PangalayDance.Com The Official Site of AlunAlun Dance Circle

The AlunAlun Dance Circle (ADC) is a Metro Manila-based dance group dedicated to preserve, develop and popularize pangalay nationally and internationally. The ADC also believes in re-establishing links with other dance cultures in Asia to which pangalay bears closest affinity to. The effort will surely strengthen cultural bond with fellow Asians. All these will surely keep pangalay alive in the 21st century and beyond. The company was established in 1999 and was subsequently registered as a non-stock, non-profit organization under the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission. The pangalay, a dance style in the classical tradition, is the dominant indigenous dance form of the Sulu Archipelago, home to the Tausug, Samal, Badjao and Jama Mapun groups. This little-known dance style from Southern Philippines has the richest movement vocabulary among all Philippine dances. The techniques and aesthetics of the pangalay are parallel to those of other Asian dance forms. Pangalay is a living link to traditional dance cultures in the Asian region where sensitivity is the key to learning and gaining mastery of the many nuances of traditional dances. The ADC believes that the pangalay can be at par with Western classical dance styles like ballet and jazz. This is why we continually create new choreography using different types of music ranging from traditional, pop, classical, folk and others.

PERFORMANCES AND TRAININGS IN 2010

12 February 2010
Two performances (morning and afternoon) of “Pangalay at Musika ng Bayan” at the Emilio Aguinaldo College auditorium in Manila coincided with the EAC College Foundation Day, making the celebration of International Arts Month more meaningful to the audience.

23 February 2010
In honor of International Arts Month 2010, the AlunAlun Dance Circle rendered three one-hour performances of “Pangalay at Musika ng Bayan” at the Holy Angel University theatre in Angeles City, Pampanga.

8 July 2010
Pangalay performances on the occasion of the symposium sponsored by the Foreign Service Institute: “National Living Treasures and National Artists: Strengthening National Pride” held at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Manila.

29-30 September 2010
Pangalay solo dance numbers provoked and highlighted the discussions regarding the need for cultural revival and preservation during the international conference entitled “Islam, Childhoods, and Building Cultures of Peace in Southeast Asia” at the Balay Kalinaw, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. The conference was sponsored by the Psychosocial Support and Children’s Rights Resource Center together with the KKSP Foundation of Indonesia, Southeast Asia Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers and the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center.

11 December 2010
UST Graduate School on Cultural Heritage Studies headed by Prof. Eric Cerrudo sponsored a short pangalay training for a special performance on the occasion of the UST 400th year celebration.

13 December 2010
AlunAlun Dance Circle initiated the launch of the UP Dance Studio as a venue for interactive and laboratory performances through its innovative interactive show: “Malikhaing Pangalay sa UP Dance Studio.”

PERFORMANCES AND TRAININGS IN 2009

February 28, 2009
Performance at the formal launch of the Punta Cruz Watch tower, Maribojoc, Bohol

April-May 2009
Workshop for the participants of the International Dance Exchange in Dumaguete City sponsored by the NCCA

May 31, 2009
“Pista sa Hanoi” pangalay performance on the occasion of the 111th Anniversay of the Declaration of Philippine Independence and the Philippine National Heritage Month at the Hanoi Press Club, Hanoi, Vietnam

June 1, 2009
Independence Day Celebration, pangalay performance for the diplomatic community at the Sofitel Hotel, Hanoi

July-August 2009
Pangalay workshop for PETA-MTTL

September 19, 2009
Opening number of the Urian Awards featuring Yoyoy Villame suite

November 10, 2009
Performance for the International Conference on the Galleon Trade at the Coconut Palace, sponsored by the Intramuros Administration

November 2009
Joint Performance with Indonesian dancers on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of Philippine-Indonesian Relations, Heritage Hotel, Manila

PERFORMANCES AND TRAININGS IN 2008

February 8, 2008
Short dance repertoire at the Cafe Mishka, for a PWU alumnae homecoming

September 25, 2008
Ligaya Amilbangsa lectured on “Dance and Power Cross Currents” with dance demonstration by Nannette Matilac at the Yuchengco Museum, RCBC Plaza, Makati City where there was an ongoing exhibit entitled “Sulu: Beyond the Current on the art, lifestyle, an, d culture of the peoples of Sulu”

October 10-20, 2008
Workshop on pangalay dance style for the Punta Cruz Cultural Collective, Maribojoc, Bohol; on October 21, 2008 Ligaya F. Amilbangsa and Nannette Matilac joined the Punta Cruz Cultural Collective in a showcase

November 24, 2008
Dance as Opening ritual of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Forum, Unesco, DFA Building, Pasay City

PERFORMANCES IN 2007
February 8-10, 2007
International Conference on the Conservation and Popularization of Pangalay and Related Asian Dance Cultures held at the Riverbend Hotel, Riverpark, Barangka, Marikina City

February 15, 2007
Pangalay performance at the grounds of the UP Theater, Diliman, QC sponsored by OICA

February 23, 2007
ADC pangalay performance at the Metropolis Star Alabang sponsored by the NCCA and the Muntinlupa cultural affairs and tourism office

June 8 – July 7, 2007
ADC performed in various audiences and venues in Paris, France on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of Franco-Philippine relations

September 28, 2007
A fusion of film and dance at the UP Film Institute

November 13, 2007
Metropolitan Museum, dance for the opening of an exhibit by Mindanao-Sulu visual artists

November 29, 2007
Dance performance at Grand Ballroom of the Manila-Intercontinental Hotel, Makati, Philippines on the occasion of the Agora Awards

PERFORMANCES and TRAININGS IN 2006

March 2006
At the Marikina Cultural Center, launch of the book Ukkil by Ligaya Fernando Amilbangsa, an Ateneo de Manila University publication

