SAMAHAN PHILIPPINE DANCE COMPANY HISTORY
The Samahan Philippine Dance
Company was organized in July 1974 under the direction of Lolita Diñoso Carter, Ph.D. Dr. Carter, a
dance instructor at Grossmont College, El
Cajon, CA. at that time, volunteered her services to organize
a performing ensemble as a contribution to the growing Philippine Community of
San Diego. Her knowledge of Philippine Dance and Music came naturally from her
experiences growing up in the Philippines and being involved in all facets of Filipino
life in a small town including activities of a large extended family, church
and its numerous religious observances, school programs and community
celebrations specially town fiestas. Formal education in Philippine Folk Dance
at the University of the Philippines
and classes with Francisca Reyes Aquino, eminent authority on Philippine Folk
Dance provided Carter with a solid background in Philippine Folk Dance.
The Samahan Philippine Dance
Company started out as part of the Youth Program of the Council of Pilipino-American
Organizations of San Diego
County. The purpose of
the program was to provide Filipino youth opportunity to gain knowledge and
appreciation of their cultural heritage. The name Samahan (meaning working
together) was selected by the participants who were mostly students from area
junior and senior high schools and San
Diego State University. The educational and
recreational program soon became an amateur performing group besieged with
requests for performances from various organizations, institutions and individuals.
In 1975, Ruby Pearl Chiong joined
the Dance Company as a dancer, teacher and choreographer. Fresh from the Philippines, she brought with her a rich
repertoire of dances reflecting her experiences with the Far Eastern University
Dance Troupe and work with several dance companies in Manila. Her knowledge of dances from the
mountain provinces of Northern Luzon and the Southern
Philippines further enriched the Company's repertoire.
In 1978, Samahan obtained status
as a non-profit, public benefit corporation. Its founding directors were Grace
P. Blaszkowski, Juanita F. Caccam, Ruby Pearl B. Chiong, Juanita C. Santos,
Jesse G. Quinsaat and Lolita D. Carter. Soon after, it obtained its first grant
from the National Endowment for the Arts which was matched by Tawfiq and Rachel
Khoury of Pacific Scene, Inc. In 1979, the Dance Company was invited to perform
in the inauguration of the East County Performing Arts Center. The performance
initiated annual performances in that theater which lasted for 7 years.
The musical components of Samahan
were formed in 1980 with the assistance of Bayani Mendoza De Leon, well known
Filipino ethnomusicologist and composer. Under his expert tutelage, Samahan's
Rondalla, Gangsa and Kulintang Musical Ensembles were formed. A grant from
Parker Foundation enabled the Company to obtain musical instruments from the Philippines.
Danongan Sibay Kalanduyan, master
artist/teacher of Kulintang Music became a guest teacher and artist with the
Company from 1989-1991 and 1994-97. Born in Datu Piang, Cotabato, he learned
his music from early childhood playing with members of his family, relatives
and townmates. He introduced Samahan to the authentic music of the Maguindanao
people as well as to the music of the Maranao people. Together with the late
Musiban Guiabar, a talented Maranao singer, he performed with Samahan at
Sherwood Auditorium and the Educational Cultural Complex Theater. In 1995,
Kalanduyan was honored as a recipient of the prestigious National Heritage
Fellowship Award by the National Endowment of the Arts. He continues to work
with Samahan as a guest teacher.
In 1991, George Ragaza joined
Samahan as artistic director sharing responsibilities with Ruby Chiong. Under his
leadership, Samahan performed at the Poway
Center for the Performing
Arts for four consecutive years. His collection of authentic and well designed
costumes and exquisite accessories greatly enhanced the professional quality of
Samahan's performances. He premiered several new dances including
"Kaamulan" - A Manobo Rite of sharing in 1993. In 1994, he presented
an outstanding Gala at the Poway
Center for the Performing
Arts which gained him very good reviews by Anne Marie Welsh of the San Diego
Union Tribune and Aurora Cudal of the Filipino Press. He also started Samahan's
active association with Young Audiences of San Diego.
In 1979, Samahan initiated the
Philippine Folk Festival which was held at the Scottish
Rite Memorial
Center, Mission
Valley, San Diego. The Festival which lasted for six
years was a showcase of Philippine Performing Arts in Southern
California. The Festival, renamed Philippine Cultural Arts
Festival, was revived and moved to an outdoor central location in Balboa Park
in 1996 The Santacruzan was a special feature of the 1997 Festival which was
held May 3 and 4 in the same location. A growing number and variety of guest
performing artists makes the Samahan Philippine Cultural Arts Festival an
outstanding showcase of Philippine Cultural Arts and a very important Philippine
Community Event.
In 1998 the name was changed to Samahan Filipino American Performing Arts
& Education Center. There are four performing groups: Philippine Dance
Ensemble, Kulintang Music and Dance Ensemble, Philippine Rondalla String
Orchestra, and Polynesian Dance Troupe.
In addition to its busy
performance schedule, Samahan has a strong educational and outreach program. It
provides free workshops and performances in many area schools and is specially
involved in multi-cultural programs. It has conducted two successful
Neighborhood Arts Programs in two different neighborhoods in San
Diego which are geared to youths at-risk and funded in part by the
City of San Diego
under a program administered by the Commission for Arts and Culture. Samahan
also provides performances for seniors, festivals and disadvantaged groups. Its
theater performances include a Gala Performance, a Christmas Program and a
program of original dances based on folk tales and legends of the Southern
Philippine Islands. It has performed in many theaters of San
Diego County
including the City College Theater, Sherwood Auditorium, the Educational
Cultural Complex Theater, Mayan Hall, East
County Performing
Arts Center,
Mandeville Auditorium, Joan
Kroc Performing
Arts Center,
and Lyceum Theater. Samahan recently performed at the Seattle Opera House as a featured
performer in the Northwest Folklife Festival. The Samahan Philippine Dance
Company takes great pride in its contribution to the preservation, development
and presentation of the traditional performing arts of the Philippines and its respected position as a
member of performing arts of San Diego.
On 13th March 2004, Samahan celebrated
their 30th Anniversary.
For more information on Samahan
Performing Arts go to: www.samahanphilippinedance.com
.
Left:
Artistic Director, Ruby Pearl B. Chiong;
Right: Executive Director, Lolita D. Carter
[Photo:
25th Anniversary, 1999]
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The 1998 and later programs of
Samahan Performing Arts have been funded in part by the City of San Diego
through programs managed by the Commission for Art and Culture, the County of
San Diego Enhancement Program and the California Arts Council.
Lolita Diñoso Carter, Ph.D. Executive Director.
[May 2004]