|
|
|
 |
|
Article : A Pride Of The Aklanons |
|
A Pride of the Aklanons in
Tampa, Florida, USA |
|
Her passion has always been folk dancing. |
|
Edna or SunflowR among her
cybermates migrated to Florida, USA in 2001
immediately after her husband was hired by an
American company in the states. She did not know
that when she settled in Florida she would be a
member of its famous dance troupes. |
 “I like to dance”, she said,
“because it reflects my personality. Dancing is my
inner feeling, my desire and my love. The moment I
dance I'm lost in my own small world. Besides, I'm
promoting our very own culture to every Filipino I
encountered each time I perform. I tell them through
dancing that we Filipinos have a beautiful and rich
culture. Through my dance, I am encouraging our
kababayan in the United States to revisit the
Philippines.” |
|
Edna started dancing at the age of seven, while in
grade one and all throughout her elementary years in
Batan, Aklan, her birthplace. Her interest in
dancing was greatly influenced when she watched the
dancers of the Bayanihan Dance Troupe and the
Barangay Dance Troupe, especially because two of her
fellow townmates were members of the latter dance
troupe. She would always remember Ms. Nelida Cortes
Abella, Nang Bebot to them, who trained them the
basic to complicated steps of folk dancing. |
|
She told herself: “it feels great to belong to those
groups,” meaning the Bayanihan Dance Troupe and the
Barangay Dance Troupe.” While in the elementary
grades, she was among those selected pupils to dance
during intermission numbers on the programs of the
school. At times she would perform during big events
in their town like fiesta. During her high school
days, she joined the school's dance troupe. They had
big shows before like "Dance Potpourri" in their
town social hall. They would sometimes represent
their school in the provincial event held in Kalibo,
the capital of Aklan. |
|
She took her high school at Kalantiaw Institute,
Batan, Aklan.
Her passion in dancing
reached its height when she joined the Florida-based
Philippine Performing Arts Company (PPAC) and the
Indak Pambata, also in Florida, USA. |
|
After her husband, Conrad Faral of Tinga Itaas,
Batangas City, came to the United States in March
2001, to work in an American company, Edna and their
son, Concon, followed him. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Luckily, Conrad knows Mr. Rudy Curioso and Ms. Bing
Curioso. Ms. Curioso is a choreographer of Indak
Pambata and a member of the Tampa, Florida based
Philippine Performing Arts Company, Inc. After
learning that Edna and her son, Concon, are folk
dancers, Bing asked them to join Indak Pambata. That
started her life as a dancer in the states.
|
|
Later on, she was cast in some dances of Philippine
Performing Arts Company, Inc. by Mr. Joey Omila, the
choreographer of that group. Mr. Joey Omila is a
former member of the well known Bayanihan Dance
Troupe. |
 When Edna was asked what particular dance she likes
to perform, she says: Igorot dances. She specially
mentioned Banga and the Kalinga Festival Dance. |
|
Since then, Edna has danced in the following
festivals: |
2002
PHILFEST 2002, PCFI Festival
Grounds, Tampa, Florida |
2003
PHILFEST 2003, PCFI Festival
Grounds, Tampa, Florida
BARRIO FIESTA, Tampa, Florida
INDEPENDENCE DAY, Bayanihan
Arts Center, Tampa, Florida
MUSIKONG KAWAYAN IN CONCERT,
Bayanihan Arts Center, Tampa, Florida
SAMPAGUITA BALL, Bayanihan
Arts Center, Tampa, Florida |
2004
PHILFEST 2004, PCFI Festival
Grounds, Tampa, Florida
ASIAFEST 2004, Cotanchobee
Park, Downtown Tampa, Florida
ASIAN PACIFIC FESTIVAL, F.
Burton Smith Regional Park, Cocoa, Florida
FLORIDA FOLK FESTIVAL,
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, White
Springs, Florida
PAGDIRIWANG: MUSIKONG KAWAYAN
IN CONCERT, Bayanihan Arts Center, Tampa, Florida
23rd ANNUAL MAHARLIKA NIGHT,
Cathedral of Jesus of Nazareth, Tampa, Florida
PHIL-AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF
TAMPA, CHRISTMAS PARTY, Cathedral of Jesus of
Nazareth, Tampa, Florida
PASKO, Bayanihan Arts Center,
Tampa, Florida
|
|
2005
PHILFEST 2005, PCFI Festival
Grounds, Tampa, Florida
ASIAFEST 2005, Cotanchobee
Park, Downtown Tampa, Florida
2005 TAMPA BAY FEDERAL
AGENCIE'S 6TH ANNUAL UNITY FESTIVAL, Ashley Plaza
Hotel, Tampa, Florida
FLORIDA FOLK FESTIVAL,
Stephen Foster Folk Culture State Park, White
Springs, Florida.
25th JUBILEE CELEBRATION FOR
FATHER PROUX, Nativity Church, Brandon,
|
|
BARRIO FIESTA 2005, Orlando, Florida |
|
PHILFEST 2006, PCFI Festival Grounds, Tampa, Florida |
|
KABABAYAN FEST, Miami, Florida |
|
BAMBOO CHRONICLES: MUSIKONG KAWAYAN IN CONCERT 2007,
Bayanihan Arts & Event Center, Florida |
|
As a dancer, her choreographer, Ms.
Bing Curioso, has all praises of Edna. |
 Ms. Curioso
says it all in her email to Edna:
“My
dear Edna, siyempre naman - what can I say. You are
a fast learner, you pick up right away. You remember
your sequence, you help the others who are slow, you
are a big support backstage and a great dancer |
|
With Ms. Bing, choreographer of Indak Pambata & Leo
of Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company during the
workshop at
Tampa
Bay Performing Arts |
on stage. Ano pa ba. One thing I
know, if you do not deserve to be on stage and be
one of my folk dancers, I will be the first to pull
you out of there and tell you on your face, hoy,
masaya ka. But that is not the case. As a matter of
fact, you are graceful and have that pleasant
smiling face which gives joy and delight to the
audience.
Tita Bing.”
|
|
Dancing is not the only
passion of Edna.
She is also a haiku poet.
Here are three of her haiku: |
|
morn
the sunflower
beneath my strength
****
across the horizon
sunlight waves goodbye
to
embrace tomorrow
***
sunset in Venice –
we kiss to fulfill
a
promise |
|
Edna
has been dancing in Tampa, Florida but she wishes
that she could go home to the Philippines and
perform together with the Philippine Performing Arts
Company, Inc. and at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts
Center, Florida, USA. |
|
Aside from being a folk dancer and a poet, Edna also
works as a volunteer at St. Stephen Catholic Church
for its Meals on Wheels civic project. She helps
give free foods to the elderly.
Edna also works as a volunteer at Hands On Tampa Bay
(HOT), a volunteer program of the United Way of
Tampa Bay . Here she sorts donated food at local
food bank. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
