International Dance Festival in Dumaguete

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts – National Committee on Dance under the leadership of Ms. Shirley Halili-Cruz is once again organizing Dance Xchange: The Philippine International Dance Festival and Workshop with the theme “Cultural Connectivity through Dance” on April 26 – 30, 2018 in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, Philippines. 

This event is the Philippine celebration of the International Dance Day and in accordance with Presidential Proclamation No. 154, declaring the last week of April as the “National Dance Week”.  Dance Xchange is also one of the banner projects of the Philippines which is done in partnership with local government units in the country.

The Dance Xchange aims to:

• enhance knowledge and skills of the dancers, dance teachers and choreographers on dances of the different countries as creative expression of their culture,
• strengthen network among dance groups from the different countries,
• showcase the unique dances of each country to enhance cultural understanding,
• provide venue for exchange of ideas and inspiration which will stimulate the creation of new works;
• provide platform for discussion on the global trends in dance education and of dance as tool for global connectedness and
• provide skills enhancement for events and festival management.

The Dance Xchange will have activities such as artists’ forum, dance workshops to be conducted by dance directors from participating countries for teachers, festival and management workshops, a festival of dance performances, outreach performances, and cultural tour. The International Dance Festival 2018 in Dumaguete will have participants from South Korea, England, Hongkong, Indonesia, Thailand,  Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, India, Brunei, Japan, Bangladesh, Russia, Turkey, and Taiwan and 25 local dance groups from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and Metro Manila.

Dance Festival and Outreach Workshops

Dumaguete City will host the 5-day 2018 Dance Xchange to be participated by 14 countries and several other cultural groups from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao on April 26-30, 2018. Provincial Board Member Mariant Escano-Villegas said that the staging of the Philippine International Dance Festival is in line with the national proclamation declaring every fourth week of April every year as National Dance Week.

The event will not only bring performers that will present their native dances for free in Quezon Park, Plaza Escano and Pantawan in the Boulevard but also workshops by renowned international and local dance scholars to develop a new breed of instructors that will carry on the rich tradition in the correct and genuine manner. Outreach workshops will also be conducted in Tanjay City, Mabinay, Amlan, Pamplona, Bais City, Valencia, Bayawan and Manjuyod.