Article by Chloe Bernardo
The AlunALun Dance Circle online sessions have been a great resource not only for people who live overseas but especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our weekly sessions provide a much needed physical, mental, and spiritual exercise when most of us are all living and working in isolation. Our hour and a half practice time consists of a warm-up followed by a brief introduction to the movements and forms. We also learn various ways to apply the movements to form a cohesive and creative piece afterwards.
As someone who practiced Pangalay from a younger age (paused dancing for several years), I find the lessons very instructive for long-time dancers and beginners alike. The joy of seeing and moving with fellow dancers has greatly decreased the feelings of monotony and anxiety brought on by the pandemic. As long term goals of online concerts develop, we get to apply our creative art form as well as collaborate with our fellow dancers. As the pandemic rages on, the uncertainty of when we can all go back to normalcy remains. For the meantime, we will continue to try our best to adapt and practice our artform in a safe manner with the help of tools available to us. Distance is diminished thanks to the internet and perseverance. We are thousands of miles away from one another but we breathe as one.
The ADC started online sessions using the Amilbangsa Instruction Method in April 2020, a month after the government enforced a strict lockdown in Luzon. The sessions continue in 2021, enabling pangalay dancers trained in AIM from various places in the world to participate. Chloe Bernardo lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA and learned pangalay since she was in Grade 4 as an elementary student in Marikina City.
Hello po how do I join?