If you would ask people today about the best decade ever, they’d probably tell you that it was the ‘90s—the resurgence of bubblegum pop, obsession with boy bands, and crazy beauty trends (insert Jennifer Aniston’s iconic “Rachel” bob). But for a ‘90s kid (like me) who grew up in the Philippines, I could testify that it was also the best time for radio and television. Looking back, we had a treasure trove of classic cartoons aired on network stations such as RPN-9, GMA 7, and ABS-CBN—and among those animes, Ranma 1/2 was my personal favorite. Unfortunately, these tv networks had to replace them with adultery-themed shows, if not, k-dramas.
Before YouTube and IGTV, the ‘90s television also entertained us millennials with variety shows like Eat Bulaga (1975), Magandang Tanghali Bayan (1998), and Lunch Date (1986) to name a few. Aside from the hilarious segments and 10,000-worth of cash prize, what I really looked forward to every afternoon was the special performance of Streetboys. At the time, my favorite member was Danilo Barrios, not for his acrobatic dance moves but for his natural, bushy eyebrows. Weird, I know.
Of course, let’s not forget the Manoeuvres and Universal Motion Dancers (UMD) who became even popular because of their dance covers including “Always”, “Dying Inside”, “Macarena,” and “Tubthumping,” respectively. In the late ’80s until the ‘90s, the Manoeuvres was best known for performing alongside Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano during his concerts. While UMD started out as back-up dancers then became regular dancers on That’s Entertainment. However, after years of being together, the members of each group decided to try something else. While some of them were able to establish a name in the industry, others chose to have a peaceful life outside showbiz.
Just when we thought that a reunion was impossible, Streetboys, The Manoeuvres, and UMD came together for a nostalgic and massive dance party. Presented by JS Management and SOL Aces Unlimited Co., the dance concert, which was billed as ‘90s Dance Concert: Panahon Ko ‘To, happened last January 31 at ABS-CBN Vertis Tent.
Where are they now?
This concert didn’t just evoke nostalgia among the audience, but also answered our question: Where are they now? Surprisingly, Prettier Than Pink’s original vocalist Lei Bautista is still active in the music scene. During the dance concert, Bautista served as opening act where she performed Cinderella’s “Ang Boyfriend Kong Baduy,” followed by “Cool Ka lang,” which became an anthem for commuters and jeepney drivers.
The “King of Pinoy Rap” Andrew E. was also present at the concert. Known for his cheeky, double-meaning songs, the 52-year-old rapper put the audience’s memory to the test by performing rap songs from his first albums. He sang “‘Wag Kang Gamol”, “Binbi Rocha”, “Humanap Ka Ng Panget”, and “Banyo Queen.” A lucky fan also received a jacket from the rapper himself.
Well, he tossed it into the crowd.
Halfway through, the moment we were all waiting for, the Manoeuvres came to the stage and started dancing to MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This.” The Streetboys took us back to the ‘90s with their dance rendition of “Dreams” by the Cranberries. Last but not least, UMD (who are known for their “Always” dance moves) grooved to a series of ‘90s hits, one of which was Shaggy’s “Oh Carolina.”
It was jampacked with surprises
Another thing that I love about this show was the performances of Image Dancers, Abztract Dancers, Kidz At Work, and X=People Dancers. It felt like I was watching an old episode of Master Showman. Aside from the fact that the three main acts spoiled us by giving all-out dance renditions of “Macarena”, “MMMbop”, “Dying Inside”, and “Always”, what really swooned the audience with delight was the appearances of Dingdong Dantes (who was part of Abztract Dancers) with his cousin Arthur Solinap, and Manoeuvres’s Michael Flores.
With all the bad things that have been happening lately, ‘90s Panahon Ko ‘To Dance Concert was a great way to put an end to this tough month. Here’s to hoping that there will be more shows like this in the future!
