(19-04-2013)
“Culture helps to shape and build a
community, and as we build an ASEAN Community, we will bridge the divide
through culture and come together as one, with one common identity and
one shared vision. The Best of ASEAN Performing Arts celebrates ASEAN’s
unity in diversity, showcasing ASEAN to the world,” said H.E. Le Luong
Minh, Secretary-General of ASEAN, at the opening of “Philippinescape:
Showcasing the Beauty of the Philippines through Dance and Music” today.
The ASEAN Secretariat and the Permanent
Mission of the Philippines to ASEAN jointly present “Philippinescape:
Showcasing the Beauty of the Philippines through Dance and Music” to an
expected audience over 450 invited guests, students, the media,
international organisation representatives, government officials,
Jakarta based-diplomatic corps and art enthusiasts alike, at Jakarta’s
historical performance arts venue Gedung Kesenian Jakarta.
“Despite the diversity and uniqueness of
our cultures, ASEAN countries are of the same mind and vision to bring
dignity, prosperity and freedom for their people under a canopy of a
caring and sharing community,” said Philippines Permanent Representative
to ASEAN, H.E. Elizabeth P. Buensuceso.
In this 9th installment of the “Best
ASEAN Performing Arts,” the Philippines proudly brings one of the best
dance groups in the country, the Bayanihan, the National Dance Company
of the Philippines. The purpose of the series is to promote ASEAN
awareness through the region's rich and diverse cultures, as well as to
acknowledge the important role that Jakarta has played over the last 37
years as the host city of the ASEAN Secretariat.
The event is jointly organized by the
ASEAN Secretariat and the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to ASEAN
with the support of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of
the Philippines.
Chairman of National Commission for
Culture and the Arts of the Philippines H.E. Felipe M. de Leon, Jr.,
said, “The arts reflect a nation’s social relations and cultural values.
When one contemplates with arts, a reflection happens on the psychic
template of an artist or a community and it prompts a promotion and
development of the arts that inspires and leads to different kinds of
development.”
The repertoire of the performance will include:
TRADITIONS RENEWED
Dances that reinvigorate and breathe new
life, meaning and feelings into ancient rituals and traditions in the
highlands of Mindanao and in the Sulu archipelago.
INTRAMUROS OF MEMORY
The pervasive echo of four centuries of
Spanish influence, augmented by Filipino style, defined by Filipino
grace, is typified by this suite of dances.
MINDANAO MOSAIC
In southern Philippines, on the vast
island of Mindanao and on the adjacent island of the Sulu archipelago,
live Filipinos who embraced Islam as early as the 14th century. Their
music, dance and costumes reflect Arabian and Indo-Malayan influences
while capturing Muslim Filipino culture.
PEOPLE UNDER THE SUN
The friendly sunny nature of Philippine
country people is captured in sparkling dances of skill, frolic and
delight. This suite portrays bits of life in the Philippine countryside.
The previous Best of ASEAN Performing
Arts series staged in Jakarta include “The Mosaic Archipelago” of
Indonesia in May 2008; “Tapestry of Thai Beauty and Grace” in August
2008; “Singapore Showcase: Cultural Crossings” in April 2009; “The Royal
Beauty of Golden Myanmar” in December 2009; “1Malaysia: Harmony in
Cultural Diversity” in March 2010; “Charming Viet Nam” in December 2010;
“Brunei’s Legacy” in March 2011, and “the Diversity of Intangible
Cultural Heritage” of Cambodia in April 2011.
The tenth Best of ASEAN Performing Arts series will feature Lao PDR later this year.
