Blog

On 8 March 2014, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, the ADC in cooperation with DocuCinema Media Collective and the Angel C.Palanca Peace Program Foundation (FEU) exhibited to over 500 students and academicians the full-length documentary, “Ang Pagbabalik sa Tawi-Tawi” (Return to Tawi-Tawi). It is about how Ligaya Amilbangsa, since 1969,  researched and documented pangalay which is also known as igal or paunjalay.The film showing was held at the Mini Auditorium, Technology Building, FEU Manila

On 4 March 2014, Ligaya Amilbangsa, Nannette Matilac and Temay Padero with the participation of Ruby Varona performed at the Marble Hall of the Museum of the Filipino People, during the book launch of “OF WAR AND PEACE: Lantakas and Bells in Search of Foundries in the Philippines”. Dr. Abe Sakili played the pangalay beat as the ADC members danced. The members of the audience waved colourful paper flowers (handmade by Ligaya Amilbangsa) as part of the ritual. Ruby Varona performed the Sikado, a Philippine martial art followed by Igal Kabkab (fan dance), an original choreography by Ligaya Amilbangsa.

Earlier, on 24 and 26 February 2014, “Ang Pagbabalik sa Tawi-Tawi” was also shown at the UP Diliman. The UP Islamic Studies presented the film as a way to celebrate the National Arts Month of February 2014. Pagbabalik sa Tawi-Tawi is co-produced by LotusBlaze Projects/DocuCinema Media Collective and ADC.

The UP Anthropology Department celebrated its centennial in Feb 2014 through pangalay dance and the exhibition of the documentary films “Sayaw sa Alon” and “Pagbabalik sa Tawi-Tawi”. The project is in cooperation with CSSP Folklore Studies Program. In between the film showings, pangalay workshops were conducted by Louanne May Calipayan.

[The Year of the Horse was a big kickstart!  Here is the blog of ADC General Secretary and Board Member  Mariel N. Francisco] 

31 January 2014: DANCING WITH THE LUNAR NEW YEAR

BY Mariel N. Francisco

Our hosts apologized in advance for the scaled-down audience because Jan. 31, Chinese New Year, turned out to be a holiday. It was too late to change the date of the Cultural Night of the inaugural conference of the Philippine Association for the Study of Culture, History and Religion, as invitations had been issued way back in October 2013. Students who were expected to make up the audience had taken off for the three-day weekend, leaving the lovely Plaza San Jose of Holy Angel University in Angeles City sparsely filled.

But to us, AlunAlun Dance Circle, our audience, big or small, deserved our best. Nannette, Temay, Gimo, Rama and I rehearsed our presentation and prepared for our trip with a sense of mission, but also of fun. It was after-all a balik-HAU for us, for we had performed in its state-of-the-art theater a few years ago in celebration of Arts Month. This time we were invited by one of the PASCHR convenors, Dr. Grace Odal Devora of UP Manila. The conference, she said, aimed to create a new network of academicians around the country and in the Asian region. Familiar with pangalay, she knew it would be a perfect fit for the conference theme: “Culture, History, Religion and Maritime Links Among the Islands of the Philippines and Beyond.” Fittingly too, the conference was co-sponsored by HAU’s Center for Kapampangan Studies. Although the Capampangan heartland is landlocked, the very name of the province bespeaks its beginnings on the shores (pampang) of the mighty Pampanga River. Our Artistic Director, Ligaya Amilbangsa, saw the relevance of pangalay to all this with her usual insight and enthusiasm. Indeed no dance could be more appropriate to demonstrate our pre-colonial culture flourishing in coastal settlements, than pangalay. Its undulating arm movements evoke the waves of the sea or fronds of seaweeds and palm trees, its flowing quality the sense of the ocean’s infinity, its mincing steps the limited space of the lepa or houseboat. The program we prepared aimed to “educate and entertain” by highlighting all these aspects which defined our indigenous identity and our close affinity with our Asian neighbors. Significantly, the conference posthumously honored the Pampango writer, diplomat, artist and bon vivant Emilio “(Abe”) Aguilar Cruz as “Prophetic Artist” for having foreseen way back in the 1970’s the coming-of-age of Southeast Asian identity.

