Batangas Theater and Dance Conference is set to open next week July 23, 2014 in Lipa City.

This conference sponsored by Lipa Actors and Dance Company, LTN Events, with the support of Canada Arts Council and our community partners, is first of its kind in the area and poised to be a major arts event in the province. The current list of speakers includes Mr. Dennis Gupa (MA Theater Arts UP Diliman, MFA Theater Directing University of British Columbia), Mr. Alvin Tolentino (Artistic Director Alvin Erasga Dance Company, international contemporary dance artist), Jonathan Tsang, Lighting Designer/Technical Director, Vancouver BC Canada and Tony Esteban of Academy of Production Technology PH.Conference components will focus on a lecture workshop about the practice of theatre in Philippine Community, contemporary dance class and technical theatre workshops. It will be held in Canossa Academy and Lipa Ballet School on July 23 -26 with a welcome program for participants and guests followed by program sessions which includes lectures, workshops, presentations, and performances. 

Assistant Professor and Theater Director from University of the Philippines Los Banos will hold a three-day intensive acting workshop for Lipa Actors Company in Lipa City. 

DENNIS GUPA, a graduate of MA Theater Arts from Diliman and also Director-in-Resident at Ma-Yi Theatre Company in New York, will share an acting & performance technique from French actor, mime and acting instructor JACQUES LECOQ that is based on physical work, mainly on improvisations.  The workshop entitled “ENSEMBLE DEVISING VIA LEQOC TECHNIQUE FOR FILIPINO ACTORS” will be shared to Lipa Actors Company for the first time. According to Mr. Gupa, “I have not shared it outside UPLB, since the time i got the training in NYC…” 

This workshop is part of a month long arts festival dubbed as SINING TAG-ARAW SUMMER ARTS FESTIVAL sponsored by Lipa Actors Company. It will be held on May 15-17, 2013 at Museo De Lipa. Also, this project is part of LAC Actors Development Program with the support of the NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CULTURE & ARTS through its Speakers Bureau / Outreach Programs.

Sining Tag-araw is presented to you by Lipa Actors Company, Lipa City Culture and Arts Council together with partners LTN Events, Lipa Ballet School, Art-Cool-It your one-stop DIY shop, http://www.batangashub.com and the National Commission for Culture and Arts. LAC has reserved three-slots for non-LAC members. For those interested, just send your letter of intent to lipaactorscompany@gmail.com with contact numbers 0928-7269345 / 0906-2503033.

Fresh from their Arts Month stint performing in Bicol, Manila, and in different places in Batangas, the Lipa Actors Company is now poised for their third season finale. Essaying the works of Sophocles, the company will be staging Oedipus The King in an exciting dance theater production. This sole community based theater organization in the province is known for fresh and dynamic works on stage always dubbed as pioneering theater work in Batangas. With their signature performance still earning positive reviews around, the company is now set to do an entirely different show this time performing a dance theater. According to an interview with Joemar Sustento LAC Associate Artistic Director;

“Excited kaming lahat sa show na ito dahil kakaibang panlasa ang gagamitin namin dito.”

Adding more excitement to the group is that their Artistic Director Luisito Nario will be also creating dance pieces for the play. Mr. Nario is one of the most sought after local choreographer before he concentrated to theater in 2010.

“Matagal-tagal na ring hindi gumagawa si Sir Lui ng sayaw, kaya parang come back niya ito as choreographer” Sustento adds.

Creating the production design is Sustento who has been doing design for LAC since 2011. The music will be coming from LAC Music Department headed by very promising composer Mr. Kio Callado.

The company will be attending contemporary and classical dance training at Lipa Ballet School as part of their preparation. LBS is a partner school of LAC for its 4th season. Together with Lipa Ballet School, the company will premiere a ballet theater production Ang Luha ni Kumintang, Sayaw at Pag-ibig coming August this year. Yet creating milestones for local community, Sustento explains;

“Hindi naman namin iniisip na kami lagi una kasi hindi naman talaga kami nakikipag-unahan… Kumbaga, bahagi ito ng programa ng grupo. Kung sa palagay ninyo kami ang nauna, salamat po. Pero ang mas gusto namin ay kung kami talaga mauna, sana may sumunod sa mga adhikain naming ipag-tagumpay ang Batangan Talent…”