At last I could make my way down to the red light district, where macho dancers clubs were located. I went in to Adonis, and unfortunately they did not allow me to take any pictures. I was there very early at 11pm (yes, that is very early for macho dancing scene) and they started the show with just me watching alone. Well, as expected they were selling sex. The mamasan was a nice lady, I managed to speak to her a little. Then this guy approached me after he danced on stage.
Seven. That was his name. For once I thought they named the guys over numbers in the club, I had to check with the mamasan. But his name was really seven, he said apparently because he was the seventh kid. I bought him drinks and we talked, but I could not get much information, or at least interesting ones, not those i-am-so-poor-and-no-choice cliche. And throughout the night, he was more interested in selling himself, I guess. Well, that is their job.
I was quite disappointed because I could not get much materials when I was there. There wasn't any pamphlets or collaterrals that I could bring home.
But I noticed the dance. The guy who approached me knew that I was an Indonesian and hence when it was his turn to be on stage again, he played an Indonesian music. But it was sad, as in a mellow dramatic song about suicide. I doubt they know exactly what was the lyric all about.
I jotted down several actions that most of the guys did on stage:
Pulling their tight t-shirts
Wear extremely minim short
Knee pads
Thick make up
Very high boots; black mostly
Dancing in slow-mo
And they have huge thigh
The lights on stage were quite blinding as well. And the dancers always look at one point, slightly above the audience and once in a while would glance towards the audience. I asked Seven, and he said there was mirror there that he could check his movements, but I didn't see any.
They would exit the stage before the song ended properly and went to the floor and walked around the audience, like a parade. The audience, holding ultimate power here, could call them at any point of time.
I asked the mamasan if the audience are Pinoys. She said some, but mostly tourists, both girls and boys. I was really curious about what the locals would think about them. I asked a friend, and he said if you are being noticed at the area, it will definitely be not a good thing for your image.
I stayed for a couple of hours. They played this song: I've been to paradise, but never been to me.
Making works based on the macho dancers have always been an interest and if I have the chance to go back, I'll visit them more often. I've already decided on the character as well. The Dancer with fruit totem, Saba.
There are also a lot of Philippines film on the boys. I watched one which was produced in 1988, directed by Lino Brocka. Check out the trailer:
The Pinoys are also famous for their CD stores, where gay erotic films were sold publicly. There were at least one row of shelves dedicated for these films, mixed with straight erotica, gay drama and other films as well as sex-based movies. I find this compelling, especially looking at the religious background of the country, being a Catholic state.
But well, I really hope to return to the macho dancers in the future. But once again, I don't really know what exactly I want to do yet. Maybe to work as one for a week.
Next character will be The Barrel Man, with fruit totem, Barrel Fruit.
The Barrel Man is a local souvenir which a friend gave me on my last day there. It is very Philippino and extremely sexual in a funny way. The object is a sculpture, of a man trapped in a barrel. His head could be seen and the barrel can be removed. But once anyone does that, his supposedly penis, a really huge one (comparatively to his body height) would be erected. It was erected all along but by lifting the barrel, it would be sticking out, letting itself hard and erected, on your face. I hope the visual is good. But anyway, take a look here, or image below.
There is also another barrel man, called Tim McKernan, an Colorado football team enthusiast. I don't really know what to do with this reference yet. But here is about him.