As has been our practice, we introduced our 15-minute presentation with “What is Pangalay?” showcasing the rich movement vocabulary of pangalay with all its finger, hand, and arm gestures, footwork, and body stances. Even as I was doing the annotation I observed that everyone was paying close attention to the demonstration. Warm applause burst out in the middle of the menfolk’s energetic and vivid rendition of fishermen diving and spearing catfish in “Tauti”. Nannette’s creative blocking of her solo number on the steps leading to the stage further increased rapport with the small but captivated audience. Aside from our own performance we had a chance to appreciate the song and dance numbers of the HAU Performing Arts Group coordinated by Raymond Petersen. True to Pampanguenos’ reputation as artists, the numbers were impressive in every aspect, from the elegant costumes to the colorful props. A memorable number was the dance featuring discrete parts of a Pampanga parol, which were assembled in striking visual arrangements at various points throughout the dance.

The much-anticipated dinner was served at the Museo ning Angeles just across the street from the HAU campus. A homey vintage structure (1920) which used to be the town municipio, it has been restored and turned into a Culinarium to showcase the culinary culture which Pampanga is famous for. Windows thrown wide open brought in a cool breeze and showed the imposing Holy Rosary Parish Church festively lighted up against the night sky. But aside from the seductive spread of chicken asadong matua (marinated in calamansi and soy sauce, and simmered in onions and tomatoes), the dory with black beans and ginger, and double servings of refreshing pako salad, we were most thrilled to hear feedback on our performance.

Upon being introduced to the ebullient conference keynote speaker, Dr. Amarjiva Lochan, President of the South and Southeast Asian Association for the Study of Culture and Religion based in India, we harkened to his comments expectantly. “When you started dancing, the audience immediately fell into a hush!” he recalled with amazement. He said he was mesmerized, delighting in the similarities he recognized with dances in certain regions of India. “You ought to do a three-month immersion there,” he said tantalizingly, and promised to link us up with the right people. He also encouraged us to create original water sounds (a swimming pool will do, he assured us) and record them ourselves instead of using ready-made ones from other cultures.

Gratifying too, were the appreciative remarks of the conference chairman Dr. Esmeralda Sanchez of the UST Institute of Religion. After the usual picture-taking, and more picture-taking, we lingered in the congenial ambience before piling back into our vehicle. We had hardly entered the NLEX when everyone fell soundly asleep, our hearts full with satisfying cultural fare, confident that our well-received dance offering signaled a good year of dancing ahead.

“Ang Pagbabalik sa Tawitawi” documents Ligaya Amilbangsa’s return to the Sulu Archipelago after more than 30 years, to re-connect and to share with the people whose arts and culture she helped to preserve. The film centers on how Amilbangsa researched and documented pangalay, also known as igal and paunjalay in the Sulu Archipelgao.

Exhibitions in February and March 2014:

24 February 2014 2:00 p.m. at UP Institute of  Islamic Studies, sponsored by UP IIS and ADC

26 February 2014 2:30 p.m. at PH 207, Palma Hall UP Diliman, sponsored by UP Anthropology Department, CSSP Folklore Studies and ADC

8 March 2014  10:30 a.m.  9th Fl, Technology Building, Far Eastern University, Manila sponsored by Angel C. Palanca Peace Project on the occasion of International Women’s Day

The film showings will be followed by dance demonstrations and lecture-discussions.

PANGALAY DURING  AWARDS FOR HEROES OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Environmental workers know the importance of indigenous dances in the struggle to save the planet. Therefore, on 5 December 2013, the Gawad Bayani ng Kalikasan spearheaded by the Center for Environmental Concerns (CEC) invited the “beloved Pangalay Dancers to perform at the awards ceremonies” of the Ikatlong Gawad Bayani ng Kalikasan.

The awards event recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations “who have become part of the people’s movement to defend our environment, lives, and rights.”

The seven-minute performance by Rama Marcaida and Nannette Matilac used a contemporary composition advocating about issues regarding the environment entitled “Mayad Pag Surip”.

The pangalay choreography fused with some Balinese movements along with a mask (to signify the disturbed environment) was the finale of the awards ceremonies held at the convention hall of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management,Visayas Avenue,Quezon City. Photos by Erl Elvina.

