BY WILHELMINA S. OROZCO
How should we treat an artist-icon whose time is slowly eroding her capacities to perform? How should we make her still be functional and provide good presentations that are worthy of emulation of the younger set?
These are the dilemmas facing any fan of Liza Macuja who just performed her last role as Dulcinea in Don Quixote Liza pirouetted for the last 30 times on stage in perfect shape, form, and flawlessly, not even losing her balance at the end of each step. Is that not an amazing feat, for some in her 45th year.
Yet her performance left me feeling cold, knowing that she is slowly retiring from stage as a ballet dancer and the Philippines shall not have anyone who could equal her performances in many classical pieces that have brought fame to her not only locally but internationally.
And so, with that last performance of Liza, so many things cropped up in my mind. If in Tibet and outlying areas in Nepal, people could live beyond a hundred and yet still carry sacks of rice, or bundles of firewood on their backs, why can’t our inventors research on what could prolong a dancer’s muscles to make it still supple, and her bones strong enough to withstand all types of steps? Why can’t the government pour so much resources on research on how to make the human body almost un-aging so that there would not be so much need for cosmetic surgeries that have only superficially restored the self-esteem or he patients but never their respect for themselves. For how can an artificial reconstruction of the face and the human torso ever be a substitute for natural shape and form?
In our midst though, lots of herbal supplements have been imported promising many uses, among which is to retard aging. That is very good advertising but the efficaciousness of these supplements must withstood the test of time. Or else they could just be products of marketing gimmicks to waylay many gullible and insecure individuals.
Now going back to Liza, of course, she can continue being the impresario of Ballet Manila the productions of which have earned the company a good label of being the only one to produce full classical pieces like Don Q, Carmen, and most recently even Pilipino pieces like Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang. She can also conduct classes, deliver talks, write long pieces on dancing and being a dancer as she is now doing and which I find truly admirable as many dancers are not inclined to verbalize, much more so write about their lives. Maybe the discipline that Liza got in Russia had introduced her to the idea that an artist has to be compleat – not just honed in one skill.
However, I remember Margot Fonteyn performing Romeo and Juliet or was it Swan Lake at age 65 here in the country and her body was as light and supple as if she were only aged 28 or so. She should actually reveal her secrets for having done that feat and so impress to other dancers that age is not really a liability, so long as one is focused on her or his career.
Well, actually, even actors and actresses, more so the latter suffer from social stigma once they reach 40 and above. The roles they get are either mother, witch, or some other second-place role that could be forgettable unless the scriptwriter and director are kind enough to give a better depiction, showing more challenging scenes for them to express their skills. Actors are much more lucky as there is a social notion that they become like wine that age as the years go by. Hence, we have Eddie Garcia who is as busy as ever performing different kinds of aging men-roles, Dr. ___________, stage director whose dignified looks earn him highly regarded roles; and others, like Dante Rivero and even those legislator ex-actors who are able to wangle roles in many films showcasing their physique and ability to ride horses with agility.
But Gloria Romero suffered much as her roles are sometimes pathetic, that of being a ghost grandmother visiting an antique house; one time she was even a witch, and another time, a crazy woman amidst a family setting. Nova Villa gets forgettable roles on TV, while Dina Bonnevie hardly appears nowadays which is unfair as she is one of the intelligent actresses in town.
Anyway, Liza has been able to carve her own niche, not only in ballet, with her own studio and auditorium, but also raise the level of appreciation of the art amongst the Filipino people who are used to the regular predictable fares on TV. She has been able to get thousands of audience for her shows, mostly students who could be required to write a review for their classes.
Liza is also artistic director and producer of her many shows thus she is able to put her own stamp on her productions which after all are characterized by mostly flawless steps and complete with emotional gut-wrenching scenes most of the time. By the way, her 25th anniversary was simply unbeatable as she was able to essay excerpts from many productions including those seemingly endless pirouetting from right to left stage, and/or spinning in one place as if it were the most natural thing for a dancer to do.
Nonetheless, we hope that Liza could bring us another “Liza Macuja” look-alike approximating her perfect performances, and thus making the Filipino people continue to appreciate the art without end. For after all the art of dancing should not end at all when the ballet shoes are hanged.
(LATEST NEWS: LIZA IS TAKING ON A MOTHER ROLE IN HER LATEST BALLET PRODUCTION. SIGH, WE CAN REST ASSURED THAT WE CAN STILL VIEW HER PERFORM.)
PHOTO BY JIM KELLY
