Kaloob presents 'Layag' at the Folk Arts Theater
MANILA, Philippines - Kaloob Philippine Music and Dance Ministry will present “Layag: Journey of the Filipino Soul in Dance” at the Folk Arts Theater on Aug. 3, 8 p.m., and Aug. 4, 3 p.m.
“Layag” will feature authentic Philippine folk dances studiously researched by Kaloob from firsthand cultural informants and staged with utmost faithfulness to the spirit and cultural context of the rituals they come from. Indeed, Kaloob is known and respected for faithful presentation of Philippine dances that the late National Artist for Dance Ramon Obusan once lovingly remarked that Kaloob dancers would go straight up to heaven because they dance “correctly.”
As Kaloob’s main advocacy is preservation of age-old dances that now quickly fade from our collective memory, its presentations are marked by authenticity and minimal stylization. In fact, Kaloob is the only Manila-based dance troupe that has performed Ifugao dances in several Ifugao towns that has been warmly received and accepted by the local community as they remarked: “They dance like genuine Ifugaos.”
Featuring dances from the Ifugaos, Kalingas, Bontocs, Bukidnon, Subanen, Maranao, Maguindanao, Manobo, T’boli, Yakan and other cultural communities, many of them unpublished up to now, “Layag” will be Kaloob’s farewell performance before the group travels to Greece to officially represent the Philippines in the Lefkas International Dance Festival from Aug. 17 to 26 and in the Earthdancers Festival in Athens from Aug. 27 to Sept. 2.
Tickets to “Layag” are available at all Ticketworld outlets (891-9999), the Kaloob Bookstore @ the Folk Arts Theater (551-4411), and at the gate. For information, visit www.kaloobdance.com.