“OUT OF TRADITION” CONCERT:   “SMALL STEPS BY CHILDREN” WITH CHOREOGRAPHY OF PANGALAY AND CONTEMPORARY DANCE AT PETA THEATER CENTER, QC

Another opportunity to deliver the message of hope for the ailing environment came on 11 December 2013, during the occasion of the “Out of Tradition” concert by the Bob Aves Jazz Group.

One of the highlights of the concert is a choreography of pangalay in contrast with contemporary dance. The fusion of contrasts is the essence of the interpretation of the music entitled “Small Steps” composed by Bob Aves.

The six-minute composition is re-interpreted by Nannette Matilac with a short film composed of images of children creating art works to express what they deem as “Small Steps by Children” to save the planet.

The short film is made possible with the support of LotusBlaze Projects/ DocuCinema Media Collective and the children as co-creators, with their creative visualizations onscreen.

The child artists who shared their “small steps” to save the Earth are Hannah Wadi, Careema Wadi, Ayana Matilac, Juan Martin Paz, Tomas Javier Sazon and  Abigail Aicie V. Lukban.

 Nannette Matilac (for pangalay) and Carlon Matobato (for contemporary dance) interpret the Bob Aves composition as the dualities in human nature that may result in destruction or renewal of the earth. The concert started around 8 PM to a full-packed audience at the Philippine Educationa Theater Association (PETA) Theater Center.  Photos courtesy of Al Avellana.

Pangalay in Earthdance Manila, September 21, 2013

By Rama Marcaida with photos by Levi Azarcon

Experience giving homage to the great Spirit of the universe, honoring the invisible stewards of nature, acknowledging the ancestors with generous offerings like steamed whole chicken, mounds of kakanin, fresh fragrant blooms and green bamboo containers brimming with native brew blessed by a babaylan.

Relish the sweet air wafting with incense and smoke. Feel the space charged with primeval energy through the organic music resounding from skin drums, gongs, bells and bamboo instruments.

Witness ancient dances being performed to purify the space represented by a mandala and join the small community of kindred souls gathering in an unbroken circle hoping and praying for healing, harmony and abundant harvests.

All these may seem part of a tribal ritual in a remote Pacific island from a distant past. But this happened in 2013–on the 21st of September–right in the heart of ultra-modern Bonifacio Global City on the occasion of Earthdance Manila. The ‘island’ where the ritual for the Earth transpired at the urban oasis called the Arts in the City.

There were healing sessions and seminars on health, spiritual philosophies, the art of the traditional Arbolaryo and Hilot and workshop in pangalay dance. Participants set up booths and exhibits  on organic and fresh produce, vegetarian products, intricate jewelry fashioned from discarded materials, practical products recycled from tarpaulin material, mystical crystals and gemstones, books on Asian spirituality and many more.

The AlunAlun Dance Circle’s participation in the Earthdance Manila 2013, through the invitation of festival organizer Ms. Rosanna Escudero, was a way to bridge the past to the present and to connect the sacred to the mundane. What better way to invoke the gods and spirits than through the ancient dance of our forefathers,  for in beauty, one always sees the divine. Every slow gesture and passage of the pangalay articulated the desire of every participant or spectator to be united with the divine. Pangalay dancing allowed spectators to see the dance of their pre-colonial forebears from the Sulu Archipelago.

The AlunAlun dancers there were not mere performers. They became conduits of the gods to mortals– modern day babaylans that keep the tradition alive through every exacting posture and graceful gesticulation, through every undulating movement, like waves ever gently lapping against the shore, and breathing in unison to symbolize wholeness. All these expressed awareness and oneness with Earthdance’s  loftiest sentiment – PEACE!

Pangalay and the Ed’l Fitr Celebration at The Block SM Northe Edsa, 10 August 2013
By Rama Marcaida

For two years in a row now the AlunAlun Dance Circle has been invited to celebrate with the  Ed’l Fitr Festival at SM The Block in Quezon City. This year’s performance on 10 August 2013 was a grant from the National Commision on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and sponsorship by the Magbassa Kita Foundation.

The concept of the show is very educational and celebratory, a fitting show for the Eid’l Fitr Festival —  Konsiyerto ng Pangalay, mga sagisag ng ating lahi: AlunAlun Dance Circle popularizes  filipino cultural icons in new choreography. The show was structured around Philippine Cultural Icons, the pangalay being one of them.

