Cover The full cast of gods and goddesses in Soft Sculptures, like pillows representing dreams and
clouds in their atmospheric
and geometric formations,
stuffed with recyclable foam
The full cast of gods and goddesses in Soft Sculptures, like pillows representing dreams and clouds in their atmospheric and geometric formations, stuffed with recyclable foam
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Culminating Ballet Philippines’ 53rd season is Diyosa, a multi-disciplinary production created by the architect, Carlo Calma
Ballet Philippines went into the digital platform during the Covid lockdown to continue its performances for the benefit of its audience as well as its dancers. It produced 42 short videos via Zoom and choreographed by its artistic director, Mikhail Martynyk. One of these was Diyosa, a 4-minute multi-disciplinary ballet, expanded into a full-length dance to end the company’s 53rd season. Taking on the task is the architect, Carlo Calma.
“Carlo is an architect who explores many other art forms,” says Kathleen Liechtenstein, BP president. “His architecture is also modern but very much in the realm of what is current and relevant. He designs around nature, using it instead of changing it.”
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Above Carlo Calma
Carlo Calma
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According to Liechtenstein, Calma fits right into the mould of the company’s shift to a multi-disciplinary collaboration between ballet and all forms of art—poetry and film, food and fashion, mental and medical issues, everything! “This is the global trend now for theatre. The great ballet companies are eschewing the one-level entertainment form,” Liechtenstein reported on her visits to major companies worldwide last year.
The invitation to lengthen Diyosa piqued Calma’s hyperactive creativity, despite the limited time made available to him. “Gabby Barredo [the late kinetic artist] produced Opera in one year; I had only five months to gala night,” he says.
Calma started with the libretto, by first envisioning and feeling the scenography. When he reviewed the story of the short version of Diyosa, he immediately saw the familiar elements of air, sun and water. “These are also architectural elements I always work with,” he says.
Above The goddess of Fire, played by Gia Gequinto, with the Atmospheric Quilt, a silk material
printed with images of
natural phenomena and
atmospheric conditions in
the country, highlighting
the wonders of nature both ephemeral and
ethereal
The goddess of Fire, played by Gia Gequinto, with the Atmospheric Quilt, a silk material printed with images of natural phenomena and atmospheric conditions in the country, highlighting the wonders of nature both ephemeral and ethereal
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The emerging message was about preserving nature and caring for the environment. Using this as his take-off point, he conceptualised the sets, costumes, music, and with Martynyk, the dances. He incorporated several other art forms—film, sculpture, fashion and digital jewellery.
“The story I created revolves around how the earth would be 100 years from now and what we can learn from the now to help the environment,” Calma says. “This story unfolds like a dream, a fantasy world with Philippine gods and goddesses, all done with a modern approach. Then it ends in the present reality of climate change.”
In five acts, Calma tells his story. He starts with an apocalyptic scene, with a giant cockroach walking around the theatre. “We begin with the problem: what if we are already experiencing scenes of destruction?” Calma says. The different elements will next be introduced as eight wooden apparatuses and costumes representing the other gods and goddesses, all designed by Calma. “They’re quirky, pop art, with a Filipino kind of parallelism,” he comments.
Calma’s favourite scene shows a cockpit, with an everyday sabong (cockfight) going on but in video-arcade style.
Above Tree of Life sculptures inspired by the balete tree and tropical vines, of stainless steel coloured reflective material, in varying heights of over two metres
Tree of Life sculptures inspired by the balete tree and tropical vines, of stainless steel coloured reflective material, in varying heights of over two metres
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“In the end, we are one with mother earth,” Calma excitedly shares. “I did almost 80 pieces of artwork and metal sculptures that would start moving and rotating to represent a modern kaleidoscopic world.”
The music is made in collaboration with Pitch Viel. Calma starts with classical music, graduates to electronic, then to ethnomusicology, and ends with a marching band. With so many elements and collaborations, Diyosa is a ballet that must be seen to be understood.
However, do not think for a moment that ballet is veering away from the classics. “Ballet will always be classic,” Liechtenstein stresses. “We will focus on the classicism of the dance but blending with the rest of the world. After all, Misha [Martynyk] is trained in classical ballet. BP is simply adapting to the new way of doing things in theatre and exploring the multi-dimensional approach to entertainment.”
Above Marine Life kinetic sculpture, like a transfigured sea urchin and a cockroach, embodying genetic or environmental mutations when man spoils earth’s natural resources
Marine Life kinetic sculpture, like a transfigured sea urchin and a cockroach, embodying genetic or environmental mutations when man spoils earth’s natural resources
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Calma shares his vision: “I wanted to create a story that people will enjoy. I wanted the story of Diyosa to be about Philippine culture and heritage amid elements of our tropical climate.” The architect hopes to inspire his peers, designers and people in general to help build more sustainable spaces.
As an aid, he produced a book, to be launched on gala night, showing his logical approach to Diyosa. “We included concealed things, like the pellets from recycled plastic bottles used for the sets, recycled materials like foam to stuff the costumes with and construction materials for the wooden apparatuses. At least even in our small way, we tried to see the adaptive use of used materials.”
Diyosa is a simple story open to possibilities, which Calma explored. For the architect, this is friendly territory, and telling a story for him is second nature. “After all”, he succinctly says, “architects are storytellers anyway”.
This article was originally published in Tatler Philippines April 2023 issue.
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A journalist of more than 30 years, Chit has had varied exposures in this field, both in hard news as well as in soft news, and brings everything she has learnt to the production of the magazine. When not writing or editing, Chit is deeply involved in her chosen service organisation, Rotary International.
