The National Committee on Dance of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts has been spearheading the celebration of the International Dance Day with the holding of the Annual National Dance Congress and Festival. With the great success of the 2008 National Dance Congress and International Dance Day, the National Committee on Dance endeavored into organizing the Dance Xchange: 1st Philippine International Dance Workshop and Festival.
The festival aims to: 1) provide venue for interaction and facilitate learning among dancers, directors, dance teachers, choreographers, tourism and cultural officers and dance scholars, 2)provide new ideas and inspiration that will stimulate the creativity of the dance educators, directors and choreographers, 3) showcase the unique dances of each country to facilitate cultural understanding, and 4) strengthen network among dance organizations and diplomatic relations among the participating countries. The Dance Xchange will have activities such as artists forum, dance workshops, festival of dances and outreach performances.
The Dance Xchange will be held on April 28 – May 1, 2009 in Dumaguete City, Nergos Oriental, Philippines. However, to share the joy of the dance celebration with the Manila people, a dance performance will be held at Concert at the Park, Luneta, Manila on April 26, 2009 at 6:00 PM showcasing all the international dance companies. On April 27, 2009 all the international groups will travel to Dumaguete City.
The National Committee on Dance of the NCCA recognized the importance of organizing events that will place dance at the center stage. The International Theatre Institute established the International Dance Day in 1982, celebrated every April 29th, to commemorate the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), the founder of contemporary ballet. The celebration is intended to create conditions for dialogue and cooperation within the world dance community, and to promote dance art and reinforce its cultural and political position on the national and international levels.
Solidarity with the international dance community is the spirit that the NCCA-National Committee on Dance brings into the Dance Xchange. Confident that the celebration will gain strong support from the dance community, the local government units, educational institutions and dance enthusiasts, the Dance Xchange organizers has invited dance companies from the different countries to have a venue for dialogue and to present the different forms of dance. To date, the National Committee on Dance has received confirmations from 3 dance companies from Malaysia (Universiti Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur and Kuching), 2 dance companies from China (Xiamen and Hunan), Singapore, Japan, Spain, Macau, Korea, England and United States of America to join the Dance Xchange.
The messages from the International Dance Day celebrations through the years have encouraged the National Committee on Dance to hold a grand event which will place the Philippines in the map of all international dance day celebrations. Associate Artist of Sadler’s Wells, Akram Khan in his 2009 International Dance Day Message says:
This very special day is dedicated to the one language that everybody in this world can speak, the inherent language of our bodies and our souls, of our ancestors and of our children.
This day is dedicated to every god, guru and grandparent
that ever taught and inspired us,
To every song and impulse and moment that’s ever moved us to move.
It is dedicated to the little child that wishes it could move like its star,
And to the mother who says, ‘you already can’.
This day is dedicated to every body of every creed, colour and culture that carries the traditions of its past into stories of the present and dreams of the future.
This day is dedicated to Dance, to its myriad dialects and its immense power to express, transform, unite and delight.
Indeed, the Dance Xchange is a fitting event to realize the inspiring message of Akram Khan and the aspiration of all dance artists – that of giving deeper value and high esteem for the art of Dance.
For those interested to be a part of the Dance Xchange, please contact any of the following: 1) Techi Orcullo at 
(035…
, (035)… or fax to (035) 225-4519 or email to noipc@buglas.com; 2) Franco Velas at (02)… or telefax at (02) 6553864 or text to 0919… or email to velman_2000@yahoo.com, 3) Shirley Halili-Cruz at 09175296946, (02)… or email to qcballet@hotmail.com or 4) Larry Gabao at (02) 6… or fax to (02) (02) 400-1197; and 5) Marichu Tellano/ Ferdie Isleta/ Alvin Soniega/ Ogie or Gina Barcelon at (02) 5272214 or at (02) 5272192 loc. 502 – 508 or email to mgtellano@yahoo.com .
SHIRLEY HALILI-CRUZ
Head, National Committee on Dance
Festival Director, Dance Xchange
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