I had never heard traditional Filipino music, so I was surprised when I walked into Capistrano Hall on Saturday for the Sinag-Tala Theater Ensemble’s “Signatures in Brown” and saw an electric guitar, a drum set, and keyboards. As it turned out, these were only a part of the multi-faceted performance.

I expected a concert from the Sinag-Tala Ensemble, meaning “starlight” in Tagalog, but along with the electric instruments, traditional drums, gongs, and bells, dancing was the central part of the night. A mini-language lesson, which I could not pronounce, told me how to say head, shoulders, hips, and legs, along with coconut.

Sonny Alforque, the narrator and part of the music ensemble, said that the music had many influences, such as Latin and African music.

“Filipino music and culture is influenced by many other cultures,” Alforque said.

The influence was obvious especially in a song Alforque said was supposed to mimic a fiesta. If I had not known I was at a Filipino concert, I would have thought I was listening to Latin music.

The music, as mentioned, was only half of the night. The ensemble also had dances for nearly every song, and many of the dances were amazing to behold. Dressed in silks and bright colors on black, the dancers used props such as bamboo, coconuts, and fans while dancing.

Bamboo poles thumped the ground to create rhythm, were used to create a platform for two dancers to be held up on, and, most amazingly, used to clap together on the ground while dancers frantically weaved in and out, trying not to clip their ankles between the bamboo. Two of the dancers did this blindfolded, going ever faster.

Coconuts were strapped to the knees, hips, and front and back of shoulders for mock combat, while using other coconuts to clap together with the “armor” in patterns to make music to the comedic fight. Another part of the performance revolved around couples dancing atop benches, with the benches eventually being stacked to increase difficulty.

The props and dancing might have been the high point, but there were low points to the performance. First, some of the dancers seemed a bit bored with their dancing, hardly smiling for the duration of the show. Some were smiling the entire time, but this did not make up for dancers who were stone-faced throughout. This might be because they are amateur performers, but they should still be having fun.

The children’s ensemble, aged four and up, also forgot some of their moves, but that is to be expected. The audience also had mixed reactions; some seemed enthralled and engaged, while others seemed bored out of their mind. The performance was short, lasting about an hour and 20 minutes, and it seemed that some were glad to get out. Finally, the narrator forgot some of the dances that were about to be performed, and had to stretch time when the dancers were not ready.

The Sinag-Tala’s performance was good, but marred with a few down points. The length was perfect for the quality of the ensemble. I give the performance a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

For those who missed the performance and would like to enjoy a sample of Filipino culture, the Sinag-Tala Theater Ensemble will be celebrating their 20-year anniversary with a three-day extravaganza at the Luther Burbank High School Auditorium Dec. 4 through the 6.

Cole Mayer can be reached at [email protected]