Dance Xchange 2010 Emphasized Philippines’ Commitment to World Dance Community

In the hopes of creating conditions for dialogue and cooperation within the world dance community, the National Committee on Dance of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) again spearheaded the Philippine celebration of International Dance Day through Dance Xchange: The 2nd Philippine International Dance Workshop and Festival held last April 15 – 19, 2010 at Roxas City, Capiz.

Organized by the NCCA - National Committee on Dance, headed by Ms. Shirley Halili-Cruz, Dance Xchange aims to strengthen international dance network, showcase the unique dances of each country to facilitate cultural understanding, provide venue for interaction and facilitate learning among dancers, directors, dance teachers, and choreographers; encourage the creation of new works, and provide a platform for local and foreign choreographers and dancers to stage their works.

This year’s theme is “Cultural Connectivity through Dance”. The 2nd Dance Xchange lived up to its promise as a bigger network of top Philippine dance companies and international dance companies from Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, England, and U.S.A. participated in the said event compared to last year.

The event also coincided with the celebration of the 109th Foundation Day of Capiz and the 62nd death anniversary of President Manuel Acuña Roxas.

The International Theater Institute (ITI) Dance Committee Chairman Neville Shulman, Conseil International de la Danse President, Prof. Alkis Raftis, and International Council of Folkloric Festival and Traditional Arts Organizations President Dr. Udomsak Sakmunwong were invited to talk about the global concerns on dance.

Dance Xchange: The 2nd Philippine International Dance Workshop and Festival is endorsed by the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Technical and Educational Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

For more information about the event, contact the NCCA-Public Affairs and Information Office (PAIO) at (632) 527-5529, 527-2192 loc. 508, 612 to 615, email at ncca.paio@gmail.com, public_affairs@ncca.gov.ph or Ms. Shirley Halili-Cruz at (63917)529-694, or email nccadancexchange@hotmail.com. Visit the NCCA website at www.ncca.gov.ph

Dancers Show Flair in DanceSport National Tilt

The DanceSport Council of the Philippines Inc. (DSCP)launched the DSCP National Championships in conjunction with its 13th anniversary celebration. The competition was held last Nov. 29, with almost 400 dancers competing for the top spot.

Also geared toward finding the best candidates for the national pool of competitive dancers, DSCP Becky Garcia said that this competition is a way to keep the Philippine dancers visible on the international scene and also to develop of the skills of the country’s representatives in future dance tilts. The event was originally scheduled to be held at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium last Oct. 10, but was rescheduled to the Nov. 29 launch because of Typhoon Ondoy. The dance competition was held at the Rizal Ballroom of the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.

Serving as adjudicators in the competition are Mr. Jeff Elworthy (Australia), Ms. Hermien Rachmat (Indonesia), Mr. Marcel Keijzer (Netherlands), Mr. Victor Buenavida (Spain), Mr. Paul Harris (United Kingdom), Mr. Michael Lim (Singapore), and Mr. Gheorghe Raducan (Romania), licensed adjudicators from the International Dance Sport Federation (IDSF).

The dance championships had a total of 27 divisions in the Standard and Latin categories. Among those competing are National DanceSport athletes Emmanuel Reyes and Maira Rosete (Standard), Brian Ocana and Karla Ocana (Standard), Ronnie Vergara and Charlea Lagaras (Latin), and John Melencio and Dearlie Gerodias (Latin).The winners in the different divisions are:

Grade A Latin: Ronnie Steve Vergara and Charlea Lagaras (Cebu)
Grade A Standard: Brian Ocana and Karla Ocana (Metro Manila)
Grade B Latin: Anselmo Estillore Jr. and Mae Lozada (Cebu)
Grace B Standard: Gil Satrain and Chiao-Mei Chu (Metro Manila)
Grade C Latin: Jungie Zamora and Sheena Richen Daminar (Mindanao)
Grade C Standard: Don Kristian Bolaños and Alona Dangcalan (Luzon)
Grade D Latin: Joseph Bautista and Luzviminda Atruz (Metro Manila)
Grade D Standard: Glenn Marvin Fabul and Richelle Cabigas (Luzon)
Junior A Latin: Nigelandes Legaspi and Rochelle Canoy (Metro Manila)
Junior A Standard: Tristan John Ducay and Willanne Rose Ducay (Metro Manila)
Junior C Latin: Nigelandes Legaspi and Rochelle Canoy (Metro Manila)
Juvenile C Latin: Joshua Orapa and Dannah Joyce Piol (Metro Manila)
Juvenile C Standard: Joshua Orapa and Dannah Joyce Piol (Metro Manila)

The event was sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Olympic Committee, PCSO, PAGCOR, NU 107, Savannah Moon, Water Zone, Studio 116, and Ho. Andrea Domingo.

For more details of DSCP and the complete list of winners, visit their website at http://www.dancesportphils.com/.

International Athletes Joined World Dance Sport Open

Dance sport athletes from 14 countries joined the 4th DancsSport sa Sugbu and 3rd Cebu IDSF (International DanceSport Federation World DanceSport Open Latin and Standard 2009 last September 26, 2009 at the Grand Ballroom of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino in Cebu City.

The dance athletes from here and abroad grooved to the Latin dances of cha-cha, samba, rumba, pasa doble, jive, and the standard dances of slow waltz, tango, Viennese waltz, foxtrot, and quickstep.

Foreigners from Russia, Germany, Bulgaria, Slovenia, the Untied Kingdom, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Vietnam, Myanmar, Brunei, and China joined the event. The Philippines was well represented, with dancers from Metro Manila, Tacurong City, General Santos City, Dumaguete City, Davao City, Cagayan de Oro City, Zamboanga City, Samar, and Leyte.

In the Latin discipline, Cebuana dancer Ms. Charlea Lagaras and her long time-partner Mr. Steve Vergara emerged the biggest winners as champions of the Adult-A Closed Asia and IDSF Open categories.

Another Cebauana, Ms. Dearlie Gerodias, and her partner Mr. John Errole Melencio finished second, while Ms. Joana Nina Marciano and Mr. Norwille Damasin won third place honors in the Adult-A Closed category. Bulgaria’s Ms. Ilieva Vanina and Mr. Petrov Genadi won second, while Ms. Gerodias and Mr. Melencio finished third for the IDSF Open.

In the Modern Standard IDSF Open category, Hong Kong representatives Ms. Faye Hung and Mr. Pietro del Bello claimed the gold, with Bulgarian dancers Ms. Stella Kukonova and Mr. German Tepavicharov taking home the silver. China’s Yuan Cheng Jun and Sun Na won the bronze for the said category.

In the Closed Asia category, Filipino dancers Ms. Maria Cristina Nguyen and Mr. Jaime Sarmiento won the gold. Brother-sister tandem Brian Joseph and Karla Stephanie Joy Ocana took home the silver, and real-life couple Ana and Joel Madera got the bronze.

The 4th DancsSport sa Sugbu and 3rd Cebu IDSF Open DanceSport Championship 2009 is sponsored by the Cebu City Government, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, M. Lhuiller Kwarta Padala, Department of Tourism, Philippine Sports Commission, Port Seafood Restaurant, Panasonic, Living Asia Channel, Wealth Channel.tv, Y101 FM, Business Mirror, Alegre Beach Resort and Spa, The French Baker, Shanghai Bay and the International Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Alcordo Advertising, Alpa City Suites, Large Form Graphics, Sun Star Daily, Cebu Daily News, and The Freeman.

For more information about the event, contact DanceSport Team Cebu at (032) 415-5844 or visit www.dancesportcebu.org