Remembering 90s: UNIVERSAL MOTION DANCERS

Universal Motion Dancers with Randy Santiago in sunglasses

Before Kpop and its horde of idol groups surfaced to the Philippine archipelago, there were local sing and dance groups surfaced and made waves to the Phillippine entertainment industry—music, movie and TV sector respectively. Also, in the local scene, before the emergence of all-girl groups (Sexbomb Girls, Baywalk bodies, Viva Hotbabes), and P-Pop groups XLR8, Pop Girls, Pointen, and RPM, there were famous male sing and groups emerged on the local scene, winning the hearts and screams of local fangirls due to their amazing dance steps, awesome charm, and unquestionable talent as Maneuvres, Gwapings, Streetboys, and most notably Universal Motion Dancers.

From left to right: Jomari Yllana, Eric Fructuoso, Mark Anthony Fernandez

Of all the idol groups I’ve mentioned, The Gwapings is what I can consider as only a group of matinee idols who has always been visible both in Variety shows, TV sitcoms and dramas, as well as movies. They did not started as dancers like the remaining groups. Their talent might be questionable, but their impact to the audience is UNDOUBTEDLY UNQUESTIONABLE, especially Mark Anthony Fernandez, when the late Douglas Quijano added Jao Mapa, the Gwapings trend went downward spiral. I will make a separate article about the Gwapings, since the main focus of this article is REAL OBVIOUS.

While I don’t know where to start, but Universal Motion Dancers is the best local idol group I’ve seen in the 90s. That time, I was in few years before graduating Elementary from St. Joseph’s College when they rose to popularity with their hit single Dancing With The Motion. UMD were also known for their dance steps for Erasure’s Always. The rest, they got more endorsements, movie contracts, TV appearances, and Wowie De Guzman became the household name for being Judy Ann Santos’ love team (and apparently the first boyfriend) in the eternally epic series Mara Clara, as well as Esperanza.

To quote PEP.ph:

Before the all-girl groups took over the dance scene, male dancers were the ones eliciting shrieks and screams from the viewers.

Wowie De Guzman, Gerard Fainsan (+), James Salas, Jim Salas, Brian Furlow, Marco McKinley, Norman Santos, and Gerry Oliva became famous for their legendary Butterfly steps in Erasure’s “Always.”

This group, which started as back-up dancers in 1992, was said to be the pioneer of the mixed hip hop-street dance variety in the local dance arena. Their popularity paved the way for other all-male groups to gain access to showbiz.

UMD also recorded one of the top-selling albums of the decade, Dancing with the Motion.

Before those manufactured Kpop idol groups invaded Philippine shores, Universal Motion Dancers was the reigning idol group in the local scene, and while Streetboys rival them in terms of best dance group, I can still consider UMD as the most epic one. More epic, more awesome than any Kpop idol groups I’ve ever seen. Nope, not even Western boybands emerged into the scene during my college years.

Universal Motion Dancers is famous for dance steps for Simply Red’s Stars and, as I’ve mentioned, Erasure’s Always. They are also famous for their singing ability as well as acting. Both albums and movies were instant hits, and while UMD is not spared from controversies, Universal Motion Dancers did not go thru controversies as worse as The Gwapings.

There were rumors surrounding Wowie that he did drugs and impregnated a girl, and even if those rumors weren’t true, Wowie’s career were hugely affected. However, it did not stop him from venturing into theater acting. According to him (source: PEP):

“Noon talaga seryoso ako sa teatro. Kumbaga doon ko finocus ‘yong career ko after TV, nag-shift ako doon. Five years sa Tanghalang CCP, sa Ballet Philippines, sa PeTA, halos lahat [ng theater groups]. So nahasa ‘yong craft. Worth it naman kasi marami akong natutunan. I think malaking tulong na rin ‘yon sa akin,”

He explained that the two media have very different disciplines.

“Maraming advantage and disadvantage ‘cause sa theater limited lang ang audience mo. Unlike sa TV, nationwide. ‘Yong medium rin kasi [ng teatro] nasa entablado, you’re acting for hours. Unlike sa TV, puwede kang i-cut and puwede kang i-correct,” he commented.

He added, “Sa teatro, mahahasa ka na magkaroon ka ng disiplina sa sarili mo na hindi ka magkamali. So magiging professional ka pagdating sa teatro. Of course, may mga advantage rin ang TV na wala sa teatro.”

At least, despite stepping away from the limelight in 2003, he never confined himself in corners. He’d rather explored himself in a deeper ways to hone his skills. I haven’t watched him acting in theater, but I am glad that he never ended up wasted.

Also, at the height of UMD fame, their comrade Gerard Fainsan died of asthma attack in 1997. His death saddened both the fans, people in the industry and UMD themselves.

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Well, just reminiscin’ 90s, where i lived my childhood and teenage life. I’ve almost ditch the local scene in my teenage life due to the fear of being bashed by my coño classmates in Kostka School, so my love for the artists of the local scene was a secret until I was about to graduate from High School. Universal Motion Dancers came across my mind as I reminisce my puberty-teenage years.

UMD breaks up and reunites. During the recent dance showdown, UMD is Unified again.

As a treat—especially to the UMD fans, below are their hit songs:

I swear, Dancing with the Motion has always been the official song everytime there is dance presentation in our School during elementary days. It is even catchier and dance-worthy than Super Junior’s SORRY SORRY.

Ahhh… now I remember. Shake that body. However, I like it when Aya Sugimoto collaborated with UMD. I like the Aya Sugimoto collaboration.

You can even check the NEWS.

You can just type Universal Motion Dancers, Dancing with the motion and Onward as keywords and you can find finest stuff from them

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That time, Pinoy music was as of awesome quality. Pinoy music mainstream was experimental at that time, and in the case of Universal Motion Dancers, their songs is not so jologs-quality. While I appreciate XLR8 and Viva Artist Agency talents, their music cannot come close to the music of Universal Motion Dancers. I also felt like, good thing autotuning was not born in that era, because autotuning and electrification simply destroys and burns the music.

Hell, I even find Universal Motion Dancers livelier than any Kpop groups out there. Sure, there are awesome singers in Kpop boybands, but as time goes by, due to dependence to technology, Kpop is just becoming less and less experimental, with companies exploiting female groups showing more legs, more electrified voice, more plastic surgery, more manwhoring (Hi! 2PM!) and silly fanservice, and turning more and more “symbolic“.

I don’t want our own Pinoy Music Industry to be KPop-y. I want the former to be more experimental that could match against KPop.

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