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OVER THE YEARS, THE BAYANIHAN, the
national dance company of the
Philippines, has touched the lives of
people in several cities and provinces
in the country through its Teaching and
Touching Lives transformative program.
Bayanihan has brought the program to
Laguna, Marikina, Bohol, Ilocos Sur and
Cavite in hopes of creating and
developing in young people pride in
their heritage.
The program follows a one-year
curriculum consisting of four modules:
Building Confidence, Dance and Songs,
Bayanihan's Props and Costumes, and
Rehearsals/Performance on Stage.
In the first module, values and virtues
are taught to develop self-esteem.
Dance and Songs covers Filipino folk
dances and songs, and other dances and
songs. Arts and crafts, including
costume-making, are taught in Props and
Costumes. Then rehearsals are conducted
for an actual stage performance.
The dance company works with local
governments, community leaders and
nongovernment organizations as it tries
to foster community service, respect for
hard work, discipline and he
bayanihan spirit-helping each other
to achieve a common goal.
The Bayanihan artistic team
studies the community's customs and
traditions and creates dance or a dance
suite, which is featured in the
company's season production.
The dances "Bangkero and Lavanderas,"
created during a visit t Pagsanjan; and
"Sapatero" and "Marikit-Na" from
Marikina were included in the 2007
season production Surging to the Crest.
This year's season production, Beyond
Folklore, features "Heneral Trias at
Noveleta" and "romanza Ilocana,"
products of visits t Cavite and Ilocos
Sur, respectively.
Under the Teaching and Touching Lives
program, selected public school students
in a pilot site are trained by Bayanihan
directors, musicians, dancers and alumni
volunteers. A coordinator from the
local government runs the program and a
public school adopts the program.
The Bayanihan team consists of
Suzie M. Benitez, artistic director
Isabel Santos, dance director Ferdinand
Jose, and music director Melito Vale
Cruz.
The company pursues its transformative
program through the Bayanihan Folk Arts
Foundation, in collaboration with
the Ambassador Alfonso T. Yuchengco
Foundation and the PWU Center for
Culture, Arts, Music and Sports. |
