Once again, the UP Streetdance Club amazed and touched the hearts of hundreds of audience members that filled the UP Theater in their sentimental, yet very powerful, 15th annual dance concert.
Street Fuzion 15: Masterpiece told the story of the members of the Club, together with their senior members—the Crew. The humble beginnings, overcoming the challenges, and, ultimately, the realization of the club’s true place in it all. Beyond a story close to their hearts, the concert was a showcase of excellent choreography, strong dancers, and passion beyond measure. Most importantly though, this was the Club’s testimony and the living out of their vision-mission: to represent, inspire, and reinforce God-centered living through dance.
Street Fuzion 15: Masterpiece, The UP Streetdance Club Story
Where It All Began
SF15: Masterpiece started on a high note with explosive routines by guest performers UP Los Banos Street Jazz Dance Company, A Team, and UP Manila Indayog. UP Street also showed their sharp and hard-hitting moves in the opening number, and continued with the main story of the concert.
The fierce ladies of UP Manila Indayog
The life of a Club member starts with the auditions—a colorful and energetic number that showed the different kinds of people who join the club. Once these hopefuls pass, they become applicants who must do production work—a cutesy, creative piece where the dancers show that they can make their own music with spray paint, saws and hammers, sandpaper, and other needed materials when working on the props from the Club. And then there’s Challenge Day—the culmination of their learnings as applicants: from following choreography to proper conditioning.
The members as ‘applicants’ hard at production work
Meanwhile, the ‘members,’ played by the Crew, showed how mischievous they can be going back to training. Also, UP Street showed exactly why they deserved the championship crown last February, when they performed their winning UAAP Streetdance piece.
The UAAP Streetdance championship routine
Paths Chosen
During the concert we saw how these dancers balanced being college students and building relationships and friendships through a fun Uptown Funk number that showed the stereotypes and personalities of different colleges in UP, to a sweet, feel-good dance that showed the dynamics of the boys and girls. More than this, one powerful dance showed how although there are insecurities and difficulties during training, the Club is always there to help each other grow.
A barkada selfie with the giant monopod
As the characters in the concert slowly searched for where they belonged in on the great scheme of the UP Streetdance Club, they showed which paths they could take—some members were to become coaches, some were meant to lead as officers in the Club’s ministry, and some were meant to represent the Club in competitions. These numbers were perfect exhibitions of the members’ skills and versatility. Moreover, their consistency and strength.
The Club performed a portion of their past competition piece
In the end, we saw how every member was his own individual who chose a path where he excelled. There were five leads who showed us this in a stunningly touching performance—a testament of the members’ passion, emotion, and dedication the Club, and to the True Artist above.
The leads have chosen their paths: leadership, competition, outreach, and coaching
A Tribute
As the Club celebrated its 15th concert and the glory and successes of the past year, SF15: Masterpiece also served as an homage to important people in the lives of the Club. Street Fuzion served as an outreach program for the Make A Difference program of the club wherein they reach out to the less fortunate and teach them dance. This year, the Club partnered with Tulong sa Kapwa Kapatid (2KK), a foundation that holds tutorials and other assistance programs to families who live in Payatas. The boys and girls from 2KK dished out their mad moves on stage in an enjoyable performance.
The scholars from 2kk show their swag on the Masterpiece stage
One of the most emotional and moving pieces was the Club’s tribute to their families. This was their apology and thanks to their parents and relatives who always understood when they missed dinners for training, or who tirelessly support them in competitions and other endeavors. The dance, laid out to Phil Collins’ ‘You’ll be in My Heart,’ ended with the members giving roses to their family members in the audience.
Members of the Club approach their families with roses
Lastly, the concert brought back the UP Streetdance Club and the Crew’s alumni—from members of the Crew who are now esteemed coaches of the foremost dance teams in the industry, to some of the very first members of the Club back in the ‘90s, to those who no longer dance but came back to perform a special number. It was incredible to see the veterans and pioneers of the Club together again, doing what they do best.
Each coach from the Crew takes the stage
SF15: Masterpiece was really a celebration of the Club and their love of dance, each other, and God. It was truly an inspiring showcase of the talents and strength of the members and the creativity and vision of the leaders of the Club. Typical of the UP Streetdance Club, SF15: Masterpiece was flawless, inspiring, and entertaining the whole way through, as a real masterpiece would be.
Read about other recent dance concerts: Of Turntables and Bright Lights: the First Ever Malasimbo Lights and Dance Festival and Canton Atbp: Two Faces of Filipino Society Portrayed through Dance.
Photos in this post by Reena Macagga, Camilla Libunao, Jasper Mallonga, Jewel Escobar, and Kit Agad of UP OPTICS and Soletees Clothing.
UP Streetdance Club
Facebook: www.facebook.com/upstreetdanceclub
Twitter: @upsdc
