Davao City Hosted The NFDW

By Rodel M. Fronda

The Philippine Folk Dance Society successfully conducted the 29^th National Folk Dance Workshop at Davao City last May 18 to 22, 2009. The event was in coordination with Department of Education Region XI, PFDS Davao Chapter and Ateneo de Davao University. This year’s workshop is in line with the celebration of the 60^th Anniversary of the society.

 Mrs. Josefina B. Guillen, President and the rest of the Officers and Board Members of PFDS were very happy on the turn-out of the workshop attended by 630 participants coming from all over the Philippines, some from USA and New Zealand.

 The formal opening held last May 18 featured Street Dancing performed by the participants per Region and three other groups from Davao City showed and performed the beats and rhythm of local festivals of Davao. Hon. Leo Avilla, City Councillor of Davao was the guest speaker of the event who was so amazed and surprised of the festivity during the opening rites. The Principal of Ateneo de Davao University Grade school also visited the said activity. A university dance and theatre collective performed traditional dances of Davao which add colors to the event.

 On the 1^st day of the workshop a review of fundamental steps and movements was the 1^st session before the participants were divided into 2 sections, the Beginners and Advance classes. Those who are 1^st and 2^nd timers and students will attend the Beginners class and the rest will attend the advance class. There are some new and old dances thought during the whole proceedings and lectures about Folk Dance interpretation and Staging. The Kaliwa’t Theater Collective was featured in one the Cultural Night presentations; Delegate’s and Regional Nights, Holy Mass and General Assembly were also part of the one week event. Awarding of individuals, local chapters and other institutions who had helped in one way or another PFDS through the years was the most significant evening for everybody, honourees like the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group, Philippine Baranggay Dance Troupe, Francisca Reyes Aquino Memorial Foundation, Paz Cielo Belomonte, Local chapters of Isabela Province, Cebu City, Bicol and Bohol, the researchers, the pianists, pass board members and officers of PFDS, and the highest award that night was given to Mrs. Emerita E. Basilio, the former President and now adviser of PFDS.

 Highlights of the closing ceremonies  last May 22 were the Folk Dance showcases, Street Dancing and Oath taking of the annual and life time members, the Local Chapters and the newly elected board members of the PFDS.

 Still, PFDS version of Folk Dance workshop in a national or regional scope is incomparable to other groups conducting such, hence focusing on the vision and mission of the society, the intention of honing one dance program and preserved the cultural value and knowledge of most of our teachers and dance enthusiasts and more important the richness of the educational process that involved the participants and PFDS which thru the years progress and elevate the common roots of being Filipino and being proud of its culture and traditions.