By Shayne Elizabeth T. Flores

Far Eastern University (FEU) Dance Company (FDC) paid tribute to the green-and-gold staff in their major two-day dance concert ‘FRAMES: Elevating the Unseen,’ at the FEU Main Auditorium, March 28 and 29.

In an interview with FEU Advocate, FDC President and dance concert Stage Manager Johanna Isabell Halili shared their goal of acknowledging the ‘unseen’ stories of the FEU workforce beyond their daily jobs on campus.

“The overall theme of our concert is all about featuring the workers of the FEU community, which is ‘yung mga unseen na hindi totally nakikita… We’re trying to portray ‘yung mga nagtatrabaho rito like ‘yung mga guards, [property custodians], professors, and mga students na hindi natin nakikita kung ano ba talaga ‘yung tunay nilang stories,“ she expressed.

The theme was emphasized in the concert’s second part, staging interpretive dances underlining the roles and contributions of University instructors, maintenance staff, guards, and other key people within the Tamaraw Community.

These were primarily choreographed by FDC members and alumni, according to FDC Artistic Director Michael Barry Que.

With the help of FEU Center for the Arts, FDC was able to integrate genuine narratives into their choreographies by interviewing various FEU employees.

“Through the [stories] behind them, dun kami nag-come up na ano ‘yung mga steps na pwede naming ma-modify, kung ano ‘yung literal na ginagawa nila sa campus. For example, ‘yung mga naglilinis, ano ‘yung pwede naming maging movement dun,” Halili explained.

Other ‘unseen’ stories were also staged, including metaphorical demonstrations of FEU students’ struggles and college journey.

Furthermore, the concert also showcased 17 unpopular folk dances from different regions of the Philippines in its first part.

The Ragragsakan dance of the Kalinga tribe, Talipe of the Isneg tribe, and Uyaoy of the Ifugao tribe from the Cordillera region were featured.

Different folk dances of the Lumad tribe’s subgroups from Mindanao were also staged, such as the Manobo tribe’s Kinugsik-Kugsik, the Subanon’s Sohten, and the T’boli’s Madal Siwol.

Moreover, FDC performed various Muslim dances, including the Pamansak and Pansak of the Yakan tribe, Sambi sa Malong of the Maranao tribe, and Pangalay Ha Patong of the Tausug tribe.

Provincial variations of the Maria Clara folk dance were also presented—namely Capiz’s Beneracion, Pangasinan’s La Simpatika, Quezon’s Jota Gumaqueña, and Cavite’s La Jota Caviteña.

Additionally, lowland Christian traditional dances, such as the Kumakaret from Pangasinan, Pateado from Marinduque, and Tinikling from Leyte, were also demonstrated. 

(Photos by James Neil Tamayo/FEU Advocate)