In this fast changing world, many traditional dance forms are vanishing without having been documented. Traditional cultures in developing countries of Asia are pushed to the edge of obscurity by factors like westernization, globalization, war, poverty, environmental destruction and other threats.
Pangalay is one such dance form in Asia that is being pushed to oblivion. Amidst these challenges, there are dedicated teachers, dancers, social scientists and researchers who strive to conserve traditional dance forms.
The AlunAlun Dance Circle, Inc.(ADC) was established in 1999 by a group of professionals inspired by the beauty and versatility of the pangalay. The ADC was registered under the Securities and Exchange Commission as a non-profit organization in 2000.
The group derived its name from the graceful strength of waves or alun that shaped the coastlines, as well as the diverse cultures of the Philippines. Under the tutelage of pangalay dance teacher and choreographer, Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa, the AlunAlun Dance Circle aspires to revive, stimulate and sustain interest in ancient Filipino art forms, notably the pangalay dance style, through comprehensive dance instruction, research, and performances.
Since its establishment in June 1999, the ADC has appeared in hundreds of performances like concerts, national festivities, dance recitals, inaugurals, art exhibits, international conferences, and television shows.
The ADC was Official Representative to the 4th Asian Performing Arts Festival in Taipei, Nov-Dec 2006. It gave a series of performances in Paris (Alliance, Unesco, Pistang Pilipino in Paris, Branly Museum, etc.) in June-July 2007 on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of Franco-Philippine Relations. In 2009, the ADC also performed for the Philippine Embassy in Hanoi on the occasions of the 111th Philippine Independence and the National Heritage Month.
The ADC is also active in teaching pangalay at the grassroots level, especially among young people, using the Amilbangsa Insruction Method or AIM, as demonstrated by the successful pangalay dance workshop for the Punta Cruz Cultural Collective in Maribojoc municipality, Bohol Province in October 2008. The ADC members were also major participants as dance workshop teachers in the International Dance X-change (International Dance Festival) Project of the NCCA Dance Committee in April 2009 held in Dumaguete City.
