Darlence Kaye Rondero Abacan (Photo from her Facebook account)
Like any other 15-year-old, dancer Darlence Kaye Abacan knows contemporary moves and can bust them out to “Shake It Off” and “All About That Bass” with the best of her peers. Her overriding interest in folk dance, however, puts her in the company of teenagers with slightly rare artistic pursuits.
Her interest in folk dance stemmed from the time she first saw Indak Bambino, a folk dance troupe composed of kids from her school, Casa del Bambino Emmanuel Montessori (CBEM) in Batangas City.
The group, founded only in 2013, is already one of the leading folk dance troupes in their hometown. One of its notable performances was when they participated in last year’s Educational and Cultural Exchange Program initiated by Thailand educational institutions Princess Chulabhorn’s College of Phitsanulok and St. Nicholas School.
In just a little over a year of membership in the burgeoning dance company, Darlence has already showcase her dancing skills in Batangas and Manila. She was one of the members that graced the Pasinaya Festival at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in February.
“My involvement in Pasinaya was among my unforgettable experiences,” she says. “It was my first time to present here in the CCP.”
Indak Bambino, which champions the country’s rich heritage of folk dance including the Subli from Batangas, is one of the groups supported by CCP’s Kaisa sa Sining, under the center’s Outreach and Exchange Program.
Kaisa sa Sining aims to mobilize local organizations to make arts and culture accessible to the wider public.
“As a teenager, I’m glad that I was able to share my talents and, at the same time, I can promote the culture of our province in the whole Philippines,” Darlence says. “Kaisa sa Sining is important to unite the Filipinos in terms of culture and arts.”
Since last year, the CCP has been supporting the first batch of nine regional networks under the program, namely St. Louis University – Baguio, Barasoain Kalinangan Foundation, Inc. – Bulacan, City of Batangas, Central Philippine University – Iloilo, Siliman University – Dumaguete, Negros Cultural Foundation, MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology, Musikahan sa Tagum Foundation, Inc., and Arts and Sciences Educators’ Association (ASEACA) – Culture and the Arts Cluster Region X.
The partnership has already brought a number of cultural exchanges through performance-exhibit tours, workshops, access to cultural resource materials, and dissemination of relevant information of arts and culture in the Philippines and also in the global community.
On March 27, the CCP expanded its regional network by singing a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a new batch of partners.
Present during the singing held at the CCP Main Theater Lobby were CCP President Dr. Raul Sunico and Vice President & Artistic Director Chris Millado.
The new batch of regional partners include Diverse Initiatives for Bicolano Arts, Naga City; Province of Capiz; Calbayog City, Samar; Holy Name University in Tagbilaran City, Bohol; Koronadal City, South Cotabato; La Salle University, Ozamiz City; and Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges (RMMC), General Santos City.
CCP President Dr. Raul Sunico and Vice President & Artistic Director Chris Millado (center) with the partners’ heads
Chinggay Bernardo, manager of the CCP Cultural Exchange department, clarifies that all the above-mentioned members have been actively supporting the CCP outreach program for decades despite the systematized relationship being formalized through the MOU just last month.
According to Bernardo, members will be able to use the CCP facilities; have access to the library, resource persons; have guided cultural tours; and secure help in artistic cultural activities, workshops and trainings, among many others.
Bernardo hopes the strong regional partnership will help boost arts and culture in the Philippines.
Giving arts and culture a much-needed boost
Source: Mb.com.ph (April 02, 2015 at 12:02AM)
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