DOHA 21 August 2023 — The Philippine Embassy in Doha, together with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Bayanihan Dance Company, conducted a multi-session virtual masterclass in Philippine folk dance at the Embassy’s Sentro Rizal.

Doha-based dance teachers and folk dance enthusiasts participated in the masterclass.

Held on 6 and 13 August 2023, the masterclass concluded with a culminating activity on 20 August 2023, which showcased dance presentations by participants from the Philippine embassies in Doha, Madrid, Kuwait, and Riyadh, as well as the Philippine consulate in Jeddah.

In her remarks, Chargé d’Affaires Cassandra B. Sawadjaan said, “For us in the Philippine foreign service, featuring Philippine folk dance in our cultural events serves as an effective platform to showcase the artistry, uniqueness, and passion of Filipinos. The aim is to draw attention and prestige to the technicality of this art form, to celebrate its history, to popularize it, and not to fetishize it or treat it as an esoteric relic of days long gone.”

She added, “For indeed, Philippine folk dance is a testament of our collective struggles and joys. It is a physical representation of our intention to carve out a unique Filipino identity in the face of our colonial past and the highly globalized present.”

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