Ignatiana 2012

Report re IGNATIANA activities

By Englebert A. Villegas

Blockbuster Hits

Pelikula Piyesta was the title of Center for Arts and Culture Film and Creative Communications Program Committee’s event offering in celebration of IGNATIANA 2012.

The Festival had run last 23-25 July at the Instructional Media Center which mainly featured films produced by students. These were among the outputs of production researches last year by senior students under the Department of Media Studies.

On the first day, “Kikik” and “Sa Pamayo kan mga Bareta” were shown while “Silbato” and “Le Rouge Ballon (The Red Balloon); and “The Mission” were exhibited on the second and last day of the program, respectively.

According to Committee on Film and Creative Communications Chair Victor Dennis Nierva, “The festival was a way of finding God in all things, as St.Ignatius urges us to do. The films were opportunities to wonder and wander in the beauty of art as manifestation of Divine presence and love."

He added that “the home-made films were there so that we can appreciate our culture, language and our consciousness as a unique people.

Also, he informed that “magis can be seen in the never-ending quest for knowledge in the critical discussions of the films because the festival was not simply a film showing, but a way of intellectualizing art.”

“This is the start of a more heightened effort of elevating consciousness and sensibilities of the members of the university community as far as Bikol culture and Art are concerned,” he furthered.

On one hand, Ateneo de Naga University – Center for Culture and the Arts Director Noel Volante, in a letter, thanked all the college students for their Culture and Arts Development Fee of Php50.00 to finance various activities.

Music for the Soul

Performed at the Arrupe Convention Hall last 25 July, the “Hibang sa Awit” (Ignatina Pop Concert) coincided with the University Dress-Up Day.

The Ateneo Chamber Ensemble and Ateneo de Naga University Choir (UC) performed at the show, in cooperation with the Center for Arts and Culture Music Program Committee.

There were three segments, each with different theme, of the program –the lively collection of songs at the first part, comic songs at mid-show and the serious, grand pop-rock songs to end the musical with a big bang.

According to UC Director and Committee on Music Chair Joseph Reburiano, the problems that they have encountered were the conflict of schedules concerning different exhibits and programs of various offices around the campus; the allocation of the place for rehearsals; and utilization of a bigger sound system.

Reburiano, however, made clear that their show was “very successful and very fulfilling even performed with a new genre.”

Also, UC President Ann Rosslyn Tan shared, “Most student see us [UC] na parang sa ‘church’ lang, but we can stil go out of the box. Maayroon pa kaming maibibigay. Versatile kumbaga. Para kaming working students…have to balance our time and effort sa rehearsals, sa academics, but when people learned to appreciate us, the fruits of our labor turn out to be so rewarding.”

In the meantime, Reburiano disclosed, “The [viewers’] reviews were great and others were quite shocked kasi libre ‘yung concert naming…libre talaga, walang bayad ‘yun. Gusto nga nila ng ‘repeat performance’ pero impossible dahil nga sa mga expenses.” Meanwhile, one UC member said, “Marami na nga kami fans eh.”

Furthermore, he confirmed the rapport between their event and the whole celebration of Ignatiana. “The listeners and performers have used their giftedness as useful talents in responding to God’s call – the praise, reverence and service to God. …that will help us to stay humble in celebrating God’s glory,” he concluded.

Move and Groove

The University Celebration Committee and the Center for Arts and Culture Dance Program Committee, chaired by Mariam Jocylin Saavedra, collaborated with Ateneo dance groups in pursuing the event entitled Cultural and Contemporary Dances.

Fire n Ice Dance Group (love dances) and Ateneo Dance Troupe (occupational dances) were the two performing factions during the affair, with the theme Dancing: People’s Heartbeat, last 26 July at the University Gymnasium.

Fire n Ice Dance Group Founder and Moderator Dr. Tess Consulta-Francisco revealed that their activity had no absolute connection with the celebration of IGNATIANA 2012.

“Magkaibang fields din kasi ang dalawa: religion and arts…at activity sana namin ‘yun kaso napagkasunduang isabay na lang sa Ignatiana para isahan na lang,” said Dr. Francisco.

She added, however, that the program can still be linked to Ignatiana “because in relation din sa mga turo ni St. Ignatius [of Loyola,] ‘yung love, hardwork and pag-hone ng skills are simple ways to help the community at ‘yung entertainment show naming brought happiness to the audience…’yun ang mahalaga.”

Also, she said that no major problems were encountered during the affair and stressed out that everything was ‘okay’.

“Successful ‘yung event pero [nagroon ng kalituhan] in terms of the start of the program, akala nung iba 7:00PM magsisimula kaso nag-start siya 6:30PM kaya marami ‘yung iba na dumating eh palabas na ‘yung mga tao,” ended Dr. Francisco.