After being impressed with the performance of the Philippine delegation, organizers of the 28th Folk Dance Festival in France have invited the Quezon City Performing Arts group to attend next year’s festival, which will be held in different cities in France.
The QC Performing Arts is the official performing arts group of the City Government under the management of QC Performing Arts Development Foundation Inc., which was founded by Vice-Mayor Joy Belmonte.
Rheila Uy, Chairperson of the Foundation, said that the QC Performing Arts represented the Philippines in the 28th Folk Dance Festival held in France last July 13-26. Seven other countries joined the festival, including Russia, Chile, Nepal, Sicily and Portugal.
Uy said the group sent to France had 24 delegates including 16 dancers and 3 instrumentalists. They performed 2-4 times a day in different places around the host country from the streets to the gymnasiums and castles.
They performed the Maria Clara, Muslim, and rural dance suites like tinikling, pandango sa ilaw, maglalatik and singkil. The dances were performed with live music accompaniment.
The delegation from Chile also invited the QC group to join in their own folk festivities in January.
Uy said France wants to forge a cultural exchange program in dance and music with QC. Teachers from both countries will be invited to teach each others national dances.
The QC Performing Arts group was awarded Best Cultural Dance by the Aliw Awards Foundation Inc. in 2001 and 2010 and Best Dance Company (Classical/Contemporary) in 2007. It was also cited as Most Outstanding Artistic Performing Group in the Dangal ng Filipino and Consumers’ Choice Annual Awards in 2002. Divine/ Maureen Quiñones, PAISO
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