Since founding Co.ERASGA in 2000, Alvin Erasga Tolentino has been choreographing works that address identity, environmental justice, and reconciliation. Normally, other dancers perform under the Vancouver artist’s direction.
So, at this stage in Tolentino’s esteemed career, it’s a departure for for him to become the instrument for three celebrated Indigenous female choreographers. Margaret Grenier, Starr Muranko, and Michelle Olson have devised a trilogy of solo works called Eternal Gestures, which will have its world premiere at the Scotiabank Dance Centre on Thursday (October 9) and Friday (October 10).
“I thought I would reverse the role of being the choreographer for this time, and allow these amazing women Indigenous women to create the work for the company—and for me to actually dance each of their work,” Tolentino tells Pancouver over Zoom. “It’s really just honouring women, and how many women have inspired me over the years in my creativity. And just as a human being.”
The performance coincides with the 25th anniversary of Co.ERASGA. The company states that this “poetic work uplifts the voices of Indigenous women, asserts our deep connection to the land, and speaks to truth, healing, and the decolonization of art”.
Each of the choreographers passed along stories that Tolentino didn’t know. For example, Grenier told him in rehearsal that she had been taught by her ancestors that dancing begins from the beat of your heart.
Grenier, the executive and artistic director of Dancers of Damelahamid, also emphasized that even though Tolentino is performing alone, he is not a solo artist. Rather, he is sharing knowledge.
Tolentino describes movements as “universal”
“Margaret said, ‘We’re a community in this project. You’re never alone. There’s a story behind you; there’s a history behind you; there’s a history in the present. And there’s a history in the new generation where this dance is being expressed and has to be delivered.’ ”
Grenier layers her voice into one of the compositions. Muranko, a close friend of Tolentino’s, wrote a poem that will appear on-screen during her piece. According to Tolentino, there is just the right amount of multimedia components, with him interpreting words through dance.
“I had been working with Starr Muranko for quite some time as an outside eye,” Tolentino says. “I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to reverse that role and have her as the creator and me dance the pieces?’ So, this is what’s happening.”
Tolentino is also very familiar with the work of Olson, artistic director of Raven Spirit Dance. Muranko is the company’s co-artistic director.
Tolentino notes that even though the movements in Eternal Gestures can be described as contemporary or traditional Indigenous, many aspects are universal.
“The movements of the hand and the rest of the body—all of those—take place in contemporary practice,” he states.
Inspired by an Indigenous carver
Tolentino points out that Indigenous artists have inspired him for many years. One was the late Tsimshian carver Victor Reece/Whe’X Hue. Another was his partner, Sharon Jinkerson-Brass.
“They used to run Big Sky Collective and I met them through working with Karen Jamieson,” Tolentino recalls. “I had some great partnerships when they were on Pender Island, helping them develop arts programming.”
In 2001, Tolentino performed as a masked spirit in Raven of the Railway, which was a collaborative mask-dance installation created by Reece and Jamieson.
Tolentino says that conversations with Reece and Jinkerson-Brass were really pivotal” in his understanding of colonialism in North America. From their stories, Tolentino could contextualize this in connection with hundreds of years of history of colonialism in his native land, the Philippines. In both cases, colonialism was intertwined with Catholicism.
“There is so much to unpack,” Tolentino says.
Watch the trailer (above) for Eternal Gestures.
The Dance Centre will present the world premiere of Co.ERASGA’s Eternal Gestures at 8 p.m. on Thursday (October 9) and Friday (October10) at the Scotiabank Dance Centre (677 Davie Street). Co.ERASGA will offer a post-show talkback will on Friday. For tickets and information, visit the Dance Centre website.
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