Incumbent Manila Mayor Isko Moreno re-lived his showbiz stint, gyrating to the chorus of Timmy Thomas' “Dying Inside To Hold You,” a dance hit in the Philippines during the 1990s.
This was after the crowds started chanting "Sample! Sample!" as he was apologizing for being tardy to the concert, saying his duties as city mayor delayed him.
Fans were also thrilled when former Abztract Dancers member Dingdong Dantes also joined the party.
This was during the '90s Dance Concert: Panahon Ko 'To held recently at the ABS-CBN Vertis Tent in Ayala Vertis North.
"Hindi pa kami laos!" (We are not has-beens!) was the message that the participants at the concert all set out to prove. The concept is novel for the Philippines: gather some of the most popular dance groups of the 1990s to dance--and nothing else. It became a reunion set to music which, for those who grew up in that generation, was the best!
DANCE CONCERT FOR ‘90s KIDS
The concert began as promised, at 8 p.m. with performances by Lei Bautista formerly of the band Prettier Than Pink, who covered '90s band The Cranberries' “Zombie” and her own band's cover of Cinderella's ”Ang Boyfriend Kong Baduy.” She enthralled the impatient crowd with her greatest hit, “Cool Ka Lang,” which she jokingly referred to as "anthem ng traffic."
Next, Andrew E. took to the stage and got the crowd going with just a handful of his hits (many of whose lyrics do not hold up well in this more enlightened time--as we like to think of it): “'Wag Kang Gamol,” “Binibi Rocha,” “Banyo Queen,” and “Humanap Ka Ng Pangit.”
The audience sang--well, rapped--along. The noise level went to fever pitch as the rapper took off his jacket and offered it as a reward to the noisiest audience member. In the end, a meter beside me, two women were clutching either end of it and after many pulls from both sides, they decided to settle it within some good old fashioned "bato, bato, pick." Talk about nostalgia!
THROWBACK TUNES
With energy levels on maximum, the dance show started. Each group was introduced via an AVP of clips from their performances and narration. Then, they danced feverishly to something less of a medley and more of a heady mix. First to perform were X-People followed by Kidz At Work. Then, the headliners emerged one after the other:
The Manoeuvres, dressed in their signature boy-next-door cool, launched into some of their iconic dances, including: Rump Shaker, Too Close, This Is How We Do It, Look In Her Eyes, U Can't Touch This, Let's Groove, Pray, 2 Legit 2 Quit.
Still displaying the acrobatics for which they were known, the Streetboys came onstage and danced to some of their album hits like: Selfish, Horny, On Ne S'Aimera Plus Jamais, Dreams, Ging Gang Gooly, Gettin' Jiggy With It, Friends, Automatic.
Members of the Universal Motion Dancers dressed, all in white and channeling boybands, started with Everybody then All 4 Love. Then they diversified with Shine Like A Star, Quit Playing Games (With My Heart), Get Down (You're The One For Me), Oh Carolina, Binibi Rocha, Oh Carol, What's Going On.
CONCERTED EFFORT
Thankfully, it was not just a series of groups performing 10-minute numbers, granted, still with their signature moves, but distracted by too many laser lights. Some dancers that have gained popularity and have gone on to become solo stars took centerstage to dance to excerpts from more '90s music:
Michael Flores (Manoeuvres) - Tubthumping (I Get Knocked Down)
Danilo Barrios (Streetboys) - Raggamuffin Girl
Joshua Zamora (Manoeuvres) - Whoomp! (There It Is)
Wowie de Guzman (UMD) - On a Sunday Afternoon
Vhong Navarro (Streetboys) - True
Dingdong Dantes and Arthur Solinap (Abztract Dancers) - Do You Really Want Me
They all came together to dance to Mastaplann's Bring Dat Booty.
Delighting their fans, the three marquee groups staged a dance showdown, so to speak, with the Manoeuvres dancing to the original Informer, Come Baby Come, I Want To Be Your Lady Baby, Sweet Soul Revue. The Streetboys lent their death-defying stunts to songs like The Sign, Mmmbop, The Bomb (These Sounds Fall Into My Mind), Lick It, and Tootsee Roll.
