Iloilo Prima Galaw turns one
Dream. Discover. Inspire.
According to Pablo Picasso, "Everything you can imagine is real."
Multitude of talents is God-given and those who are born with it have the responsibility to make use and share it to the society for them to bring glory to God Almighty. This is what the Iloilo Prima Galaw Productions (IPG) believe in.
IPG Productions is a fresh, vibrant, talented and budding Ilonggo performing arts group founded by the brilliant stage director and choreographer, Romie John Delariarte whose works include: Fiddler on the Roof, Minda Mora, Walang Sugat, Sound of Music, Peter Pan, Sayaw Paraiso, and the latest, Ang Sistema ni Propesor Tuko. His latest opus, Ang Kuripot was presented at the Cultural Center of the Philippines for the CCP’s Fellowship Program.
IPG consists of all professionals and specialized in their own performing arts field; be it in music, dance theatre, visual arts, creative writing and journalism.
In what went before, IPG has won in local, regional and national competitions in dance, band, writing, theatre and music. They also performed in various places in the Philippines.
IPG with the representatives of Cultural
Center of the Philippines.
IPG gives excellent musical presentations like songs, band and dances to various events like parties, celebrations, corporate shows, concerts and other social gatherings.
It also gives seminar-workshops in music, dance, theatre, visual arts, speech, creative writing and journalism.
Here are the different activities that IPG has been up to since their debut. Surely, it will spark your interest and fascination, so keep reading…
Last August 25 and 30, 2008, IPG held a two-day Journalism workshop at St. Paul Barotac Viejo with their elementary and high school students. They paid attention to and enjoyed topics on Journalism Ethics, News-Writing, Editorial Writing, Editorial Cartooning, Column Writing, Feature Writing, Creative Writing, Photojournalism and Photography. The speakers of this workshop were Ms. Leolette Esther Hubag and Ma. Krizia Ledesma, Vice-Presidents of the IPG.
Members of IPG inside the office.
September 11 and 12, 2009 was considered to be the big days of the play of “Ang Sistema ni Propesor Tuko.” IPG succeeded in its debut stage production. The grand play in one act that was staged at CAP Auditorium gained good and positive feedbacks and the warmest applause from the Ilonggo audience.
“Ang Sistema ni Propesor Tuko” by Alfredo Santos is a comedy in Filipino which illustrates the challenges of educating the youth, the hope of the fatherland. We gain profound thoughts through the humorous and sensible characters of Propesor Tuko and his pupils. It is like entering grade school years again and listen to the lectures likened to archaic books. We join in the mirthful frolics as the pupils tussle to make sense of what they are being taught and what they should be learning.
Theatre & Dance Workshops.
On the Gala night of September 11th still at the CAP Auditorium, the IPG presented a launching of the production’s profile, background and purpose. It was entwined into a magical storyline with a twist of music, ballet, jazz, modern dance and a touch of theatre.
On the 25th of September, IPG had its launching held at SM City. It was this evening that IPG has officially sent off to leave the city in admiration and appreciation as it was formally introduced to the public. This artistic organization which focuses on theatre, music, visual arts and dance aimed to share their talents and skills for the Ilonggos to enjoy a new genre of entertainment.
Last October 3 and 4, 2008, IPG in collaboration with Angelicum School Iloilo held a two-day theatre workshop for the members of Teatro Angelico. The said workshop aimed to develop the innate abilities of the learners in acting. The speaker for the said workshop was Romie John Delariarte, director and choreographer of IPG.
The Cast during rehearsals.
Iloilo Prima Galaw Productions in its aim to share talents and gifts to others conducted a series of dance and theatre workshops to the students of Georgia International Academy (GIA), Savannah Campus last August to October 2008 and May to June 2009. The participants which are composed of learners from grade school to high school spent their Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings with the group spearheaded by the president of IPG, Mr. Romie John Delariarte.
Enthusiasm and enjoyment can be seen in the faces of children as they explore and expose their inherent abilities in dancing and acting. “It’s great to see that our learners are developing their talents for them to also share these in the future just like what you are doing now,” said Mrs. Emily Tenerife, Principal of GIA. IPG trained the participants the basics of theatre and dance. They also choreographed a dance presentation which was brought before their parents, teachers and classmates last October 29, 2008. The group is also organizing a dance and theatrical production to be staged in SM City Iloilo.
IPG is not all stage productions, reaching out to others and sharing their blessedness are also goals of the organization. Last November, the group was invited to teach a dance presentation to the children of Dominican Girls Home. There, the group realized that sharing may not always be through material things but can be through time, talents and gift of selves. The smiles and the enthusiasm of the children towards what are being taught lightened the atmosphere. The dance presentation taught by the IPG won 2nd place in a contest held by ABS-CBN Bantay Bata Foundation. The IPG group also held a half-day theatrical workshop with the Dominican Girls Home at Medicus PPTS, Gomez Street organized by Mr. Nikko Chua.
Again, on November 21, 2008, IPG staged successfully its unveiling production with the socially-relevant play, “Ang Sistema ni Propesor Tuko” at the CAP Auditorium of San Jose, Antique.
"It has given a perfect lesson to all students and teachers wherein each one of us should cooperate for the improvement of our schools and the future of our children," says Myrna C. Cortejo, a government official in Antique who was invited to watch the play. Various schools were invited to witness the presentation. "It was the most beautiful comedy show I have ever seen," stated by Bill Jasper Galero, a student from Antique National School (ANS). Thanks to the sponsors and the many people who made this provincial tour possible and a success.
