former Ballet Philippines company scholar, dance mentor, Daloy Dance Company senior member and SBRDC alumna; and Jom Vidal, dance instructor and former SBRDC company manager.
Watch the final performances on the official Facebook page of SBRDC at https://www.facebook.com/romancondanceco.benilde.