22 July 2015 - The Philippine Consulate General in Sydney hosted a dance workshop last July 14 on the indigenous Filipino dance form Pangalay conducted by actor and dancer, Mr. Raymund Marcaida, for the members of the Filipino-Australian community in New South Wales (NSW).

After his training in western dance forms such as ballet and jazz, Mr. Marcaida took up Asian dance through a dance scholarship in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. He was also trained by Ms. Ligaya Fernando Amilbangsa who codified the Pangalay dance form, a traditional dance of the Tausug in Sulu, Mindanao.

Mr. Marcaida’s visit to Sydney was in conjunction with the Loboc Children’s Choir’s Australian tour in the first half of July coordinated by Mr. Lutgardo Labad with the support of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). Mr. Labad and Sydney-based artist Mr. Mars Cavestany, who were both part of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), assisted Mr. Marcaida in arranging the workshop with the Consulate General.

Around 20 members of the Filipino-Australian community, including children from 7 to 12 years old, learned the basic movements of Pangalay. Mr. Marcaida explained that “Pangalay” is derived from the word ‘alay’ or offering. Originally intended to be a brief session, the workshop lasted for two hours due to the keen interest of the participants.

Philippine Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis thanked Mr. Marcaida for sharing his time and talent with the Filipino community in NSW, in particular the younger generation, and acknowledged his contribution to the promotion of Filipino culture through his practice and teaching of the Filipino traditional dance form Pangalay. END