April 2006
Performed a ritualistic dance during the press launching of Philippine Heritage Month at the Manila Intercon Hotel, Makati

August 11, 2006
Lecture-demonstration at the UP Hotel for the pre-schoolers of Pail and Shovel School

August 19, 2006
Dance performance at the lobby of the Gateway Cinema Theatres, Cubao, Quezon City during the opening of Moonrise Film Festival

September 19, 2009
Lecture-demonstration at the Emilio Aguinaldo College

September-November 2006
Workshop training for the Metropolitan Teen Theatre League (MTTL), the youth arm of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA)

September 22, 2006
Dance performance at the Balay Kalinaw, University of the Philippines

November 12, 2006
Performed “Stillness In Motion”, a 26 minute dance suite at the Hotel Nikko, Makati City

November 30, 2006
Performed “Offering” at the Metropolitan Hall, Taipei, Taiwan as official performing group delegation of the Asian Performing Arts Festival (APAF)

December 3, 2006
Performed “Shoeperb-Superb!” at the Metropolitan Hall, Taipei, Taiwan as official performing group delegation of the Asian Performing Arts Festival (APAF)

PERFORMANCES IN 2005

February 18 and 19, 2005
Full-length performance at the “Pangalay at Maskara,” Marikina City Hall and Roman Gardens, Riverpark, Marikina City

February 20, 2005
Benefit performance for CRIBS and orphanage and shelter for girls

February 28, 2005
Lecture-Performance for UP Manila students and patients of UP PGH

July 24, 2005
Pangalay suite for the Tanglaw ng Lahi Award, Ateneo de Manila University

December 11, 2005
Full-length performance, “Pangalay at Pasko,” at the Roman Gardens, Riverpark, Marikina City

PERFORMANCES AND TRAININGS IN 2004

June 2004: completed “Metaphors,” 26-minute choreography by Ligaya Fernando Amilbangsa with music “Dance of the Waves” for the Onassis Dance and Music International Competition 2006 July 2004: performance for the UNDP Budget Conference at the AIM Garden Oct – Nov 2004: 36-hour (two weeks) Training Workshop for Kaloob Dance Troupe Oct – Nov 2004: started seasonal workshop at the UP Vargas Museum Nov 2004: lecture demonstration at the Filipinas Heritage Gallery for the Museum Volunteers

PERFORMANCES IN 2002-2003

In 2003, the ADC performed in international conventions like: ASEAN People’s Conference at the Shangrila Hotel, Metro Manila; International Conference on Water sponsored by the Department of Education at the Sheraton Hotel, Pasay City; and ILGA—an international gender rights organization at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. AlunAlun Dance Circle with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra sponsored by Makati City Cultural Committe; “Pangalay at Maskara,” a full-length major dance concert at the Central Colleges of the Philippines; The opening presentation of the Marikina City’s Rehiyon-Rehiyon Festival; “Pangalay ng Bayan” January 2002, Cultural Center of the Philippines; “Heavenly Buddies”, a recital on pangalay choreography sponsored by the UP College of Music, ADC, Inc. and the Francisca Reyes Aquino Memorial Foundation, 2001 The ADC performed in schools and communities during the Arts Month 2002, at the CCP in a major concert entitled “Pangalay ng Bayan” (January 12, 2002), Within the first 3 years since 1999, the ADC was able to 1) teach pangalay to public schools teachers, non-government organizations workers, theater artists specifically:

• Dance training for the members of Teatro Talyer (year 2000); and
• Trainors’ Training for public school teachers in Pontevedra, Negros Occidental supported by Rep. Cojuangco last November 1999. More than 150 avid cultural workers have thus been exposed to the pangalay dance tradition.
• The company has conducted several workshops using the special syllabus designed by ADC Artistic Director, Ms. Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa. Some of these notable workshops include: dance training for the members of the Philippine Educational Theater Association or PETA (April-May 2001).
• Starting school year 2001-2002, ADC’s artistic director with ADC senior dancers have started teaching class in Asian Dance at the College of Music, University of the Philippines. This is an academic requirement of the Dance Program of the College of Music. This cooperative effort signals the beginning of strengthening the process of institutionalizing the preservation, popularization and formal teaching of pangalay.
• training of elementary school students from March to December 2003 sponsored by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts;

2) perform in various schools / universities to educate the audience, namely:

• De La Salle University, “East Meets West”–February 2000
• Far Eastern University, “Stillness in Motion” — April 2000
• Central Colleges of the Philippines—February 2002
• Central Colleges of the Philippines—December 2003
• Roosevelt Colleges – February 2002
• Ateneo de Manila University—February 2002

3) perform in various socio-political meetings, artists’ gatherings and international conferences to popularize pangalay

• December 1999–Opening of Women’s Gallery at the Museo ng Maynila
• January 2000–grand launch of Earthian Magazine at the Remedios Circle, Ermita
• March 2000–House of Representatives in celebration of Women’s Month
• May 21, 2000 — performed at the Marikina Riverbank Complex on the occasion of the Sunset Ceremony, the opening of the First Young People’s International Conference Against the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, attended by 200 delegates from 30 countries
• October 2000–opening of women’s exhibit “Who Owns Women’s Bodies?” at Lipa, Batangas

4) perform on television

• • Epol-Apple, ABS-CBN’s production featured the pangalay in a special episode in June 1999;
  • Y2K, IBC 13′s children’s show also featured pangalay in March 2000;
  • Loren, the tele-magazine show of ABS-CBN hosted by Senator Loren Legarda also featured the AlunAlun Dance Circle and pangalay in November 2000;