Contemporary Tradition

The Philippine culture was influenced by the

different practices in countries such as
Spain, America and Japan etc. Filipinos
value traditions and culture.
The Theater
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of fine
art that uses live performers, typically actors or
actresses, to present the experience of a real or
imagined event before a live audience in a specific
place, often a stage.
the activity or profession of acting in, producing,
directing, or writing plays.
Theater In Spanish Regime
• Spanish Regime When the Spaniards reached our
shores, they used dramas such as zarzuelas as a
pedagogical tool to influence the pagan tribes and
teach them about Christianity and religion. Another
important form of theater popularized during the
Spanish colonization is the comedia, also known as
moro-moro, linambay, or arakyo. It’s a play in verse
that portrays the lives, loves, and wars of Moors and
Christians.
Theater in American Colonial
• When American colonial rule was established, the United
States introduced the American way of life through education,
media, and language. Their influence on Philippine theatre is
most apparent through the bodabil (vaudeville) and the plays
and dramas staged or translated into English.
• In 1898, the first bodabil was produced by the Manila Dramatic
Guild for the sole purpose of entertaining American soldiers
and other Americans residing in Manila. It was also the first
theatrical performance since the revolution
• Vaudeville/Bodabil is a theatrical genre of variety
entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A
vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or
moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic
composition or light poetry, interspersed with songs or ballets.
• Comedias/Comedy is a genre of dramatic performance having
a light or humorous tone that depicts amusing incidents and in
which the characters ultimately triumph over adversity.
• Zarzuela is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates
between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating
operatic and popular song, as well as dance.
• These are Intermission numbers known as Jamborees in
American Colonialism
Theater in the Philippines
• After the Japanese occupation, the Philippine theatre
has evolved to become an amalgamation of the
various influences such that of the zarzuela, comedia,
bodabil, and western classics. Theatre was largely
performed in English during the time, as it became a
large part of classroom education. Meanwhile,
zarzuelas such as “Ang Kiri,” “Dalagang Bukid,” and
“Paglipis ng Dilim” became well-known beyond their
regions.
Contemporary Art
Contemporary art refers specifically to the art of
today. It is produced by artists who live in our
current times. Contemporary artworks are defined
by the time period in which they were created.
This is regardless of the style, medium (sculpture,
painting, photography, drawing, or printing), or
artistic movement they belong to.
Crack in the Hull by
Ronald Ventura
“Crack in the Hull”
(2001) depicts two male
nudes riding a boat,
evoking the ancient
Manunggul jar’s lid. The
burial jar is found in the
Manunggul cave in
Palawan, hence the
name. The jar was
believed to be of late
Neolithic period.
Quiapo by Elmer
Borlongan. 2004
a prominent
contemporary
Filipino Artist best
known for his
distinctive use of
figurative
expressionism.
Contemporary Music
Contemporary music is any style of music that is
current or modern, addressing current issues in
a manner that is appealing to the current
audience. The manner of appeal may involve
fusing more than one original music style
together. However, it should be noted that
contemporary music takes advantage of the
technological development of the era.
Music of the Philippines

• Music of the Philippines include musical

performance arts in the Philippines or by
Filipinos composed in various genres and
styles. The compositions are often a mixture
of different Asian, Spanish, Latin American,
American, and indigenous influences.
Porque by Maldita
• Chavacano, a Spanish-based creole language
spoken in Zamboanga City and in some areas of
Southern Mindanao, was primarily used in the
original lyrics of “Porque.” Its effortless elegance
and romantic appeal somehow complement the
song’s subdued, acoustic arrangement, making it
easier for the pained words to flutter above
gentle chords and soaring melodies.
Contemporary Dances
• Contemporary dance is a modern type of dance
style of expressive dance that has been able to
combine features of several genres such as
modern, hip-hop, jazz, lyrical and classic ballet.
The dance in itself is all about flexibility and
connection of both body and mind through fluid
movements.
• Spain restructured the Filipino’s lives in terms of
politics, economics, religion and culture. This
hispanization pervaded even the musical and
choreographic practices of the people. Dances took on
the tempo and temper of the European forms. For
example, the noted Tinkling and the Itik-itik acquired
the tempo of the jota and the polka. Down to the
research of Francisca Reyes Aquino, dances that did
not have Western harmony were provided melodic
accessibility, as in Pandanggo sa Ilaw and Subli.
• Fandango (a lively Spanish • Ballet
dance for two people, • Hip-Hop
typically accompanied by
castanets or tambourine) • Break Dance
• Tinkling (which has had • Zumba
some Southeast Asian • Ballroom
beginnings) • Street Dance
• Itik-itik (rustic and imitative
like the other dances)
Spanish Influence

The extensive use of spices such as pepper, onion,

garlic, and ginger, have also been introduced by the
Spanish to the Filipinos and presented them with a
new taste that lingers in the taste buds. Other parts of
the food culture that was influenced by the Spanish
include the use of spoon, fork, and plate.