1998 – World Folklore Festival Manila

PROGRAMME

HORA NEGEV (ISRAEL)

CHASIDIC DANCE
West Asia Jewish influence community dance encouraged by religion therefore danced only by men (here the women dance as men).

OLE, OLE
A going up and higher song.
A series of dances showing the main ethnic streams with the most significant influence of Israeli dance which creates all the basic elements of the Israeli folk dance. It starts with the typical Israelites’ Shirsameach – meaning happy song. It moves on with the Drussian Men Dance from the North border of Israel. Afterwhich a Yemenite women wedding dance. The whole suite ends with the view of the Negev which is a desert of Israel symbolizing mother earth.

ULAI OD KAITS
A song that literlly means – “Maybe next summer we’ll meet”.

CUSINE
Since food is an international language, we enrich the program with an artistic and comic dancel.

ALLELULA

TCHOLHAMITPACHAT
An Israeli dance repertoire includes elements of the Russian community residing presently in
Israel. The term “tcholhamitpachat” means blue scarf.

A SURPRISE SONG NUMBER

SALUTE DANCE
Typical Israeli dance to salute the audience.

INTERMISSION

RAMON OBUSAN FOLKLORIC GROUP (PHILIPPINES)
Artistic Direction by Ramon A. Obusan
Musical Direction by Orlando Ocampo
Lighting Design and Technical Direction by Sonny Perocho

HIGHLANDERS WILD FURY
With the call of the wild in their blood, the freedom of the forest in their spirits, the Kalinga, Ifugao and Imeg of the mountain chain of Northern Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines, perform time-honored rituals wearing century-old costumes and to the pounding of the ganza or metal gongs
– announce a birth, a death, a wedding or a successful headhunt.

Ragragsakan – Kalinga women balanced baskets on their heads filled with goodies for a deast. Tribal emblem blankets are also brought out for display.
Idudu – The country has a few matrilineal societies, the Itncg of Abra Province among them. “Idudu” which literally mcans lullaby mirrors the change of social roles played by the heads of the families of the village – the mother clears the fields, pounds and cleans the grains while the father rocks the baby to sleep with an “Idudu”.

Paypayto – The Ifugao, known as the builders of the famous rice terraces perform “paypayto” (to jump) as a unique exhibition of skill and dexterity as they dart in and out of sticks struck in musical syncopation

ECOS DE EUROPA
European and other western cultures gained foothold in the Philippines making it a melting pot of racial and cultural ingredients, finding its way into the indigenous Filipino dance and music traditions.

Sayaw sa Cuyo – This dance from Cuyo, which is Palawan’s old capital where young girls flaunt dainty lace kerchiefs as part of this lilty mazurka. Paper crowns epitomized lovely princesses.

Paseo de Iloilo – Also known as “Paseo de Andaluz” – a beauteous lass is ardently pursued by gallant young men for her attention. This ritual courtship follow the rules of gentlemanly conduct and demonstrates the social expectations of the period which demands that the lady be impeccably demure.

Jota de Manila – This dance is said to have been performed during the celebration of Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898. In the same way, we offer this dance as the country celebrates its centennial.

MINDANAO TAPESTRY
Nearly two million Muslims inhabiting the Southern islands cling religiously to their awesome traditions reflecting strong Middle East, Near East, Indian, Malayan and other Mohameddan countrys’ influences. Muslim culture, traditions, folklife, manner of dressing, music and dances are still as mystic and exotic to this day.

Pindulas – The Yakan tribe of Basilan island use slow, fluid, langurous “broken arm” movements in this courtship dance thatreveal strong Indian influences.

Sua-Sua – This song and dance piece among the Badjao talks about the lemon tree that is commonly found in the area.

Burong-Talo – The flashing of swords parried by fans, clawing of hands and flying kicks, are cats and hawks fighting as martial arts in a dance form, said to have been taught to the Tausog of Jolo by a Malaysian warrior stranded in the island.

Singkil – One of the most exotic and best-loved dances from the Maranao, dwellers of and keepers of Lake Lanao. Like a stroke of a magical wand the dance turns into a fairy-tale, withthe groom becoming a prince and the bride a princess. The entire entourage enters a lattice of criss-crossed bamboo poles clapped in syncopation. An Arabic chant of conversion precedes the dance.

FIESTA FILIPINA
At least once a year, a village is transformed from a dry and drab grind to a burst of merry-making and activities, as varied as the colors of the fireworks in a fiesta. This is an invitation to experience the sunshine and warm hospitality of the Philippine rural life.

Harpa ng Cagayan – One of the dying traditions found in Camalaniugan, Cagayan the Tagalog harp-playing and making traditions have earlier been revived by Mr. Obusan. Tonight, the company presents musical pieces fromof the Ibanag and Cagayanon origins.

Gala Alap – One series of dances depicting a barrio wedding in the island of Bohol – a boisterous preparation of the wedding hall, the arrival of the newly-weds, show-off dances of the kitchen helpers and relatives of the groom ingeniously using kitchen utensils as props. The dance of the newly-weds which is full of teasing, laughter and the usual merriment that accompany a village wedding culminate the event.

Sabong/Inday – A joyful share of the misadventures of an addicted “sabungero” (cockfight afficionado),
his wrong bets, his nagging wife and a happy ending.

Maglalatik – From Mindoro, this imitation of the fight between Moro and the Kristiyano uses coconut shells harnessed to chest, arms, legs of male dancers as weapons.

