The COVID-19 pandemic has presented immense challenges to industries around the world. With mobility restrictions in place, business owners had to rethink their operations and adjust to navigate the uncertainties in the new normal. Although some companies were able to adapt and seamlessly shift to the new norm, the process was not easy with many struggling with financial losses and temporary business closures. A survey from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) released September last year reported that the Philippine economy experienced the worst impacts of the pandemic. The Philippines logged the highest number of business closures and layoffs among its peers in Southeast Asia. Despite that, Jovy Hernandez, ePLDT President & CEO and SVP and Head of PLDT & Smart Enterprise and International Business Groups, said that resilience is one of the core values that helped businesses conquer the challenges of the pandemic. This ‘unbreakable spirit’ of enterprises allowed them to embr
Since 2004, Club Mwah is the one and only Las Vegas
inspired show-stopping performance bar in the Philippines, still giving us jaw
dropping show that only they can offer, one name behind the colorful costumes
and grand production numbers is Chris Nicolas, the in house Choreographer,
Director and Designer, and the only one Diva of their center stage.
“Sa totoo lang in the Philippines, etu lang ang may
ganitong seryosong show, iba hindi tumatagal, etu yung pang long lasting entertainment,
etu yun eh.” Nicolas said.
Nicolas not known to many is a former member of Bayanihan
Dance Company, a graduate of Physical Education at the Philippine Normal
College, start as a dancer in 2004 during the establishment of Club Mwah, after
that he takes over as a choreographer until now. He draws his inspirations depends
on her audiences, he believes that it’s a constant change, that they need to
keep creating production numbers that people will love.
“Passion ko talaga ang sumayaw, pag nakakarinig ako ng
music lumalabas ang mga ideas, na parang gusto mong i-interpret.” Nicolas
explain.
Follies De Mwah is the term for all the dancers
performing in their bar, for many generations they develop and help a lot of
dancers across all genders, as the master choreographer he sees to it that the
one they select are in line with their standards, first is the height, the
willingness to learn even though don’t have a background in dancing, and lastly
the attitude to which Nicolas said is the most important part of their
requirement.
“Una ang height, iba yung matangkad, easy to pick up
steps, kahit hindi sya marunong, wala syang formal training sa dancing, and ang
Attitude, wag madaling ma-hurt kapag kino-korek, kailangan welcome sa correction,
kasi puro corrections dito, hindi yung
napagalitan lang nagpa-paalam na, sayang naman.” Nicolas added.
In the past 16 years, Nicolas admit to us that it is not
easy running a Club like this, they spend millions of pesos for their costumes
in all their numbers, and that’s not easy to return, with all the different
kind of Clubs around Metro Manila offering many things they feel that they are
not in competition with them.
“Dumating yung
time na gusto ko ng tumigil, sabi ng mga friends ko, Chris wag naman wala naman kasing ganyang
dito, kaya nanghihinayang ako. Kung makakakita ako ng isang lugar na may
napakagandang show, sabihin na nating mas maganda sa amin, gi-give up na ako,
kayo naman. Since wala nakakahinayang naman.” Nicolas said in closing.
Nicolas is optimistic in the coming months, soon they
will open a new Comedy Bar and they are reviving in catering the tourists
market to be their regular audiences, trade shows for tour and travel operators
are in the works now to re-introduce Club Mwah in a different level.
For more information, bookings and reservations you may send
your inquiries to Club Mwah with the following numbers Tel Nos. (02)535-7943,
Mobile nos. (Smart) 0908.173.0109 and (Globe) 0926.708.8082 or follow them on
their Facebook page. Club Mwah is open Friday and Saturday night only, located
in Boni Avenue in Mandaluyong City.
Princess Laura, Prince Florante, Prince Aladin and Princess Flerida. Amidst innovations and new techniques in presenting play, the Gantimpala Theater Foundation, Inc stand in delivering the Filipino classic story “Florante At Laura” in a traditional way as they open 38 th Season. They use the Komedya complete with majestic marches and grand batalia for the entire run of Florante and Laura. Theater thespian Roeder Camanag told us that they have preliminary talks and briefing with schools on how the classic way of theater production on stage. Camanag direct this year’s Florante at Laura with Paul Jake Paule playing Florante and Ellrica Laguardia as Laura. Ace Urieta is Adolfo, Jeffrey Carpio is Aladin, and Sharlene Rivera and Ira Ruzz is alternating for Flerida. Florante At Laura as well know is written by Francisco Balagtas, it’s one of the most epic and enduring Filipino literary masterpieces. Boni Ilagan write the script for the staging that Camanag claim a very
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