Talent tilt-winning group moves with light and shadow

Human figures magically turn into animals, mountains, buildings, and even vehicles—with just their silhouettes and a few props, members of the dance troupe El Gamma Penumbra are able to create moving imagery, within the span of a pop song.

The winner of the top prize on Thursday evening of the reality tilt “Asia’s Got Talent,” El Gamma Penumbra trounced eight other grand finalists. The victory was leaked online, about two hours before its official announcement on the show. This caused mixed reactions, from befuddlement—it wasn’t live after all, but prerecorded a few hours prior in Singapore—to astonishment. Some actually didn’t mind getting spoiled of the big reveal, since it was a Filipino act that bagged the most audience votes, which was the basis for winning.

READ: Netizens express dismay over ‘Asia’s Got Talent’ results leak

AXN Philippines business head Gidget Policarpio-Lao said the leak was unfortunate, that despite efforts to contain the results prior to airing, its spread through social media was uncontrollable.

“Nevertheless,” she said in a message to the Inquirer, “we are very happy with the results, and extremely proud of El Gamma Penumbra as they carry the Filipino flag!”

In any case, the members of El Gamma Penumbra, dance teachers aged 22 to 40, looked poised to win the Asia-wide competition. The group seemed just as unanimously praised by its judges—Grammy-winning composer-producer David Foster, Indonesian pop star Anggun, ex-Spice Girl Melanie C, and actor-singer Van Ness Wu—as Filipino classical singer Gerphil Flores, who placed third in the competition.

READ: Fantastic 4 Filipino acts astound in ‘Asia’s Got Talent’ grand finals

(Flores, Foster’s “golden girl,” was approached by the judge onstage for a quick chat and reassuring hug. The mics were turned off, but viewers who watched prior episodes were reminded of Foster’s promise to the 24-year-old, “The world is gonna know about you.”)

El Gamma Penumbra competed with three other Filipino acts. Aside from Flores, fan-favorite contenders were hip-hop dance crew Junior New System and 10-year-old aspiring troubadour Gwyneth Dorado. Second place went to a Mongolian throat singing band, Khusugtun.

At press time, AXN Philippines said the shadow play group was incommunicado, busy preparing a production number fresh off its victory, still in Singapore. The boys of El Gamma Penumbra total 19 members, but not all were allowed to perform because of certain limits, according to the group’s website.

Dreamers, artists

The 13 “AGT” performers, nevertheless, worked wonders—Rowell Rowell Amano, the senior choreographer, and Marvin Marfa, its creative head, led groupmates Rey Andamon, Kenneth Arante, Johndolf “Babydhot” Bayer, Wahlid Bucana, Arnel Cipriano, Carl de Guzman, Paolo Esteban, PJ Javier, Allen Latido, Michael Sapin and Mark Tadia.

Hailing from Tanauan City, Batangas, El Gamma Penumbra formed a couple of years ago, its members dreamers and artists who merged music, dance and imagery into shadow theater performances. The friends eventually joined another edition of the talent contest, “Pilipinas Got Talent,” in 2011, and emerged the fourth placer.

Incorporating messages in the space of a song, El Gamma Penumbra wowed local judges and audiences alike. It led to the creation of the video for ABS-CBN’s tourism campaign video “I Choose Philippines,” as well as some opportunities to perform in the region and abroad.

Despite the group’s success, however, its members remained down-to-earth. Among the videos uploaded by member Marfa to his YouTube channel two years ago is a visit to a home for the aged in Tanauan City. Its members were shown mingling and eating with wheelchair-bound, wizened residents.

El Gamma Penumbra was “buzzed” to the “AGT” semifinals round by a visibly moved Anggun last month. The “golden buzzer,” a round-advancing “button” used by judges, was used a second time by all the judges, sending the team automatically to the grand finals, held last week.

Photo courtesy of AXN ASIA

Social issues

The shadow-shaping numbers were performed to songs of Imagine Dragons, Vanessa Williams and other foreign pop artists. El Gamma Penumbra, with unfailing teamwork, became the Statue of Liberty, the Sydney Opera House, a carabao, warring soldiers, and Mother Nature herself, among others. The subjects covered ranged from environmental and social issues to lighter, more carefree fare.

“We got the gold again,” Marfa said onstage after receiving the second golden buzzer. “We will take this gold as our inspiration to give a more meaningful performance.”

And give that, they did. The members jumped, cried and lost it when they were announced the grand champions of the competition on Thursday night. The team won $100,000, the opportunity to perform at Marina Bay Sands, and $10,000 worth of flights to various Asian destinations.

With its growing number of fans (a fraction of them on Facebook, which grew from over 150,000 to approximately 168,800 overnight) and increasing exposure, El Gamma Penumbra is bound for more opportunities to show their inimitable brand of artistry, and to transform into more resonant and moving figures.

Marfa thanked supporters and judges in a press statement: “We’ve been dreaming of this for a long time. It’s time to [give] back by [creating more] wonderful performances.”

On Facebook, the group posted, “You have been an unforgettable part of our ‘Asia’s Got Talent’ experience … You have voted for us and it means you are all with us in promoting goodwill to the world. This success will serve as our inspiration to strive harder.”