The Performing Arts Major in Dance (BPAD) program kicked off its second dance festival titled “Convergence” with their first show, BPAD in Motion: The Choreo Collective, which took place at the 5/F Theater, Design and Arts (D+A) Campus on July 29 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The Choreo Collective is a choreographic competition where chosen BPAD students showcase their artistic creativity in sharing a story or a theme through dance. The students created and performed their own choreography on stage, allowing audiences to learn a narrative through how they expressed it, aiming to inspire dancers through artistic collaboration and to promote the appreciation of dance as an artistic and cultural expression.
The competition welcomed Ms. Myra Beltran and Mr. Edwardson Evangelio as special guests and adjudicators. Ms. Beltran is one of the Philippines' foremost contemporary dancers, shaping the country's contemporary dance landscape through their work as an artist, educator, scholar, and founder of numerous choreographic initiatives, while Mr. Evangelio is a BPAD alumnus, Ballet Philippines soloist, and musical theater performer who brought valuable insight to the competition.
Opening move
The artistic vision of The Choreo Collective came from BPAD’s previous chairperson, Ms. Niña Anonas. Her vision was to create an event that inspired dancers to challenge themselves by testing their skills in certain styles and collectively bring them together, using this platform to showcase what the dancers have learned on a professional level.
According to Nicole Kristine Go, an ID124 student from the Creative Industries Management (ABCIM) program and head of production, qualifying rounds were held throughout the term and only six finalists were chosen to perform.
As one of Go's electives in her program, the project aimed to teach students how to manage events. When The Benildean asked about her journey in handling a main event, she shared that she and her team were recruited to put their skills to the test. Despite facing challenges and a steep learning curve, Go described her experience as enjoyable, saying that she and her team learned to adapt, work together, and overcome obstacles along the way.
With that, Go expressed her gratitude towards her team, Daryl Christian Greñas, an ID122 BPAD student, and Miguel Ricafort Zabala, an ID122 student from the Music Production (BAMP) program, both working in the Logistics Management department, while Annika Rielle Raquel, an ID124 ABCIM student, serves as the Marketing and Creatives Head. The event would not have been possible without their overall teamwork.
Center stage
One of the performers of the competition, Hanna Sofia Garcia, an ID124 BPAD student, showcased her choreographed performance titled “Tomfoolery,” mixing playful styles into her dance routine and inspired by the classic cartoon “Tom and Jerry.”
In creating her choreography, she tried out many different things to bring her vision to life. Using every move, even bad drafts, as material to incorporate into the routine, “you're in the state of artistry, or when you're in the state of creating, hindi ka p’wedeng maglagay ng objectivity. So you just have to keep on creating,” she said. During her performance on stage, she felt ecstatic to finally be able to perform a piece that embodied her dedication and passion into it, turning the stage into her own playground.
What Garcia hoped the audience to take from her performance is to always have fun in life and not take things too seriously, showcasing that a little tomfoolery is a way to keep the rhythm of life exciting and uplifting.
Beyond applause
Arbey Coeli Espiritu, an ID124 student from the Bachelor of Science in Architecture (BS-ARCH) program, and Renee Aldine Alegre, a student from Brightpoint Community College in Virginia, attended the competition to support their friend. The variety of performances in the event surprised them because for Espiritu, she was used to performances having the same overall theme, which impressed her because of how The Choreo Collective has different narratives to tell. As for Alegre, being a photographer, the lighting in every performance caught her attention.
A particular routine that stood out for Espiritu was the performance titled “Metronome” by Daniel Sicil, an ID124 BPAD student, wherein his choreo is inspired by the pulse of a metronome. The way the metronome ticked in different tempos and how the performer conveyed it to his dancing style made Espiritu see how it connected to the performer’s characteristics as well, making it interesting for her to watch.
As for Alegre, she liked the performance titled “After Hours” by Greñas, whose choreography explored the thoughts and emotions that surface in the moments of silence. This performance caught Alegre’s attention for the way it highlighted a chill and relaxed atmosphere which typically happens at the deepest hours of the night.
The final bow
The competition embodied what it means to be creative and innovative as a Benildean, with Marvis Fornias, an ID124 BPAD student, who emerged as The Choreo Collective's winner through her performance titled “Bandwagon,” where street dance was used to demonstrate how the desire to belong can influence decision-making.
Showcasing creativity in different forms remains significant today as Go shared that art serves as a powerful way to express current realities, especially for those whose voices are often unheard. Espiritu and Alegre added that it fosters a sense of belonging and helps people feel seen in a society still shaped by Filipino stereotypes, while Garcia added how dance allows her to express her creativity and identity.
Beyond movement and performance, The Choreo Collective showed that dance is a language of its own—one that gives voice to lived experiences, challenges perspectives, and connects people through shared stories. In a world where not every story is easily spoken, art continues to remind us that some of the most powerful narratives are watched rather than heard.
For more shows and events that display how dance can tell stories on its own, follow BPAD on Instagram and Facebook!
