Months before the event, we were informed that the Bayanihan, the National Folk Dance Company was coming to Davao in December to perform at the Rosa S. Munda or RSM Event Center. The evening performance was to include the Cho Nam Gyu Jeun-Eun of South Korea.
Two performances were held, a Matinee and a Gala Show on December 13, 2011.
Fiesta Folklorida is the International Folk Dance Festival on Tour in the Philippines, its first stop being in Davao City. After Davao, they proceeded to Boracay Island in the Visayas where a cultural exchange and street parade was held featuring the dance companies of Russia, Italy, Korea, Finland and Sicily. The formal opening presentation was held on December 16 at the Regency Resort & Convention Center where all the groups presented dances from their respective countries.
On December 19, the Italian Dance Group held a cultural exchange at the Far Eastern University in Manila. The Grand Finale of Fiesta Folklorida was held on December 20 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
Bayanihan is the national folk dance company of the Philippines, by virtue of Republic Act 8626. With more than 50 years of international dance presentations, Bayanihan has earned numerous distinctions performing around the world covering six continents, 70 countries and more than 700 cities world wide. It was the world prize winnerin 2002, 2004, 2007 and the most recent prize winner during the 2011 World Dance Competition in Cheonan, Korea with Bayanihan artis Irina Feleo declared as best female performer.
The Cho Nam Gyu Song Jeung-Eun Dance Company is one of the leading dance companies in South Korea known for its refreshing and inspirational works. It won first prize in the 19th International Golden Karagoz Folk Dance Competition in Bursa, Turkey in 2010. It is also winner of the Music Award and Performance Award in the 25th Seoul Dance Festival. Recognized for their excellent dance works locally and internationally, Cho Nam Gyu Song Jeung-Eun returned to the Philippines for their fifth back-to-back performance with theBayanihan, the National Folk Dance Company of the Philippines.
Isabel Santos, Costume and Artistic Director and younger sister of Rosa Santos-Munda after whom the events center is named, was present for the event. Under her direction, the Bayanihan has gained a reputation not only as world-class, prize-winning dance company, but also as a mighty force in clothes design. Having been born and reared in an Islamic Mecca, Marawi City in Muslim Mindanao, where colors and textures rule the world of couture, it is only right that her costumes for the company are every bit a work of art as the dance performances themselves.
Amelou Benitez-Reyes, President of the PWC of Davao also graced the cocktails and watched the performances held for the benefit of the Best and Brightest Scholarship Program of the Philippine Women’s College of Davao.
