Previous
Next
The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), in partnership with the Cebu Provincial Tourism Office and the Department of Education (DepEd), held the “Sayaw, Sugboanon! Cebuano Folk Dance Workshop” last August 7 to 9 at the Cebu Provincial Capitol Social Hall in Cebu City.
The workshop trained and equipped DepEd MAPEH (Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health) teachers from various districts of the province and cities of Cebu on the different folk dances of Cebu.
According to Joselito “Boboi” Costas, Cebu Provincial Tourism Officer, the workshop aims to erase the “festival” mindset and bring back authentic Cebuano folk dances found in the different towns and cities of the province.
Facilitators of the workshop were Prof. Ceasar Nimor, dance trainer of MAPEH majors of the University of Cebu, Prof. Mila Janson, retired choreographer of Cebu Normal University, and Prof. Francita Pacana, former director of the University of San Carlos Dance Troupe, all experts in the field of Cebuano dance.
“When I was approached by RAFI to be one of the facilitators, I was very much excited knowing that I will be working closely with teachers, who are usually the front line in ensuring that (Cebuano folk dances are) passed on to the next generation,” said Nimor, during his closing remarks at the end of the workshop.
The three-day workshop was very intensive as teachers not only learned about eight Cebuano folk dances, but also about costume design, which is an integral part in folk dance.
On day three of the workshop, the teachers themselves, divided into different groups and assigned to a folk dance, organized and performed in a showcase of Cebuano dances.
The participants’ learnings were applied in a culminating public performance in the August 29 for “Cebu Journeys,” a travel expo organized by the Provincial Tourism Office.
The Cebuano folk dances featured in the workshop are all compiled in the Sayaw Sugbo volume 1, the primary resource material for the workshop, authored by Nimor and Janson.
The book will be launched on September 21 at the Casa Gorordo Museum, after the Casa Gorordo Museum (CGM) Talk on Cebuano dance research and documentation by Nimor.
The book, which is inclusive of an instructional video, will be sold at the launching price of Php 720 per copy (from the regular price of Php 800).
For inquiries about the book and the talk on September 21, please contact +63 32 411 1700 local 24537, or message us in www.facebook.com/casagorordomuseum.
The Culture & Heritage Unit of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI-CHU) through its three flagship programs — Casa Gorordo Museum, Research & Publications, and Gabii sa Kabilin — aims to develop a strong sense of cultural identity among local communities by promoting awareness of their heritage and enabling them to articulate their story.