             In keeping with the ADC tradition, the show began with a dance demonstration entitled ‘What is Pangalay?’ explaining why the dance, that is also called igal by the Sama and paunjalay by the Yakan, is a treasured Philippine intangible cultural heritage.

The colorful patadyong/patajung  or tubular piece of cloth is indispensable in the everyday life of the people in many parts of the Philippines and Asia.  ADC dancers paraded on stage showing off the numerous ways of using it whether as a cradle, a head protection, a hilt for a sword, a shopping basket, a body garb, a sun shield, a belt, a fashion accessory, and so on.

Janggay as a symbol of Philippine dance in a choreography with children dancing the pangalay ha agung.

The janggay or metal claws, are interesting finger ornaments in dancing Pangalay. The janggay represents Philippine dance in much the same way as the toe shoe represents Western ballet. It is there an apt Philippine Icon and was chreographed with the young children wearing the janggay gleefully imitating a senior dancer. Then, one by one, they got on top of an agung, a huge knobbed gong, while dancing pangalay. A remarkable sight!

The show featured intricately designed Laminusa tepo or banig from the Sulu Archipelago,  vividly-dyed and woven in double layers. The playful chreography revealed a dancer coming out from a  rolled-up mat. Then the mat was laid on stage like a carpet for the female dancer to dance onto.  A second mat became the backdrop of a tariray dancer using bamboo clappers. Then the mats were furled out and waved furiously on stage by two male dancers to simulate how the Badjaw quarrel while out at sea, venting out emotions using the mats.

The lepa, or Badjaw houseboat,  another vanishing Philippine Icon, was projected on the video wall while a group of male dancers danced the occupational dance called tauti, after children playfully glided as fishes on stage.

A collaboration with a group of arnis practitioners was the final number of the show. They demonstrated graceful but ferocious moves as two competent fighters spar on stage.

Meanwhile, a female sikado practitioner showed stances that looked more of a dance than a martial art. Sikado, a Filipino martial art from the Visayas, was performed in harmony with langka budjang, a martial arts for women in the Sulu Archipelago.

The percussive sounds from the arnis sticks as they hit mounted rubber tires counterpoint with the bula-bula or bamboo clappers. The constant ‘kok-kak, kok-kak’ created by a line of dignified women dressed in black crossing in front of the audience off stage, their regular rhythm contrasting with the outbursts of the arnis, is  a surrealist’s dream come true.

We were enthusiastic to do a pangalay show for the Eid’l Fitr Festival with the Wadi family who hail from the Sulu Archipelago.  The Wadi children and their mother, Joi,  have been dancing with the ADC for more than two years now. Their father, Dean Julkipli Wadi of the UP Institute of Islamic Studies is a kulintangan player himself and an avid supporter of pangalay conservation.

Not even the physical condition of our beloved Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa could deter her from celebrating Ed’l Fitr. Ligaya danced Igal Kabkab– which is her own original choreography based on the pangalay movement vocabulary–using a flirty fan. She danced the Igal Kabkab  while seated on a wheelchair to show that persons with disabilities can still dance the pangalay. This is during the segment on ukkil that also featured the artworks of first Muslim National Artist   Abdulmari Imao.

Live kulintangan music lent a festive air throughout the show.  As soon as the pangalay performance began, the mall audience became a big crowd as they watched from  five storeys  surrounding  the majestic atrium of the SM The Block.  The show ended with the audience wanting for more.

AlunAlun Dance Circle will always be united with the Filipino Muslim Community  as proven by the Ed’l Fitr celebration year after year.

Filming of ADC Children at Museo Pambata

On 7 May 2013, the children of the AlunAlun Dance Circle went to Museo Pambata Boulevard, Manila to dance pangalay and be documented on film. The project is in cooperation with the NCCA and Museo Pambata, where Ligaya Amilbangsa’s  pangalay silhouettes  depicting various pangalay postures and gestures are displayed at the Karapatan Hall of the children’s museum.

(The dance instructors of theAlunAlun Dance Circleunder the guidance of Ligaya Amilbangsa’s teaching method—the Amilbangsa Instruction Method or AIM, teach pangalay to students from ages 3 to 80 years. Pangalay is a gentle dance style that can be learned by all ages.)

