Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company
Encyclopedia
The Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company is the oldest dance company in the Philippines
. A multi-awarded company, both nationally and internationally, Guillermo Gomez Rivera
has called it the "depository of almost all Filipino dances
, dress and songs."
The company was founded in 1957 by Helena Z. Benitez and debuted May 27, 1958 at Expo '58
, the Brussels
World Fair responding to the request of then President Ramon Magsaysay
. Since then they have made at least 14 major tours to Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, US and the Middle East. It has performed in 6 continents, 66 counties and 700 cities worldwide. They perform folk dance
s from throughout the Philippines
and from other countries. The group takes its name from the Filipino
word bayanihan which means working together for a common good.
In appreciation and recognition of their pioneering efforts and international success in the realm of Filipino dance
, the people of the Philippines through the 10th Congress enacted R. A. 8626 declaring the Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company as The Philippines National Folk Dance Company.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. A multi-awarded company, both nationally and internationally, Guillermo Gomez Rivera
Guillermo Gómez Rivera
Guillermo Gómez Rivera is a Filipino writer, journalist, poet, playwright, historian, linguist, dance instructor, and scholar of Spanish and British descent from the Province of Iloilo....
has called it the "depository of almost all Filipino dances
Philippine Dance
As varied are the people of the Philippines, so too are the dances. There are many dances performed in the Philippine Islands such as the popular "Tinikling", to the exoticized "Pangalay", to the skill-based interpretation of the "Banga" and Spanish-tinged "Jota"...
, dress and songs."
The company was founded in 1957 by Helena Z. Benitez and debuted May 27, 1958 at Expo '58
Expo '58
Expo 58, also known as the Brussels World’s Fair, Brusselse Wereldtentoonstelling or Exposition Universelle et Internationale de Bruxelles, was held from 17 April to 19 October 1958...
, the Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
World Fair responding to the request of then President Ramon Magsaysay
Ramon Magsaysay
Ramón del Fierro Magsaysay was the third President of the Republic of the Philippines from December 30, 1953 until his death in a plane crash in 1957. He was elected President under the banner of the Nacionalista Party.-Early life:Ramon F...
. Since then they have made at least 14 major tours to Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, US and the Middle East. It has performed in 6 continents, 66 counties and 700 cities worldwide. They perform folk dance
Folk dance
The term folk dance describes dances that share some or all of the following attributes:*They are dances performed at social functions by people with little or no professional training, often to traditional music or music based on traditional music....
s from throughout the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and from other countries. The group takes its name from the Filipino
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
word bayanihan which means working together for a common good.
In appreciation and recognition of their pioneering efforts and international success in the realm of Filipino dance
Philippine Dance
As varied are the people of the Philippines, so too are the dances. There are many dances performed in the Philippine Islands such as the popular "Tinikling", to the exoticized "Pangalay", to the skill-based interpretation of the "Banga" and Spanish-tinged "Jota"...
, the people of the Philippines through the 10th Congress enacted R. A. 8626 declaring the Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company as The Philippines National Folk Dance Company.