December 3 this year has been a synergy of arts and culture all day long. Members of the SIKAT Dance Repertory, along with their leader Nash Anggahan started the day rehearsing at the Dance Hub Fitness Center in Libertad, Mandaluyong under the ingenious choreography of Mr. Eric Pablo, founder of Eric Pablo Creative Entourage Incorporated, together with the company's in-house dancers. All of them were preparing for a special dance number showcasing the different folk dances of the Philippines from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Their performance would be at 8 pm at the Garden Ballroom of Edsa Shangri-La for the delegates of an international health conference organized by WHO.
I was able to catch up with the practice in the afternoon until the event itself in the venue. Although the routine has only been conceptualized on the day and some dancers came late due to other commitments, I can see their dedication in dancing as they strive to perfect the routine and present it the way Mr. Pablo wants it to be presented. A few hourse before the show, the dancers were given time to make themselves up, in preparation for the technical run. Ms. Matet, the technical director of the event studied the entrance and exit frames, as well as the presets of each dance for the actual show.
By 6:45 pm, it was time to move to the venue. Everyone at the studio packed up and prepared to leave. The dancers brought with them their costumes and went off, while the staff helped out with the props.
Time went on and soon it was 8 pm. Already dressed in their costumes, all dancers were awaiting for the cue from Mr. Pablo to start. Some were doing warm-up stretching exercises while others were excitedly chatting with fellow dancers. As soon as Mr. Pablo went to the hall where they were gathered and told them that they were about to perform, the dancers began to be in formation. Mr. Pablo went to the center of the room and introduced himself as the host who explained the culture behind each dance that was presented.
The show started off with the company's in-house dancers stutting off in an heartfelt interpretative dance number. Then entered the SIKAT dancers performing the different folk dances which perfectly depicted the way of life of Filipinos.
Everyone in the audience, especially the foreigners enjoyed the presentation. Truly, nothing can be more welcoming than showing other countries who we really are as a nation. Philippine culture may be tedious to understand but through dance, everyone got a clear picture of what it is all about.
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