The children who all danced solo atop an agung were Roni Matilac—8 years old, Careema Wadi—7 years old, Hannah Wadi—5 years old. Meanwhile, Gemely Amar, 15, who started pangalay training when she was only 3 years old,  danced the igal kabkab which is an original choreography of pangalay using a fan created by Ligaya Amilbangsa.

The digital film documentation of children dancing pangalay will be part of a film supported by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in 2013.

The film with the working title of “Pagbabalik sa Tawitawi” traces the journey of Ligaya Amilbangsa in documenting and preserving the traditional dances and related artistic expressions of the Sulu Archipelago from the 1960s until the present. The documentary film is written and directed by Nannette Matilac, ADC Managing Director.

Celebrating Pangalay at Malayan Colleges Laguna

 On 8 March 2013, coinciding on International Women’s Day and in post-celebration of the National Arts Month, the students of classes under Prof. Bani Ambion in  the Malayan Colleges Laguna hosted the AlunAlun Dance Circlefor a dance lecture and film showing entitled Celebrating Pangalay  at the Francisco Balagtas Auditorium in the Laguna campus from 10AM to 12 NN.

Dean Joy Hofileña who gave an inspirational talk after the opening remarks by Ms. Maria Rovilla stayed through the two-hour celebration to watch the film showing and enjoy the lecture performance.

Dean Joy Hofileña who gave an inspirational talk after the opening remarks by Ms. Maria Rovilla stayed through the two-hour celebration to watch the film showing and enjoy the lecture performance. Preceding the pangalay lecture performance was the film showing of “Sayaw sa Alon”  (Dancing on Waves). Written and directed by Nannette Matilac, the documentary film “Sayaw sa Alon” started in 2005 and was completed in 2008. The film won Best Director and Best Cinematography in the 5^th Moonrise Environmental Film Festival. The film has been shown in Japan as one of the finalist of the 17^th Tokyo Earth Vision Global Environmental Film Festival and was subsequently chosen as one of the Best of Tokyo Earth Vision in 2009.   “Sayaw sa Alon” (Dancing on Waves) is a journey into the life and culture of an endangered people, the Sama Dilaut also known as the Badjao (Bajau), whose cultural demise will be a great loss to humanity itself. Also called sea gypsies, they are one of the ethnic groups inSouthern Philippines wherein  pangalay dance style originates.

Right after the closing credits of the film, ADC dancers Jimo

Angeles, Louanne Mae Calipayan and Nannette Matilac presented a lecture demonstration on the pangalay dance style featuring linggisan (bird dance), tariray (dance with bamboo clappers) and tauti (mimetic dance on catching cat fish).

The film showing and the performance was followed by an open forum  moderated by Ms. Sheryl Hermosa.

The Philippine Arts Festival (PAF) opened with pangalay choreographies performed by the AlunAlun Dance Circle to celebrate Philippine Arts Month on 6 February 2013 at the Marikina Riverpark. The  PAF is sponsored by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). The festival is under the supervision of NCCA chairman Felipe de Leon Jr. and executive director Emelita Almosara. The PAF Opening Program  is in cooperation with the City of Marikina and in cooperation with Damlay, Inc. of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina.

The 2013 Philippine Arts Festival promoted icons of Philippine arts. The Opening Ceremony of the PAF began with a pangalay choreography to the choral rendition of “Bituing Marikit.” The pangalay choreography was led by Nannette Matilac featuring the use of the janggay or metal claws.  The janggay is also called saling kuku, sulakengkeng or salukengkeng in the Sulu and Tawitawi provinces. Rama Marcaida with young dancers from various schools also danced in a circular formation much like a sunset ritual.

This was followed by a dance suite on three songs by Yoyoy Villame whose iconic songs can also be considered as significant to Philippine folk and pop culture. The pangalay dance movement vocabulary was utilized in interpreting Villame’s “Granada”, “Buchikik” and “Nasaan Ka Darling?”. Despite the whacky rendition of these innovative songs, the pangalay choreography remained faithful to the tradition of pangalay dancing–slow, meditative and defiant of space-time,  relying on rhythm of the breath and not the musical beat.

 Pangalay, also known as igal among the Sama and paunjalay among the Yakan, is an important cultural icon and symbol of our cultural heritage.  Aside from pangalay, other icons of Philippine arts  presented in the PAF are the kundiman and the balagtasan.

Photos by Levi Azarcon