Tinikling – The best known of all Filipino dances, reflecting the natural gaiety of the people. Dancers dart in and out of rapidly clapped bamboo polesto imitate the “tikling” bird as it tries to elude bamboo traps set by farmers in the fields.

HORA NEGEV DANCE GROUP
(ISRÀEL).

Performers
Gal Giberstin
Yaagov Cohen
Haya Bentzion
Eduardo Siegel
Shriro Viklovga
David Brigite
Mordechay Yohanan
Haint Thais Rosana
Lewicky Susana
Solomon Tzipora
Haim Ohayoa
Allon Maurice
Golan Astar
Har Louis
Burger Ehud
Peleg Sima
Souil Eliahu Yaov
Sztykman Yenezkel Yanai
Ben-Yehuda Zohar
Gal-or Uri
Goldman Yosef
Maayan Itzchak
Ben-Israel Yosuf
Ben-Sholet Hosehe

The group was founded ten years ago. It’s an amateur group made up of Kibbutz members from the southern part of Israel. All the group members are busy of roles in their society, holding down full time jobs, and active in their family lives. The dance program draws its inspiration from the folklore of different ethnic groups in the country. All the dances integrate elements which characterize these different groups. They perform a Moroccan Dance, a Yeminite Woman’s Dance, a Beduin Debka performed by men, and a Chassidic Dance which expresses our life here in the desert. The company also performs a great variety of Israeli dances as well. These dances express the deep-rooted traditions of the people in Israel. Since its founding, Hora Negev has actively participated every folkdance festival in their country. They have received awards in the Holland and Italian Folklore Festivals.

Benyosef Israel Director

RAMON OBUSAN KLORIC GROUP
(PHILIPPINES)
Ramon A. Obusan Artistic Director
Dennis Julio Tan Artistic Consultant
Orlando Ocampo Musical Director
Cherry Ylanan Dance Masters
Ernesto Cortez
Marciano Viri
Emelita Medina Costume Mistress
Frank Depakakibo Coordinator

Performers

Cherry Ylanan

Marciano Viri
May Liwanag
Sergio Anlocotan Jr.
Marie Ruby A. Ocampo
Randy Guevarra
Rovelia Perocho
Lyle Eymard Villahermosa
Romylyn Frias
Warren Munar
Emelita O. Medina
Christopher Cervantes
Christine Carol O. Singson
Rolando Jorge
Filipina Bautista
Rommel Serrano
Catherine Lim
Jojo Abacial
Akiko Kishue
Nerius Alinday
Nerissa Beltran
Renato Castelo
Dennis Singson
Sherwin Santos
Benji Bitoon
Jhunnard Jhordan Cruz
Ernesto B. Cortez
Kim Parco
Dodee Calumpang
Orlando Ocampo

Founded in 1971, the RAMON OBUSAN FOLKLORIC GROUP was started, as a fledging folk dance company in the early seventies composed of no more than thirtythree performers. Leaning on the vast amount of data and artifacts that he had accumulated, Ramon Obusan decided to start a dance company that will mirror the traditional culture of the Filipinos through dance. The company’s main drive then was authenticity while keeping a flair for good theater, the same principle that governs it today.
For its twenty-six years of existence, the ROFG has created a niche in the world of dance as a forerunner of Philippine dance performed closest to the original. Boasting of over a thousand performances here and abroad, the ROFG is one of the leading folk dance companies in the country today. In 1986, it became one of the resident dance companies of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
Under the able leadership of its father and Artistic Director/Choreographer-Ramon A. Obusan, it has so far gone on three successful European tours in 1987, 1990 and 1993. In 1992, the group was the first Filipino performing artists to receive resounding applause and standing ovations for all its performances in Japan under the auspices of Min-On. In 1994, the group had its first extensive American Tour visiting 16 states capped with a proclamation of February 8 as the ROFG Day in Cleveland, Ohio. In Asia, the group represented the Philippines in various dance festivals and conferences as cultural ambassadors. Along with this, Mr. Obusan was chosen as Artistic Director of the first performing group composed of the various dances companies in the ASEAN region. In 1994, ten of its members were in the Asian Village in Sentosa in Singapore performing not only Philippine dances but as well as dances of other Asian countries.

Though steep with international recognition, the ROFG has never forgotten the people who are the very source of its pride. For the past two decades it had documented and performed the rituals of no more than 50 ethnolinguistic groups. With about fifteen outstanding full-length Filipino dances works, among which are the memorable suites from the Cordillera, Bagobo, T”boli, Tausug, Maranao, the Aetas and the Talaandig the ROFG has served to highlight the authenticity of the movements and costumes of these people.

Today, the ROFG humbly celebrates 26 years of fruitful existence and service to the Filipino people. To the ROFG there is no stopping in the pursuit of recording and staging of fast fading Filipino traditions.

Mr. Ramon Obusan
Artistic Director

design: Ige ramos • tomato.com manila
MON
presented by:
National Commission for Culture and the Arts
Cultural Center of the Philippines
Philippine Centennial Commission
Department of Tourism
Department of Education, Culture and Sports
Commission on Higher Education
Department of Budget Management
Presidential Management Staff
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation
Department of Foreign Affairs
Department of Interior and Local Government
CIOFF – Philippines

SENTRONG PANGKULTURA NG PILIPINAS
CULTURAL CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES