Students dive into research to mount performance
Alimuom sa Takip-Silim, a dance production based on research-driven choreography and which highlights social injustice during the martial law era, will be staged beginning Friday, August 15, 2025.
The four-act drama offers a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant performance grounded in both artistry and advocacy.
The movements are anchored on data gathered from historians and sociologists. It posits how dance can serve as a socio-political commentary which can actively engage the audience and encourage critical thinking.
Using the concept of rain as a metaphor, the production unravels deconstructive narratives shaped by privilege and oppression during one of the darkest chapters in our history.
“Alimuom Sa Takip-Silim seeks to emphasize the importance of cognitive dissonance in the discussion of historical awareness,” the team shared 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.”
Presented by Unfolding Productions, a group of young artists from the Bachelor of Arts in Performance (BPAD) Major in Dance program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), the production exhibits the combined technical capabilities and artistic expressions of the graduating Dance majors. They seek to provoke dialogue, challenge perspectives, and foster a deeper understanding of pressing social issues through their presentations.
The show is under the mentorship of Benilde Dance coach and De La Salle University Manila Dance Company artistic director Mycs Villoso, with direction by Lorayne Toledo and co-direction by Jaybee Larioza. It displays the creative evolution of budding BPAD students, including Kyla Enano, Angela Doloroso, Krisalyn Llemit, Justine Ausan, and James Velasquez.
The show features dramaturgy by Monica Amanda Gana, Alice Reyes Dance Philippines (ARDP) artist; Aaron Kaiser Garcia, performance-maker and Benilde Dance-Benilde Expanded Tertiary Education, Equivalency, and Program (ETEEAP) talent; as well as musical curations by Snow Toledo, composer, musician, educator, and other Benilde Music Production alum.
The production likewise includes the works of photographer Anton Armovit and movement director Natalia Armovit.
Alimuom sa Takip-Silim is available for public viewing on Friday, August 15, 2025, at 4 pm and Saturday, August 16, 2025, at 1 pm.
It 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 regulars, P300 for Benildeans, and P250 for senior high school learners. For groups of five, discounted tickets are available at P1,600 for regulars and P1,350 for Benildeans.
Registration is available at bit.ly/AlimuonSaTakip-SilimTicketRegistrationForm. For updates, visit tinyurl.com/UnfoldingProductions.
