Catharsis refers to the process of purifying and purging emotions and negative feelings. Photo by: Andreza Suang/Shutterstock
Image Retrieved from:https://www.wondriumdaily.com/catharsis-overreacting-and-psychological-health/
A great medium for evoking strong emotions and expressing feelings and thoughts that plain words alone cannot express is the Performance arts. It may come into different forms such as music, theater, dance, or spoken word, and these provide an opportunity to unite people from different backgrounds and cultures, as well as a unique and memorable experience.
The Tinikling
Image Retrieved from: http://sites.gsu.edu/psyc4030/2018/09/09/899/
In the Philippines, an example of a performance art that is famous around the world would be its traditional folk dances which highlight the country’s diverse culture and reflects the various regions and ethnic groups. In the Visayan Islands of Leyte, the “Tinikling dance” is performed through the use of bamboo poles wherein performers gracefully and skillfully step in and out of while dancing. The origin of its name is said to be inspired by a long-legged bird called tikling and the dance imitates the movements of the bird as it dodges the bamboo traps on the rice fields of the Filipino farmers.
Ang Huling El Bimbo" cast members Gab Pangilinan (Joy), Boo Gabunada (Emman), Bibo Reyes (Hector), and Phil Palmos (Anthony) perform during a climactic scene in the play. Photo by: Erickson dela Cruz
Image Retrieved from:https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/05/03/20/ang-huling-el-bimbo-musical-to-be-available-online-for-48-hours
As seen from the many different theaters located in the country, theater is another popular form of performance art in the country. Social issues and current events are typically tackled in Philippine theater productions thus, it provides a medium for the audience to be encouraged to discussions on these sensitive topics. The most recent example of this would be “Ang Huling El Bimbo” which is a musical play that tells the journey of three friends toward life, love, and the challenges of Philippine society. The key themes of the play are rape, sexual violence, and how the male characters reacted to the incident which is a controversial yet honest and depressing reflection of our society. Since it was a musical, each rendition of the songs was powerful and some even transformed their meaning and narrative such as “With a Smile” a song of hope by the Eraserheads that became a song of regret.
SB19's collaboration with Ben&Ben: MAPA (Band Version)
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When it comes to music, the Philippines have various indigenous instruments that depict the country’s rich musical heritage such as the Maguindanaoan kulintang which is a gong-chime instrument, Maguindanaoan kubing, which is a bamboo jaw harp, and the T’boli’s hgelung which is a boat lute. Contemporary Filipino music genres also became popular recently with bands such as Ben & Ben whose music combines pop songwriting sensibilities with folk textures, and Philippine Pop or P-pop groups that are inspired by the successful Korean-Pop or Kpop, such as SB19 who create tracks that aim to motivate and empower their listeners.
One aspect that is indeed impressive about the performance arts is their ability to express and be able to be understood by the audience through visual elements, sound or its absence, and movement that can figuratively transport the audience to different places and times. Through this, they are also able to stimulate empathy and sympathy among the audience which can encourage dialogue about societal issues, and also inspire change. The performance arts may also be a catharsis or an expression of repressed emotions, a therapy form for both the performers and their audience. As the performers are able to express themselves and process their emotions, the act of creating and sharing art can be healing. For the audience, seeing and experiencing the performance arts can be a form of escape from the everyday stresses and problems in life and allow a deeper connection within themselves. Overall, the performance arts are an important part of human expression that has the potential to inspire and transform people making them highly valuable and a cherished part of our cultural heritage and a reflection of our everyday lives.