PANGALAY PRIESTESS

Madam Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa

I have devoted practically two thirds of my life to dance. From time to time, I get to dabble in a dance form I have no experience in because sometimes contemporary choreographers from Ballet Philippines invite traditional dancers as sources of inspiration they can "borrow" movement from. I put the word borrow in quotes as indigenous movement is far removed from the dance form I grew up in.

Imitating an Albatross

Fortunately, Ballet Philippines has nurtured in its dancers a deep love for both classical Ballet and contemporary dance techniques transposing historical accounts, Filipino legends and myths into uniquely Filipino works of art. This year however, my interest in the performing arts has been rekindled with the conferment of the Ramon Magsaysay Award to LIGAYA FERNANDO-AMILBANGSA. Madam Amilbangsa has been cited for her unwavering crusade in preserving an endangered artistic heritage of southern Philippines - the PANGALAY.

Preening her feathers

What thrills me most about her work is that I have always admired people who can do indigenous dances such as the Pangalay. I didn't think I could do it... It can be strenuous after a few minutes. Fact is, I have always known about her work for decades. I am personal friends with her daughter Grace and it was a blast spending time with her again, if only briefly. When I was a lot younger, I used to hang out with Grace. What eludes me is why I never, ever took the time to learn how to do Pangalay in all its many myriad forms.

Grace Amilbangsa and moi catching up

The Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation organized a lecture demo for all of the awardees this year. I made it a point to attend Madam Amilbangsa's lecture at the RM Building along Roxas Bouleard on 2 September, 2015. I was pleasantly surprised that the hall was packed with students and a smattering of people like me who weren't as young but perhaps, more passionate about heritage preservation. The lecture was interspersed with pieces choreographed by Mrs. Amilbangsa herself; one choreographed to Yoyoy Villame's recording even. Of particular interest to me was the piece performed to Lucio San Pedro's "Sa Ugoy ng Duyan" done in the pangalay idiom. I refer to it as a dance idiom because it is unique to the southern Philippines and a few Southeast Asian countries like Bali,Indonesia, Thailand, Southern India and Malaysia.

Cecilia Garucho giving annotation to Pangalay movement

 Pangalay is an ancient dance form that ante dates the arrival of Islam (ca.14th century) in the country. This dance has roots among the Badjao, Jama Mapun, Samal and Tausug tribes of Mindanao. Madam Amilbangsa asked the audience to get up from their seats and learn the most basic rudiment of the dance form... BREATHING! Madam believes that if you can breathe (and who'd want to hold their breath?), you can dance Pangalay. And that's where I have the problem. Decades of classical ballet training run counter to learning Pangalay. In ballet, one is supposed to keep the spine pulled up to maximize that long lean look and in proper alignment, butt tucked in, core muscles strong and engaged, shoulder blades expanded nearly touching each other, arms curved and tense to prepare for action, head and chin angled to look up at the most expensive seats in the theater. In Pangalay, your knees are bent, your torso is set forward, arms  bent and sticking out to the sides, nape and head angled forward. Complete opposite of what I've been trained to do. 

Pangalay ensemble members 

She relates how, as a young girl attending a school fair at the Far Eastern University, she visited a booth decorated in southern Philippine finery for a Muslim wedding. She met the young gentleman who was responsible for the authentic array and even asked for his autograph. He left a lasting impression on her.  Little did she know, he was smitten as well. She ended up marrying her Muslim admirer and re-located to Tawi-Tawi.  They attended a Muslim wedding ceremony and part of the entertainment was this pangalay dancer. Her life was never the same!

Brass nails enhance the hand movements

It was there in Sulu that she honed her technique and came up with the Amilbangsa Instruction Method. After all, it is useless to be perfect at something and not  be able to pass it on. She has formed a dance troupe that goes all over the world promoting Pangalay. Like any advocacy, it needs structure to hold the members together. They have a board of trustees that oversees the group's activities and keeps them going. Madam Amilbangsa does the lectures and the choreography and continues to dance Pangalay at the youthful age of seventy two. Just as she was transfixed while watching Pangalay many moons ago,  Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa continues to dance to the beat of her own inner rhythm and vows to preserve Pangalay as younger dancers learn how to move in hypnotic pace with their own breath...

the future of Pangalay