ORGANIZATIONS

SANGHIYAS PANGKAT MANANAYAW

The resident folk dance troupe of the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA), Sanghiyas Pangkat Mananayaw was formed in February 1992.

The inclusion of folk dance as one of the school’s art discipline however goes back a few more years. It all started in 1986 when the school, the one of its kind in the country, realized the need to offer the course to its young art scholars. Mrs. Josefina B. Guillen, currently the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Dance Division Director and PHSA visiting instructor, initiated the program’s first batch of students.

The troupe was first known as PHSA Folk Dance Troupe. In 1992, however, its Artistic Director, Mr. Victor Emmanuel L. Flor, changed its generic name to Sanghiyas Pangkat Mananayaw for the purpose of creating a more specific identity for the group.

“Sanghiyas”, derived from the words “isang” and “hiyas”, literally means “one gem” in English. One of the most valuable gems that we consider is a precious pearl. Metaphorically, the student-performers are the pearls that the school considers precious gems. The PHSA is the “mother pearl”, that allows growth, and helps shape and train them to perfection as performers, trainers, choreographers and researchers. After four years of honing their individual talents and skills, they will then have to separate from their “mother pearl”. Highly skilled and motivated, they are expected to continuously strive to improve themselves and become socially-responsible cultural leaders of the country in the future.

The troupe’s primary vision is to provide its very young folk dance artists with the necessary skills, training and the discipline needed to make them professional artists. Sanghiyas also aims to consistently showcase outstanding performances for audiences here and abroad. Since 1991, the troupe has done outreach performances in Laguna, Mindoro, Palawan, Manila, La Union, Marinduque, Negros Occidental, Sorsogon, Iloilo, Albay, Quezon, Tarlac, Capiz, Cavite, Leyte, Midsayap, General Santos, Subic, Masbate, Bataan, Pangasinan and Isabela. International exposures troupe include performances in Brunei Darussalam, Taiwan, Italy and Korea and member’s delegation and participation in Monaco, belgium, Japan and Vietnam.

With Mr. Flor as the Program Coordinator and Artistic Director, the troupe now has 25 student members and 64 alumni members.

DULAANG SIPAT LAWIN

Dulaang Sipat Lawin, the official theater company of PHSA, has been in existence for 27 years. The company was established to provide young theater scholars training in directing, acting and production aspects of the craft. This name was derived from the freely roaming hawks of Mt. Makiling whose wide range sight reflects the company’s liberal and open-mined atmosphere.

At present, the company has 22 members who regularly participate in annual performances at the National Arts Center’s Tanghalang Maria Makiling and at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. They have also participated in several theater festivals such as the Philippine Educational Theatre Association’s Dula-Dulayan, national Children’s Festival 2000, Anak-Anak Asia: Children’s Arts Festival 2001 and the Fifth Asian Arts Festival in China 2002.

MAQUILING BALLET

The resident ballet company of the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA), Maquiling Ballet, was formed in 1977.

The PHSA ballet program is designed for students to excel as performers, trainers, and choreographers. After four years of honing their individual talents and skills, they expected to continuously strive to better themselves as socially responsible cultural leaders of the country.

Maquiling Ballet aims to consistently showcase outstanding performances here and abroad. The company has done outreach performances in Manila, Baguio, Laguna, Mindoro, Bacolod, Batangas, Nueva Ecija, Silay, Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Midsayap and General Santos City. International exposures include performances in Monaco, Belgium, Japan and Vietnam.

From Maquiling Ballet came accomplished performers like Judell de Guzman, former assistant directress of Ballet Philippines; Carlos Pacis, one of few members of Hong Kong Ballet Society; Angela Lawenko and Christine Maranan, UP college dance instructors; Ronilo Jaynario, principal dancer of Philippine Ballet Theater; Ardee Dionisio, a scholar of Hong Kong Ballet; Sam Sayson and Ruben de Dios, company members of Ballet Manila; Candice Adea and Ronelson Yadao, company members of Ballet Philppines; Kendra Samson, a scholar of Julliard School of Performing Arts; and 91 other highly skilled and motivated alumni most of whom are sharing their talents as dance instructors.

Included in the Maquiling Ballet Faculty are the following: Bea Puno-Neri; Nonoy Froilan, the only premier danseur in the country; Nina Habulan-Proseso, a PHSA alumna and resident member or Air Dance; and PHSA alumnus Ronilo Jaynario.

The company currently has 22 members.

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