66 Carving Out a Space aware of her limitations but perpetually in the process of pushing her art. Sensitive to how medium or form complements the content of her works, Locsin knows when to stop, shift gears, and then proceed, but still always making connections with her previous works. Upon reading the descriptions of her works, one sees the common themes that run through her neo-ethnic and urbanative choreographies. While the former resonate themes of nature, rituals, Asian arts, ethnic dances, and history, the latter, deal with contemporary issues like gender and war and are often inspired by contemporary literature and the arts, and of course, love. I would like to look at the neo-ethnic and urbanative paths as proofs of Locsin’s probing artistry. The two are not separate and distinct but intertwined paths. Not even parallel paths, but inextricably linked paths. She shifts when the need arises—she admits that even if she was already into urbanative, she continued to do neo-ethnic because it provided her students with good training and Manila was still interested in her neoethnic works (Locsin, email to author, July 24, 2011)—without really being bothered by the fluidity of her works. Pondering upon her career, she explains that “I am still very much in touch with the ethnic of the Filipino soul in dealing with its current environment; which means I’m still very much neo-ethnic. More so… I think” (Locsin, email to author July 24, 2011). There is something to be appreciated in Locsin’s candor when she says the question on when she shifted to urbanative has made her think deeply about when and why she changed course. It is the honesty in admitting that she still has to determine, with the help of her former dancers, exactly when the change occurred that is to be admired. The unplanned shift12 may be read as an artist’s way of grappling with both medium and content. This reminds us of what modern dance and choreographer Rod Rodgers said in the 70s: “The highest compliment an artist can pay his audience is to invite them to witness his exploration of the maximum possibilities of his art, based on his total experience “(in Brown 1979, 175). Looking back at the trajectory of both her neo-ethnic and urbanative, one sees such exploration, a continuous reconnaissance of what was out there in terms of movement and issues in relation to her needs and limitations as a choreographer. Both movement vocabularies attest to how dance, according to the Mexican-American choreographer, Jose Limon, can “ritualize the greatest tragedies and ecstasies of man. It is in its power and province to reaffirm the dignity of man in an age that desperately needs this admiration” (in Brown 1979, 104). Creating works in Davao, Locsin is impelled by a commitment