PASIG CITY, March 11, 2019 – The Department Education (DepEd), through its External Partnerships Service (EPS), hosted the Sayaw Pinoy 2019—a touring dance concert organized by the National Committee on Dance (NCD) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepEd Central Office on March 1.

Sayaw Pinoy 2019 was part of the National Arts Month celebration featuring the different dance forms which include folk, traditional, classical ballet, neo-classical, modern, contemporary and hip-hop. This touring dance concert was aimed at bringing together seasoned dance companies in the country and local dance troupes form the different host localities. It also hopes to make quality dance performances accessible to audiences in different parts of the country.

NCD, under the leadership of Shirley Halili-Cruz, shared that through the years, the Sayaw Pinoy has nurtured young dance groups and is now gaining prominence in various festivals, competitions, and events around the country and abroad.

The various dance groups who performed were Sinukwan Kapampangan from Angeles, Pampanga (contemporary); Halili-Cruz Dance Company (ballet); Koronadal Hinugyaw Cultural Dance Troupe from Mindanao (traditional); J Crisis from Sampaloc, Manila (hip-hop); Lahing Batangan Dance Troupe of Lyceum of the Philippines–Batangas (folk); and the Junior New System from Sampaloc, Manila (hip-hop), finalist of the reality shows Asia’s Got Talent and America’s Got Talent.

Highly acclaimed singer and actress Celeste Legaspi, whose songs reached gold and platinum status, rendered special performance of her hit songs “Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal” and “Saranggola ni Pepe.”

NCD likewise shared that Sayaw Pinoy has also established strong partnerships that gained strengthened support from the local government units, educational institutions, non-government organizations, and local communities for arts and culture programs for the Commission.

Also present in the show were NCCA Deputy Executive Director Marichu Tellano, the Sta. Elena High School Angklung Ensemble, Ugong National High School students, and DepEd employees.

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