"Ang Sistema ni Propesor Tuko" again left the Ilonggo audience entertained and in amazement as its curtains closed last December 11, 2008. The restage was a huge success. The said reshowing was made more special with the presence of two representatives from the Cultural Center of the Philippines namely Ms. Clottie Gealogo-Lucero, officer-in charge of the Dramatic Division and Mr. Ricardo Cruz, officer-in-charge of Production Design.
The CCP, for the past 39 years, has been supporting a multitude of cultural and arts groups and organizations all over the country in different capacities.
IPG too celebrates Christmas with Iloilo City with their fundraising activity, Daigon 2008 in the pursuit of creative workshops scheduled for the children of Dominican Girls Home. Certainly it was giving of love and sharing of talents for IPG members.
Last March 28, 2009, IPG was also one in celebrating the “Earth Hour” at SM City. Earth Hour is a global event organized by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature, also known as World Wildlife Fund) and is held on the last Saturday of March annually, asking households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights and other electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on Climate Change. As an IPG member, we also uphold values such as Maka-kalikasan and serve as an inspiration to be environmentally conscious and aware of our surroundings.
Throughout 2008 and 2009, IPG has constant Arangkada and Istayl Naton exposures to give entertainment and inspiration to the television viewers and audiences through the arts.
IPG had series of intermission numbers combining a music rendition, ballet, interpretative dance and ethnic-folk dance-jazz combination in Providence and SM City. It definitely entertained and livened up the program.
Our IPG President, Romie John Delariarte, had a CCP Scholarship entitled, “2009 Fellowship Program for Theatre Directing” under Mr. Tony Mabesa. He did excerpts of Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, Passion of Christ, Ang Kuripot at the Bulwagang Huseng Batute at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Now he is considered one of the artists in residency at CCP. Congratulations to our very own, Ilonggo pride, Mr. Delariarte.
Last May 1, 2009, IPG invited Mrs. Christine Genzola-Terrenal, Globe Telecom Representative, to be the resource speaker for its 1st STEP-UP Seminar. Ms. Terrenal talked about marketing strategies and techniques. This is the start for the series of developmental seminars that the members will undergo in order to give quality services and entertainment to the Ilonggos.
Talking earlier about the combination of Nature and the Arts, Ms. Ma. Krizia Ledesma, IPG Vice-President for Program and Activities attended the 1st International World Creative Youth Forum. The forum organizing committee was headed by Brotherhood of Destiny (BROOD), Inc. and Children of the World 2000 of HRH Prince Frederick Saxe-Lauenberg together with the following organizations: Children of the Earth/World Spirit Youth Council Centre for Human Development and Social Transformation (CHDST) International Centre for Conflict & Human Rights Analysis. It was held last May 5 -10, 2009 in UP Diliman National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP-NCPAG), Quezon City Philippines. The event called upon young people to take proactive action towards building a sustainable future. Ms. Ledesma, aside from being a nurse, proved that being an environmental advocate and an artist is a terrific blend.
May 14, 2009 was our second STEP-UP Seminar with Mr. Luisito Nario, a Batangueño and a fellow CCP delegate of Mr. Delariarte in the 2009 Fellowship Program Specializing in Dance. Likewise, he is a dance and theatre practitioner and a consultant and director of performing arts in Lipa City. The seminar was entitled, “A Contemporary Dance.” The said seminar was successful and it ended with a bang. The IPG members were able to gain knowledge on the basics of Contemporary dances and get to articulate more their artistic, creative and flexible movements.
Ms. Leolette Esther Hubag, IPG Vice-President for Trainings and Development, attended the four-day Andaya in Theatre Workshop on Basic Playwriting conducted by Mr. Glen Sevilla Mas held at the Negros Museum on May 21 – 24, 2009. The Playwriting Seminar-Workshop was organized by the Negros Museum and Teotrokon and West Visayas Theatre Network in cooperation with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts under Mr. Glen Mas. Ms. Hubag was the only participant from Iloilo City and she was together with participants coming from Negros and Roxas. Among their activities were the following: Introduction to Drama, Writing Exercises, Making of Beat sheets and Discussion on different plays which included Amit Gupta’s One True Love, Tennessee Williams’ the Glass Menagerie and Glen Mas’ Rite of Passage. Their output was that each participant was made to come up with a beat sheet for his or her original play. From there, write a complete scene. The script undergoes critiquing by Glen Mas and by peers twice and then polished. Playwriting is said to be the art or technique of writing plays. Truly, we are geared towards an enhanced IPG and better entertainment for our audiences. Cheers to Ms. Hubag!
This 2009, IPG will stage Oedipus Rex, Sophocles’ most famous tragedy. This will be presented on September 10-11, 2009 at the CAP auditorium. Matinee shows at 2pm and gala shows at 6 pm.
Iloilo Prima Galaw Productions, preparing to be Iloilo Prima Galaw, Inc. celebrated its first year anniversary last June 6, 2009 at the Activity Center of SM City Iloilo and June 20, 2009 in the Fountain Area of Robinson’s Place Iloilo. It was certainly a treat for all senses as the group showed their artistic prowess through various musical presentations featuring the talents of Georgia International Academy and students taking classes in their office at Medicus PPTs.
As I close this, I leave you with a quotation by Charles Horton Cooley, he said that, “an artist cannot fail; it is a success to be one.” We are artists in our own little, individual and unique ways; we just have to find that spark innate in us.
Let IPG lead the way.