ALVIN IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE PEOPLE I HAVE EVER MET.
HE STARTED SOMETHING CALLED 'DOSE OF PLEASURE' IN THE DARK LOCKDOWN OF BERLIN WHERE ALL WALKS OF LIFE GOT TO RELEASE, THROUGH DANCE AND MEDITATION, IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS.
HE HAS SINCE BECOME A TEACHER, A HEALER, A PERFORMANCE ARTIST AND 'BIBINGKA BABE' TO RELEASE HIS 'INNER FEMININE'.
HE DEFINITELY RELEASED MINE. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WHAT HE SEE'S AS PLEASURE, AFTER WATCHING, CURATING AND MANIFESTING SO MANY OF HIS AND OTHER PEOPLE'S PLEASURE'S.
What does pleasure mean in 'dose of pleasure’
I think when it comes to this word ‘pleasure,’ I used to just associate this word with feelings of satisfaction in a sexual juicy context. Whether it’s sexual desires, wishes and wants, fantasies, experiences that turn me on and stimulate me into intense feelings of satisfaction, the word ‘pleasure’ has always been paired with intense memories, stories or experiences. Until I started hearing ‘pleasure’ more in dance classes, conversations, coffee chats and living room discussions with friends and colleagues is when I started to expand my understanding of this word. Challenging my preconceived notions of the word pleasure, I was to explore how we can experience the essence of this word in our day-to-day lives.
Do this exercise with me if you will. If we close our eyes for a moment and sit with the word ‘pleasure.’
What comes up in the body? Sensations? How does this word show up in expression?
Is it the “oooooohs,” the “aaaaahhhhs,” the “sighs,” the “yesssss,” the “ughhhhhhh,” the “AHHHH” and the “mmmhss” of each moment?
The work I do with “Dose of Pleasure” is how can these sensations of pleasure be accessed through dancing, movement research so we can warm up the space for these sensations to be shared and celebrated? Can we access pleasure inside exhaustion, pleasure inside the challenging moments, pleasure inside the most tender moments, pleasure inside silence, pleasure inside the grief, pleasure inside the sweat, pleasure inside the innocence, pleasure inside the simplicity of things and more?
I am interested in diving into these moments and expand the notions of what it means to experience and source pleasure from within through the poetic body.
Tell me a little bit about Bibingka Babe?
Bibingka Babe is a love letter to the Berlin dance floors. I have always been struggling expressing my “femme inner diva fantasy” out in the real world and whenever I go out dancing, I channel this struggle through the presence of “Bibingka Babe.” This persona that I am currently nurturing is an ongoing project of empowering my divine femme and serve to the space what it means to be a bad bitch with an open heart. I have always admired divas in the clubs, drag queens in the spotlight and artists who are icons, and I try to explore more looks and expressions to let that version of myself to come out and be celebrated. I guess it’s a practice of being unapologetically me with an unshakeable confidence since I float more in the melancholy of things in my artistic craft. With Bibingka Babe, it is always a juicy explorative space to connect with dancefloor angels, warm up the space and create impact that is long-lasting.
How do we find our inner pleasure?
Finding pleasure from within is always a space of doing inner work and allowing ourselves to ask questions. If we look at the pain we have experienced in life, or even moments of discomfort, frustrations, hesitations and hardships, these have potential to be transformed into generating pleasure from within. If we can create spaces to sit with the discomfort of things instead of running away and let it show us what needs to be released, then perhaps pleasure can come out of these spaces as we allow the scope of our expressions and awareness to shine. So often we are conditioned to seek pleasure from outside of us — sugar, caffeine, vacation trips, books to read, toys and etc. I am guilty of this piece too. And what so often that we miss is the pleasure that we can source from what’s within already. Our bodies are so intelligent. Our bodies have the capacity to recalibrate given the time to fully be in deep rest. The sensation of pleasure from within is so profound and transformative that we connect to beauty life has to offer.
Once we find our inner pleasure, how can we convert it to outer pleasure that other people can find and see?
That’s the beauty of accessing pleasure from within. We tone down the need to sense it from the outside and we can start filling our own cups and be able to share it with others. Pleasure is in our birthright. It can inspire us to bring more positive impact into the world when we get the keys to transform pain into pleasure.
SEE MORE AND FIND OUT MORE VIA ALVIN'S SOCIALS:
https://www.alvincollantes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/alvincollantesdance/
