FakeKnot
Piña
Photo: Rydel Cerezo
FakeKnot creates collaborative performance works that strive to understand the complexities of identity and culture through costume, sound, technology and the body. Artistic Director Ralph Escamillan gathers his breadth of experience as a dancer from street, commercial and contemporary dance to create a truly unique choreographic perspective, while also questioning his identity as a queer person of color. FakeKnot’s work focuses on a highly collaborative process. Past collaborators include New Media Artists Sammy Chien, Nancy Lee and Milton Lim, Sound Designer Stefan Seslija, and local brands such as Lululemon Lab and Five Left Leather. The drive to pursue collaborative work stems from Ralph’s interest in establishing connections between and within the intersecting worlds he comes from, using his work in FakeKnot as the vessel for this discourse.
Piña
Piña is an interdisciplinary dance work that explores constructions of diasporic identity and how the body carries history and ancestry in a globalizing world. Inspired by Artistic Director Ralph Escamillan’s experience as a first-generation Canadian-born Filipino/a/x, this work considers the parallels between the physicality of this experience, and piña—a traditional and celebrated Philippine fiber made from pineapple leaves. The delicate yet resilient textile parallels the fragility and strength of contemporary diasporic people, and by investigating the many facets of this culturally embedded textile, an anthropological journey through the body is created. Incorporating traditional folk dance, history, music and costume, the political, economic and social dimensions of contemporary diaspora revealed.
Performance History
- HINKYPUNK: Arts Court, Ottawa - September 23-24, 2021; Masonic Temple, St. John’s - September 8, 2021.
- whip: MAI, Montreal - premiere - November 3-6, 2021.
- BLUSCRN: LUNA Festival - Revelstoke, BC - premiere - September 24, 2022.
Project Details
Project created by: FakeKnot
Key Collaborators: Choreographed by Ralph Escamillan
Costume Design: Jill Robyn Laxamana & Ralph Escamillan
Lighting Design: Gabriel Raminhos
Original Music and Sound Design: Kimmortal
Dancer: Ralph Escamillan
Dancer: Tin Gamboa
Dancer: Raul Lorenzo “Buboy” Raquitico Jr
Dancer: Danah Rosales
Consultants & Mentors
Master Piña Weaver: Carlo Eliserio
Philippine Folk Dance Mentor: Peter Alcedo
Philippine Textile Historian: Sandra Castro
Philippine Textile Conservationist: Lenora Luisa A Cabili
Philippine Dress Historian: Gino Gonzales
Lighting Mentor: Jonathan Kim
Outside Eye: Joyce Rosario
Dramaturg: Denisa Reyes
Audience: General Audience
Length in minutes: 60 minutes - Full length work
Space required: Dimensions: If presented ‘in the round: 40'x20' stage. For a traditional stage/proscenium 46’ x 64’.
Black Marley (or equivalent) & Dance floor tape
Black curtains/tabs if necessary for venue
Preparation required: 2 days in the theatre for a tech residency would be appreciated (8hs/day); otherwise 1 full load-in/set-up day (8hs) plus 8hs on the show day
General technical requirements: Lighting:
All lighting will be situated on boom pipes or on the floor
x4 ETC Source 4 36deg (or equivalent)
x2 ETC Source4 50deg (or equivalent)
x4 UV lights (FakeKnot will bring)
UV lights need to take:
3-pin DMX (will be rented by FakeKnot if this can’t be provided during the residency)
Converter to 5-pin (will be rented by FakeKnot if this can’t be provided during the residency)
x2 4’-5’ booms on boom bases with short cross brace & pipe
One of them on a flat dolly or equivalent to move on stage (for a single S4 with an iris)
Second boom placed upstage
x2 8’-10’ booms on boom bases
LX console on ground level
*Must be able to have space in full black
Sound:
x4 speakers on the ground upstage, can be visible on stage 10' booms
Availability: Available to tour during the spring 2022/23 season: March 13 to April 14, & May 15 to June 30; NOT AVAILABLE April 17 - May 7 2023: Residency & Premiere of new work titled Piña at SFU Woodward's.
Available to tour during the 2023/24 season: July 1-31 2023 & Apr 1 2024 to June 30 2024
Currently unknown for the 2024/25 season.
Number of performers on tour including choreographer: 4
Number of support staff on tour: 3 - Lighting Designer/Technical Director, Stage Manager & Company Manager
Community Engagement Activities
We’d like to engage with all communities, giving special attention to those who may face various barriers to opportunity—be it systemic, financial or some other. In the spirit of inclusivity, there is no specific age group or level of ability that we target. While in person community engagement is more suitable for activities centered around movement, such as in the form of dance workshops, engaging communities with our work can take other forms such as through online talks, and by giving an inside look into our process using social media platforms.
Contact: FakeKnot, jonathan@fakeknot.com Agent/Manager: Francesca Piscopo, francesca@fakeknot.com
Website: ralphescamillan.com/fakeknot
Facebook: fakenot
Instagram: fakenot
Photo: Rydel Cerezo