By Robina Asido

The theater at Solaire roared with excitement as the 'Kings of P-pop,' SB19, rocked the stage alongside the 'Queen of Swag,' Riehata, together with a lineup of Filipino and Japanese hip-hop dancers in a dance jam in Parañaque City on Saturday.

Over 1,000 were hyped by the performers that showcased their talents during the Stella Dance Jam that was also witnessed and enjoyed by the Ambassador of Japan in the Philippines Endo Kazuya who attended the event with his wife Madame Endo Akiko.

Stella Dance Jam was organized by the Japan Foundation to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between Japan and the Philippines. The event also marked a milestone as the Japan Foundation celebrated their 30th anniversary.

In his speech during the reception before the start of the dance jam, Endo expressed belief that the event will promote friendship and inspire the youths of both countries.

"To celebrate our two grand milestones, we are proud to present a new generation of talent in this exciting event. Through the universal language of dance offered by the Stella Dance Jam, I believe our country's youth can share lasting friendships and a unified vision," he said.

"Joined by such young, eager talent today, I hope we will see what our country's friendship can inspire and what our passion can make possible," he stressed.

Japan Foundation President Kurosawa Shinya said the dance jam is "led by an internationally acclaimed choreographer and dancer named Riehata, one of Japan's most influential creative talents whose work has captivated audiences around the world."

"Tonight's performance is made even more meaningful by the outstanding artists from Japan and the Philippines joining together at this first stage. And also, we are very much honored and excited to welcome SB19, one of the Philippines' most celebrated and internationally recognized.. groups," he said.

"The friendships we celebrate tonight were not built in a single day. They were built through countless conversations, shared expertise, acts of creativity, and moments of mutual understanding over the years. So I am very confident now that we can continue to grow our ties stronger in the years to come," he added.

Aside from SB19, Riehata, a world-renowned Filipino-Japanese dancer and choreographer has also worked with Chris Brown, BTS, G-DRAGON, Lisa from BLACKPINK, TWICE and PSY.

The "Rie Hata Tokyo" or RHT, the Japanese dance group trained, led, and choreographed by Riehata also set the stage on fire in their very first performance in the Philippines during the dance jam.

In the press conference after the event, Riehata expressed how the dancers felt when they saw the audience enjoying their performances.

"I feel overwhelmed right now, but I have one more day still I have to work on something... but especially the collab(oration) with SB 19 we only have one night but we killed it and the feelings and energy was so special we had so much fun on the stage," she stressed.

"I feel very (at) home like they (audience) were so welcoming and we didn't get nervous because they were smiling, clapping and cheering. It was comfortable to perform and they gave us (so much energy)," she added.

In an interview with Philippine Shimbun after the dance jam, Edita Ray Cruz, a 58 year-old teacher from Bulacan expressed how happy and impressed she was with the dance performances, saying that she is looking forward to another collaborated performance between Filipinos and Japanese dancers soon.

"I expected a very nice dance concert. But what I saw is not just exceptional, but actually, I found it very, very impressive. The choreography, especially RHT. Oh, I love RHT, especially this guy, the tall guy. I think his name is Macoto. Oh my God, I can't take my eyes off him," she said.

"Riehata, as usual, she's a very good dancer and choreographer, but SB19 is solid energy. SB19 will always, always deliver. You know, SB19, I am a fan of SB19. I've been a fan only for one year, but I have watched, this is my fifth concert of them, and they never disappoint me. If this concert is going to happen again, SB19 collaboration with Japanese dancers, with Riehata and her group, I definitely would watch it again. It's all, all worth it," she added.

The joint dance performances of the Filipinos and Japanese dancers including Riehata and her RHT family continued until Sunday.

The Japan Foundation hoped that the successful two-day dance jam will "serve as an opportunity to further deepen affinity toward Japan among a wide range of generations in the Philippines." PHS