Bayanihan wins Turkey Grand Prize

Bayanihan Dancers

Bayanihan, the national dance company of the Philippines won the Grand Prize at the 8th International Buyukcekmece Culture and Art Festival in Istanbul, Turkey. The group bested two other finalists: dance troupes from Venezuela and Russia.

The Bayanihan delegation was headed by Suzie Moya Benites, executive director; Isabel Santos, artistic and costume director; and choreographer Ferdinand Jose, who won the Best Choreography Award.

A guest performance in Bahrain during the Spring of Culture Festival started the national dance company's international tour this year. Spain was next in the itinerary where Bayanihan won the prestigious Absolute Winner award during the 12th World Folkdance Festival international.

In between the international journeys and dance rehearsals, Bayanihan conducted its Teaching and Touching Lives transformative program and its Summer Sayaw Workshop. After its performance in Istanbul, the group proceeded to Bursa to participate in the International Golden Karagoz Dance Festival.

Bayanihan, which is celebrating its 50th year anniversary has performed worldwide and has received awards from many international competitions among them the Gold Temple Award and the Absolute Gold Award in Sicily. It has the distinction of being the first Filipino group to break into Broadway; the first non-American dance company to perform at the New York State Theater of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; the first Filipino cultural group to perform in Russia and PROC; and the first Filipino dance company to perform at the World Showcase Millennium Village EPCOT, Disneyland, Florida.