Heritage Month: Filipino dancers gather for live International Dance Day after pandemic halt
MANILA, Philippines — The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), through the National Commission for Dance, and festival director Shirley Halili Cruz, recently presented a dance concert at the newly-refurbished Metropolitan Theater to celebrate International Dance Day (IDD).
Simply dubbed "Dance Xchange 2022," the two-hour extravaganza was one of the live performances to be presented after a long break due to the global pandemic. A bevy of dance forms in all genres regaled spectators that filled the venue to the rafters.
"The pandemic has held us back, as well as our artistic expressions. Now, we can have live shows such as this that supports dancers and artists from all over the country," enthused NCCA executive director Oscar Casaysay, during his opening message.
The show opened and closed to folk dance performances. The terpsichorean spectacle began with a melding of the "banga" and "salidsid" movements from Lahing Batangas and a fabulous Yakkan duet from the Bayanihan Dance Company.
Other folk performances included Zamboanga del Sur's modern pop "Gitara" rendition, the Philippine Normal University Kislap Sining's execution of the "binasuan," the University of Santo Tomas Salinggawi's interpretation of "Jota Quirino," Zamboanga del Sur High School's presentation of the "Pangalay Suite" and Lakbay Sining Dance Company's "Peacock of the North" rendition of the "banga" choreography.
Noteworthy numbers came from Angeles, Pampanga and Malolos Bulacan. The former troupe performed "Panata at Panalangin," a dramatic tableau of the Lenten Passion depicting scenes of flagellation and centurion-clad dancers. While the latter group, Pangkat Mananayaw ng Sining Bulakeño, performed "Desposoryo," which is an after-wedding marriage ritual spliced with the spoken word with dancers waving boughs and bouquets.
The ballet performances began with the Halili Cruz Dance Company's "Ballet Suite." This was followed by the "Pagtutuklas" solo performance from Likha PH, the classical rendition of "Sleeping Beauty Adaggio" by Ballet Manila, the Silanganan Dance Troupe with their modern ballet performance, Iloilo's Philippine Christian University's medley of ballet dances, as well as the ballet jazz rendition from Malabon's "Tanghalang Bagong Sibol," Aliw Awards Best Cultural Performers for 2019.
Hip-hop was given an acrobatic rendition by the Junior Dance Crew, the two-time grand champion of the Sayaw Pinoy competition, with their execution of "Ako ay Pilipino" in heels! While the J Crisis dance crew wowed the audience with their stunt-filled rendition of "We Fly High."
Dance sport, too, had its share in the limelight. The National Ballroom Ensemble, which is comprised of street kids trained to be able performers, gyrated to a Latin show dance, featuring a matador sequence to the tune of the "Mask of Zorro" soundtrack, "I Want to Spend My Lifetime Loving You." On the other hand, persons with disabilities (PWD) BNG duo performed an inspiring and well-received rendition of "Rise Up" with the male performer deftly dancing with his partner on a wheelchair!
The evening's show closed with a "Singkil" rendition from the Sindaw Maguindanao Performance Arts Guild, a troupe comprised of both students and professionals.
The celebration of International Dance Day is mandated by law and celebrated annually on the 4th week of April.
RELATED: Heritage Month: Patrick Quiroz proudly pure Pinoy despite Western looks
