When news about him
being one of the recipients of the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining 2024, the
institution’s highest recognition given to individuals and organizations, dance
master and educator Generoso “Gener” Caringal likened it to picking a ripe
fruit.
“Bago mo pitasin
ang prutas, dapat hinog na hinog. It may seem late, but it tastes as good as
ripe fruit,” shared Caringal.
Caringal has been
known for creating extensive dance repertoire and masterpieces that have
combined ballet, modern dance, and folk dance, seemingly creating a new genre
that benefits new generations of artists, choreographers, and audiences.
At the age of 16,
he began dancing under Corazon Generoso-Iñigo in the University of the East
(UE) Dance Troupe. He participated in off-campus student performances as well,
such as Dance Theater Philippines' (DTP) Mir-i-nisa, 1969, and Maureen
Tiongco's Flower Drum Song.
In 1970, he joined
Ballet Philippines (BP) as one of the founding members. The dance companies
that he joined enabled him to train in folk dance, with Generoso-Iñigo and
Eloisa de Leon; in ballet, with Anita Kane, Eddie Elejar, Mira Zolan, Jan
Stripling, Luminita Dumitrescu, Garth Welch, William Morgan, Vakhtang
Chabukiani, and Mikhail Kukharev; in jazz, with Generoso-Iñigo, Julie Borromeo,
and Matt Mattox; in modern dance, with Generoso-Iñigo, Alice Reyes, Manolo
Rosado, Takako Asakawa, Pauline Koner, and Norman Walker; and in Spanish dance
with Ruben Nieto and Rose Borromeo.
In 1973, he worked
with BP on “Ang Sultan,” one of the most performed pieces by the dance company
that drew cheers from the audience, especially during outreach initiatives. Ang
Sultan is a modern ballet retelling about star-crossed lovers separated by
social status.
He is one of the
founders of the Philippine Ballet Theater (PBT), where he created the well-known Philippine Ballet Theater creation
Vinta, a neo-classical piece inspired by the colorful sailboat from the
southern part of the Philippines. He was
also the chair of its artistic council and the artistic director
Another cherished
creation is Caringal’s Andres KKK: Ang Buhay at Pag-Ibig ni Andres Bonifacio,
which he created in 1996 to commemorate the centennial of the Katipunan
revolution. He is simply thrilled that up to this day different dance companies
are still staging this creation. Just last year, the piece was performed during
the commemoration of Araw ng Maynila.
During CCP's 40th
anniversary, Turning... Turning 40, The CCP Dance Gala in 2009, his creation
Likha was staged, which he initially created for the Palikhayaw.
Recently, he
created a choreography using the traditional kundiman, which premiered at the
University of the East, where he is currently serving as the director of the
Office of Cultural Affairs.
Caringal believes
that dance is a universal language that knows no age constraints.
“Sa dance wala
talagang barrier, you can’t say na hanggang dyan lang iyan. It can reach other
people no matter how old they are or regardless of nationality. When you dance,
they all look at it as one.”
Caringal perceives
his work in the academe sector as a great opportunity to assist in developing
and managing a new generation of dance performers.
"I know that
the culture and arts students now are different from ours, so I try to
integrate what they know, what they want to see, and I put it in what I want
them to see, so they can easily absorb and appreciate it,” said Caringal.
Along with
Caringal, Jose Iñigo Homer “Joey” Ayala, Maria Lea Carmen Salonga, Jose F.
Lacaba, Mario O’hara, Julie Lluch, Gino Gonzales, Loboc Children’s Choir, and
Marilyn Gamboa are the recipients of the award. Sen. Edgardo J. Angara and
Zenaida “Nedy” R. Tantoco will receive the Tanging Parangal ng CCP
posthumously.
The awarding
ceremony is slated last September 20, at 7p.m. at the Samsung Performing Arts
Theater, coinciding with the CCP’s 55th anniversary celebration.
For more information,
follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, X, Instagram,
TikTok, and YouTube. You may also check the CCP website.
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