The Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company

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Table of Contents

I.        Introduction        

II.        History        

III.        Milestones        

IV.        Influences        

V.        Analysis and Conclusion        

VI.        References:        

1. Introduction

The Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company is the oldest dance company in the Philippines. They perform folk dances locally and internationally to spread and preserve the rich culture and heritage of the Philippines. In doing so, they have taken significant measures in researching and exploring the art form of music, dance, costume, and folklore of the different indigenous groups around the Philippines. Their mission is to reorganize and restructure these art forms to fit the demands of contemporary theater while making sure to keep the Filipino culture intact and prominent even after modernizing it. The Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company showcases the pure Philippine cultural heritage to both the Filipinos and foreigners, as they have deemed this art form as the common thread that binds all Filipinos. In doing such, they are promoting, preserving and raising awareness of the rich and vivid Filipino culture, which has slowly been forgotten. Thus, their name “Bayanihan,” an ancient Filipino tradition that means to work together for a common good, is a testament of their journey in keeping the Filipino culture and heritage alive (Cultural Center of the Philippines 2012).

1. History

The Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company’s humble beginning started from being a Folk Dance Troupe of the Philippine Women’s University (PWU). In 1956, Dr. Helena Z. Benitez founded the folk dance group as a manifestation of her lifelong goal of preserving the Philippine cultural heritage. She is said to be the embodiment of her parent’s, Conrado and Francisca, philosophy who during that time were renowned in the local educational scene and notable nationalists. The creation of the group is a response to the identity problem of the Filipinos that was prominent during the time of the 1950’s, the period where the Philippines had been politically independent from the rule of the United States. However, the United States’ influences had been deeply ingrained in the Filipinos’ lifestyle, as the songs that were played in the Philippines were American pop songs, and people excitedly attend jam sessions where they dance the latest American dance moves (Santos 2004).

Before the formation of the Bayanihan Dance Troupe, the Philippine Women’s University had already been known as an institution with an academic program that focuses on the country’s heritage and nation building. Folk dance has been taught in PWU since the 1930’s, and their perseverance and commitment in preserving the cultural heritage of the Philippines brought them to create the Filipiniana Folk Music and Dance Committee (Bayanihan Folk Arts Center 1987). The committee organized various cultural programs and university-sponsored recitals, where most of the audience were the family and friends of the performers, and some were curious foreigners who wanted to immerse themselves in the Filipino culture.