Last May 13, the La Salle Dance Company-Contemporary (LSDC-C) bared decades of grit and grace in INSCAPE: 45 Years In Motion at the Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium. Peeling back its collective spirit, the show offered an intimate glimpse of a company gilded in motion, sustained by the passion and artistry that carried them for nearly half a century. Bathed in deep sapphire hues and molten veins of gold, every contraction and release became a dialogue between the pioneers who first carved the troupe’s path and the new blood that keeps its heart beating.
Leaps of faith
The evening began with a spiritual prologue. White-veiled dancers moved with solemn restraint, their search for a higher light anchored by the sacred resonance of Ama Namin. The invocation resolved into an image of Christ upon the cross as the faithful knelt in collective reverence. More than an opening prayer, it was a consecration before the night’s journey began.
From this sacred stillness emerged the showcase’s official beginning—an image reminiscent of The Creation of Adam, a nod to the troupe’s own inception. This Is Who We Are featured dancers draped in white as they commanded the space through a deliberate study of fragments, shifting from delicate sways to forceful leaps.
Their devotion deepened as a trio took the floor for Hallowed. Adorned in black and gold, they moved beneath stark beams of light, depicting the Crowning of Thorns and its inherent trials of faith. As the dancers pranced and spun through this tale of sacrifice, the piece culminated in an upward reach—a symbol of decades of unwavering devotion.
A love letter to legacy
The ethereal atmosphere shifted to a nostalgic one as the company revisited the formative energy of the ’80s and ’90s. Former trainer Wilson Ong began with a retrospective performance of a solo tap dance that reverberated through the company’s earliest heartbeats. Transitioning into Shape of the Heart, dancers moved in synchronized rhythms that reflected the company’s beginnings through a living archive.
As the timeline drifted into the 2000s, the mood softened into a delicate exploration of courtship in Kung Di Man Ikaw Ang Tanglaw. Beginning with a solo performer in a yellow Filipiniana dress, the piece gradually expanded as the ensemble filled the stage, becoming a vessel of tenderness and romantic discovery.
The 2010s era claimed the floor with fierceness and edge. Bold pops of red and black replaced the softer hues as the choreography became sharp in A Legend of the Heart. Here, love became a wild force that dragged the performers through high-stakes collisions. Moving away from grandeur, the 2020s featured a more tender, melancholic version. Dancers in muted tones moved gracefully through Tinadhana, going through the motions of the painful act of letting go. A quiet resignation filled the air, reflecting a mature acceptance of a love fated to move in different directions.
The journey reached an emotional peak in Memoir, a segment that abandoned the strictures of time to celebrate the beauty of friendship and togetherness. The upbeat ambiance transformed the stage into a festive homecoming as dancers honored one another through lighthearted individual showcases.
A recollection of contemporary woes
After a vivacious showcase, the ambience turned ominous. Luma o Klasik unsettled the audience with eerie movements and uniformed costuming. Featherlight steps, limber extensions, and fleeting flicks gave rise to an enigmatic display of elegance.
Dimmed lights framed the already murky stage perfectly for GRASA. Clad in loose, tattered clothing, the dancers embodied the inescapable reality of poverty in the country. Rhythmic thuds and theatrical sequences—a mother cautiously cradling her newborn, desperate pleas for change, and the clink of alcohol bottles—painted a vivid portrait of aggression, a symbol of struggle, and a reflection of life on the streets.
Bandana sa Sukdulan furthered the former’s premise, delivering a more defiant roar against the country’s political woes. Draped in checkered flannels and red bandanas, Tatsulok sets an overarching theme of resistance, brought to life with graceful kicks, synchronized twirls, and fluid body control.
Breaking from precedent, MONOLOGO explored a silent anecdote of women’s struggles. Beginning with an underdressed woman reaching towards a bell symbolizing opportunity, the narrative unfolded through petrified glances. As the women clothed the lone woman in a flowy dress, cementing her inclusion in the group, the performance spiraled into frantic movement. The ensemble eventually followed suit into the same despair—disrobing themselves and being stripped of sanity until all that remained was a crawling mob of helpless pursuers.
Following that high, FEMINA carried a suspenseful display of flexibility and pulsating beats. Draped in red and black, an impressive exhibition of femininity glossed the platform. Shortly after, jazzy tunes engulfed the stage in PERIODT, where flowing red dresses fused with vibrant symphonies and sultry choreography. Together, these pieces evoked deeply ingrained social issues that remain pressing until today.
Gliding through time
As LSDC-C prepared to take their final bow, a nostalgic finale honored the troupe’s silent resolve and unparalleled endurance. Queuing former trainers on stage, their years of contributions were met with gleeful applause. Their legacy of rhythm was shared and enjoyed by generations that dance from the same heart and soul. In its final stretch, electrifying beats and an equally elated cast momentarily blurred the lines between the past and present. Joined by alumni who once graced the same stage, the ensemble paid homage to those who helped shape the organization’s 45-year journey through an array of intricate and purposeful renditions.
With the curtains closing, a deafening ovation echoed throughout the packed auditorium as tears doused the stage. More than a celebration of the decades past, INSCAPE was an emotional reminder of the unions shaped by rigorous training, nurtured by tribulations, and ultimately strengthened by time.
