LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Educators from all over the region donning authentic costumes depicting Philippine cultural heritage presented folkdances to highlight this year’s regional seminar on Philippine folkdances hosted by the province of Pangasinan.
Capping the ‘echo seminar’ mounted by the Philippine Folkdance Society (PFDS) in partnership with the provincial government of Pangasinan was the presentation of folk dances by the delegates held recently at the Provincial Training and Development Center here.
Another feature of Pangasinan’s unique heritage during the regional seminar was the showcase of ‘binungey,’ a research dance to be registered as official folkdance of the Philippines, which was presented by the Danggoan Pangasinan, the performing arts group of the provincial government.
Owing to the all-out support of the provincial government to cultural programs, PFDS President Childe Libertad said the province of Pangasinan under the watch of Governor Amado I. Espino, III has sustained various programs which help preserve and enrich the cultural heritage of Pangasinan ‘for the next generations of Pangasinenses to appreciate, be proud of, and uphold’.
“Having this ‘echo seminar’ in Pangasinan gives advantage to physical education and dance teachers who would want to participate in the national seminar on Philippine folkdances, but can’t participate due to financial considerations,” Libertad said.
About 200 educators and performing arts students from schools divisions of Department of Education, and tertiary education institutions; and representatives of local government units participated in the folkdance seminar.
The regional seminar scheduled from August 18-20 brought the PFDS – accredited folkdance trainers to Pangasinan to share their knowledge on literature and choreography of Philippine folkdances.
Philippine folkdances taught during the seminar were: tiklos, haplik, kuradang, pang-alay, pupuri, la jota jogad.
The participants also received training from the St. Louis University – Baguio City dance troupe members who taught contemporary dance, a course which is also offered in the Senior High School.
By Dexter A. See