Mixing humor and pleasure, the Universal Motion Dancers stepped to How Gee, Close To You--and performed to the tunes of their signature hits Stars and Always.
They capped off the more than 15-minute extravaganza with everyone composing a dance tableau to one of the biggest '90s hits ever: Vanilla Ice's Ice Ice Baby.
WAXING NOSTALGIC, POETIC
Here’s what representatives of the groups said as they thanked the audience gathered that night:
Wowie de Guzman: "Everybody here, nagpapasalamat kami sa inyong lahat. After 30 years, sinamahan ninyo ulit kami ngayong gabi!"
Joshua Zamora: "What a way to celebrate our party! Manoeuvres is celebrating its 35th year! UMD is celebrating its 30 years! And Streetboys... (Vhong Navarro: "Two years.") Two years?! Mga millennial 'tong mga 'to. Of course, first and foremost, I'd like to thank, our founder and choreographer, Uriel Policarpio and our big kuya, Gary Valenciano. Kung hindi dahil sa kanila, wala ang Manoeuvres dito ngayon. And above all else, we would like to thank our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, for sustaining this group and all of the batang '90s."
Vhong Navarro: "Hello, people! Mabuhay ang mga batang '90s! Hello sa lahat ng mga millennials tulad ko! Kung ano po yung mga sinabi ni Wowie at Joshua: copy-paste ninyo lang, yun na din ang sasabihin ko. Ah...sobra pong nakakataba ng puso na alam ko, ang iba sa inyo ay dumayo pa mula sa malalayong lugar pero pumunta rito sa Quezon City para masaksihan ang napakalaking reunion ng mga dancers nung '90s. Siyempre, nagpapasalamat ako sa aking mga producers, kung hindi dahil sa kanila ay hindi po ito mabubuo. Pangarap ko ito, makasayaw yung mga tito at titas ko--salamat! Nagpapasalamat ako, of course, kay God, kay Direk Chito Roño, boss, maraming maraming salamat, we love you! Siyempre sa aming mga choreographers... And of course, sa iba pa namaing mga ka-grupo na hindi nakadalo rito: Kay Maynard, kay Jhong, kay Jopee, kay Spencer, kay Michael...yun po ang aming mga original Streetboys. Of course, sa aming mga family na nandito ngayon... Guys, I love you all! Madaming salamat!"
James Salas, who is also a producer of the concert, said: "Unang-una, gusto kong magpasalamat kay God. Tinupad niya yung dream ko na magkaroon kami ng '90s dance concert. Thank you, Lord. At siyempre, sa mga co-producers ko, Sol Aces Unlimited Company at IAM Worldwide. Maraming salamat at naniwala kayo sa konsepto. JS Management At siyempre, sa mga co-dancers ko na nandito ngayon, UMD...si Brian [Furlow], hindi po pinayagan ng boss niya, kaya humihingi po siya ng pasensya sa inyo. at siyempre, si Gerald [Fainsan] in heaven, maraming salamat sa yo! At siyempre, hindi po kami mabubuo, ito po ang nagsimula sa amin. Mentor namin, manager, choreographer: si Kuya Sy Villanueva. Siyempre, isa pang choreographer namin, si Tita Geleen [Eugenio]--ang tumulong, pumunta po sa Universal Records, kay Ma'am Bella Tan, kay Kuya Germs [Moreno], Kathleen Go, Peter Chan. Kay Miggy [Tanchanco], na naging member din ng UMD."
The event gathered 170 dancers to re-live the groundbreaking music and dance scene in the country during the 1990s. Among them were: Image Dancers, Mastermind, Katz22, Regal Hitmen, Astro, BMG, Octobeat Culture, Astro, Wea Boppers, Big Brothers.
The producers confirmed that the tickets were sold out. No wonder the night was filled with screaming, singing along, dancing, and just general merriment at the packed venue.