Sayaw Pinoy, the annual dance showcase around the country of the Philippines Arts Festival (PAF) for National Arts Month, opened last Jan. 30 in Roxas City, Capiz.
Organized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Sayaw Pinoy is now on its 11th year and is the longest continuing arts program of the NCCA. It is organized by the NCCA National Committee on Dance. Festival director is Shirley Halili-Cruz.
Sayaw Pinoy will stage performances of indigenous dances, folk dances, classical ballet, modern and contemporary dances and hip-hop.
In the aftermath of “Yolanda” and several disasters that hit the country, Sayaw Pinoy this year will encourage audiences to donate for the relief of survivors. Sayaw Pinoy will welcome donations of new notebooks, pens, pencils, paper and other school supplies for the schoolchildren in the disaster-affected areas of Capiz, Bohol, Iloilo and Zamboanga. Dance therapy workshops for children will also be conducted.
Halili-Cruz said SM Malls, National Parks Development Committee and local government units will host the Sayaw Pinoy 2014.
The following will be the dates and venues for Sayaw Pinoy: Feb. 14-16, SM Cebu, Mandaue City; Feb. 15-16, SM Davao (Ecoland and Lanang); Feb. 15, SM Marikina; Feb. 22, SM Rosales; Feb. 23, SM Pampanga and SM Marilao.
(For other flagship projects of PAF, contact Public Affairs and Information Office head Rene Sanchez Napeñas at tel. 632-5272192 or 0928-5081057. Log on to www.ncca.gov.ph or e-mail ncca.paio@gmail.com.)
UE festival opens today
The University of the East (UE) joins PAF with its own Arts on the Edge showcase.
The UE NAM celebration kicks off with an exhibit today, Feb. 10, at UE Manila’s Dalupan Lobby. The exhibit, “Retablos in the Philippines,” featuring images of heritage churches in the Philippines, will run until Feb. 28.
The UE Silanganan Dance Troupe will lead “Ugnayan sa Sayaw” on Feb. 19, 2 p.m., at the Theater in UE Manila.
“Sininglangan,” the inter-school on-the-spot ballpen art contest, will be on Feb. 21, at the UE Caloocan Open Field. The contest is part of the program of activities for the 2014 UE Caloocan Week slated Feb. 17-21.
The NAM-PFA activities of UE are organized by the UE Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA), headed by Generoso A. Caringal; UE Filipino Heritage Festival; and UE College of Fine Arts, Architecture and Design (CFAD), headed by dean Celino B. Santiago.
For inquiries, contact OCA, tel. 7355471 loc 441. On UE Caloocan Week, contact the CFAD, tel. 3623813; or log on to www.ue.edu.ph.