May malaking dance festival ang ongoing simula June 3 sa Circuit Makati. Ito ang EVOLT International Dance Festival 2019 na produced ng Istudyo ni Pipay Co.
Isa itong weeklong event na may libreng dance workshops na bukas sa publiko, dance competition mula sa mga university based at community based dance groups sa buong bansa. Kabilang sa mga hurado ay ang mga kilalang choreographers/dancers tulad nina Julie Borromeo, Regine Tolentino, Frank Rivera, at iba pa.
Sa June 8 naman ang culminating event sa pamamagitan ng isang dance concert na pangungunahan ni Gary Valenciano at sa direksiyon ni Paolo Valenciano.
Kabilang din sa concert ang iba pang artists na kilala rin sa larangan ng sayaw tulad nina Billy Crawford, Darren Espanto, Gab Valenciano, AC Bonifacio, at ang mga K-pop groups na Chic Angel at Rion Five.
Si Gary V ang nakausap ng media sa press conference para sa EVOLT International Dance Festival na ginanap sa Relish Restaurant, Quezon City.
Hindi maitago ni Mr. Pure Energy ang excitement sa pinakamalaking dance festival na mangyayari sa bansa.
“If I could be there everyday of the week, I sincerely would be there,” lahad niya.
“I’m excited to see what these young people have prepared, from the eyes of the very seasoned performer like myself.
“I’m really looking forward to it.”
Sabi pa niya, “To be honest with you, there are so many artists that long to step up on stage but many times, what expected of them is to sing or to act.
“Because dancing...people think that it’s a simple thing to do, but it’s not. So the country has been blessed with so many talents that even abroad, I think, it’s tantamount to say that it’s not just the singers that we the Filipinos have, incredible actors and dancers as well.”
“Actually, noong ginawa namin ang World of Dance Philippines, marami talaga ang sumali na talagang kakaiba ang style.
“So basically, almost every group, every individual dancers was world class, they really prepared for that. Now, it’s an entire week and the public would be able to interact.
“There will be dance workshops and it’s not just one day, it’s several days.”
Kilala si Gary V bilang performer, hindi lang singer kung hindi bilang isang mahusay na dancer rin mula noon hanggang ngayon.
Kaya tinanong namin ito kung may partikular ba siyang hinahanap o gustong makita sa mga magko-compete.
“I don’t know kung meron pa kaming hinahanap or meron pa kaming nais na ibigay sa mga taong naniniwala sa sarili. Hindi sa mayabang na pangalan, but those who know na meron silang talent, pero wala silang avenue to express this.
“Now, with the workshops, at least, meron silang makikilalang iba-ibang grupo and not just iba-ibang grupo, but professionals that will be there to encourage, to teach and to have workshop talaga.
“Kasi, when you dance, it’s not just coming up on stage, then galaw-galaw. Kasi, ang dami ng nakakagawa no’n.
“There are elements and ingredients na kailangan ng isang dancer. Para kapag nakita ng tao, yung dating, isang bagay na hindi malilimutan ng mga manonood.”
Natatandaan namin na mismong si Gary V ang nagsasabi na gusto naman niya ngayon, makapag-mentor ng mga promising young artists.
Kaya natuwa ito na dumating ang EVOLT sa kanya.
“It was not originally part of the entire plan that I have for the next year. Pero noong nilapitan ako ni Paolo [Valenciano], my son and he said, 'Dad, there’s a project coming up and it’s a dance fest.'
“And when he said the word dance fest, yung pressure na, naku, ‘eto na naman, sasayaw na naman ako. Parang nawala yung pressure kasi hindi concert ko.”
Nakaharap at nakausap din ni Gary V ang ilan sa mga dancers na magko-compete at sinabi nga raw niyang ang mga ito ang stars ng show.
“People are going to watch them and will have to choose among the dancers. Kami nila Billy [Crawford], people have seen us perform time and time again.
“So, I wish I I could be around to watch every performer perform because I know, it would be jaw-dropping ang mga performances ng bawat isa.”
Hindi kaila sa publiko ang pinagdaanan ni Gary V noong isang taon sa kanyang kalusugan. Bukod sa pagiging diabetic niya sa matagal ng panahon, dumaan pa si Gary V sa open heart surgery at kidney surgery.
Sa kabila ng mga ito, binigyan na raw siya ng 100 percent go signal ng doctor niya pagdating sa pagsasayaw.
“Right now, yes,” saad niya.
“I’m 100 percent. The doctor said, 'Go, you can actually push yourself Gary, it’s fine.' But on a personal standpoint, I feel na it’s just not my health, it’s also my age.
“So I have to be able to balance everything so that even when I’m dancing with younger people, I won’t look like I’m slowing down or what. That’s one thing I cannot do and I will never do.
“But yeah, I’m actually going to start preparing very soon for my big concert which is actually happening next year. It’s happening sometime April or March, that’s the target.
“Pero ngayon pa lang, I wanna start talking about it, working on it and see what we can come up with.”
Ika-36 na taon na rin ni Gary V sa entertainment industry sa 2020.