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National Artist for Dance (Gawad Artista ng Bayan), 1973

Region III: Central Luzon

(Lolomboy, Bocaue, Bulacan)

https://socalfolkdance.org/master_teachers/aquino_f.htm

https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-philippines/francisca-reyes-aquino/

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National Artist for Dance (1976)

Jolo, Sulu (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao)

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Philippine Folk Dances Volume Four (1960)

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National Artist for Theater (2022)
Region IV-A : CALABARZON
(Los Baños, Laguna)

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0531073/
https://ncca.gov.ph/2022/06/16/malacanang-confers-8-new-national-artists/

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Dulaang UP's Fuente Ovejuna (2019)

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Filipinescas: Philippine Life, Legend and Lore in Dance (2004)

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Filipinescas: Philippine Life, Legend and Lore in Dance (2004)

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Filipinescas: Philippine Life, Legend and Lore in Dance (2004) | Today, we commemorate the birth anniversary of National Artist for Dance Leonor Orosa-Goquingco.

Leonor Luna Orosa-Goquingco is known as the “Mother of... | By Cultural Center of the Philippines | Facebook

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1.6K views, 26 likes, 41 loves, 1 comments, 35 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Cultural Center of the Philippines: Today, we commemorate the birth anniversary of National Artist for Dance Leonor...

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Antonio Ocampo Mabesa was born and grew up in Los Banos, Laguna, where he attended UP Rural High School and UP Los Banos to complete his secondary and college studies, respectively. At the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Delaware, he received a master's degree in theater arts and education. He taught speech communication and theater arts at UP Diliman after his return from abroad, where he advocated for a bachelor's program in theatrical arts. Tony Mabesa later founded the Dulaang UP (DUP) in 1976, the UP Playwright’s Theater in 1980, the Angeles University Foundation Reportory Theater in 2005, and later served as the Theater Director of the Manila Metropolitan Theater. In the course of his career, he has produced and directed over 150 plays, and in 2015, he was honored with the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining Awardee for Theater. Tony Mabesa passed away in 2019, and in 2022 he was elevated to the Order of National Artists of the Philippines. He was referred to as the "Lion of the Theater" because of his contributions to Philippine theater.

References:
Honasan, Alya. “Philippine Arts and Theater Mourn Death of Tony Mabesa.” INQUIRER.net, 8 Oct. 2019, entertainment.inquirer.net/347216/philippine-arts-and-theater-mourn-death-of-tony-mabesa.

“LOOK BACK: Tony Mabesa, Actor, Director, and PH Theater Pioneer.” RAPPLER, 5 Oct. 2019, www.rappler.com/entertainment/241823-tony-mabesa-legacy.

Marasigan, Dennis. “Tony Mabesa: ‘First of All, You Have to Be Healthy to Be in Theater.’” lifestyle.inquirer.net, 19 Sept. 2015, lifestyle.inquirer.net/207046/tony-mabesa-first-of-all-you-have-to-be-healthy-to-be-in-theater.

Rappler.com. “Veteran Actor Tony Mabesa Dies at 84.” RAPPLER, 4 Oct. 2019, www.rappler.com/entertainment/241794-tony-mabesa-dies-at-84.

“Tony Mabesa.” IMDb, 27 Jan. 1935, www.imdb.com/name/nm0531073/bio.

“Tribute Show Tonight for Theater Icon Tony Mabesa.” BusinessWorld Online, 8 Oct. 2019, www.bworldonline.com/arts-and-leisure/2019/10/09/257737/tribute-show-tonight-for-theater-icon-tony-mabesa.

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Leonor Orosa-Goquingco was born on July 24, 1917, and is best known as the Mother of Philippine Theater Dance, Dean of Filipino Performing Arts Critics, and Trailblazer for incorporating Filipino themes and innovating the genre by diverging from conventional ballet. She graduated summa cum laude at St. Scholastica's College and went on to graduate school at Columbia University and Teachers College in New York City, USA, where she studied theater craft, drama, and music, and all her life she was under the mentorship of notable people such as Anatole Vilzak, Thalia Mara, Francisca Reyes-Aquino, another National Artist for Dance, and many more. She was also an author, an art critic, a dancer, and a choreographer, but she is most striking for creating her own dance by merging different cultures with Philippine context. Leonor stated that she was dissatisfied with the usual storylines in European ballet as they mostly featured nymphs, fairies, and sylphs that are foreign to us, so she decided to break away from the norm and create her own as she featured choreographies using Filipino subjects, and also took some inspiration from Indian and Spanish cultures. Further, most of her artwork reflects Filipino culture and our history, from The Bird and the Planters to Noli dance suite. Although Leonor Orosa-Goquingco's works are not generally known by the general public, her works further revolutionize dance, particularly ballet, as she decided to break away and make ballet unique and distinguishable internationally. Moreover, as she became older, she still decided to teach young people her craft in hopes to pass on her legacy.

References:
“Leonor Orosa-Goquinco a.k.a. Cristina Luna.” orosa, www.orosa.org/leonor_orosa%20bio.htm. Accessed 17 November, 2022.

“Order of National Artists: Leonor Orosa Goquingco.” National Commission for Culture and the Arts, ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-philippines/leonor-orosa-goquingco/. Accessed 17 November, 2022.

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Leonor Orosa-Goquingco enriched Filipino dance culture when she was still alive by integrating Filipino subjects into her choreographies. I find it remarkable how she chose to incorporate other cultures in the Philippines into her art, broadening and expanding our culture. Most people think that we should not touch traditional ways of art, but Leonor Orosa-Goquingco decided to go against that and mix ballet and Philippine culture, breaking free from the confines of the traditional way of doing things. Many people should take inspiration from her courage, creativity, and innovation to use Philippine culture in art and other aspects of life.

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I first saw Tony Mabesa on screen and had no idea he was a theater scion until a friend of mine posted about him. Promoting him as a theater icon will also promote the Philippine theater. It is undeniable that the theater industry is underrated in our country. Promoting artists such as Tony Mabesa will also help theater actors, whose talents are incredible.

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National Artist for Dance, 2014
NCR: National Capital Region (Manila)

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Francisca Reyes-Aquino, the “Mother of Philippine Dancing,” obtained her High School Teacher’s Certificate in 1923 and completed her Bachelor of Science in Education degree in 1924 from the University of the Philippines. In 1921 to 1923, she began her search for folk dances when she was still a Student Assistant in Physical Education at the University of the Philippines. As she have observed the corrupting influences of the American culture through their jazz, comics, and dance, Reyes-Aquino led various researches on the country’s folk culture and publicized it. She traveled into the most remote barrios in many parts of Central and Northern Luzon to meet the old natives who used to dance during their younger years, and later published her gathered materials in her master’s thesis entitled Philippine Folk Dances and Games, which reflected the great diversity of dance type, tempo, and music of Filipinos from different places. This thesis also includes the folk dances she have discovered throughout her travels, which includes Tinikling (a dance betweed clapped, bamboo poles), Maglalatik, Lubi-Lubi, and Polka sa Nayon.

Reyes-Aquino significantly helped in recognizing and preserving “unknown” forms of dances and in enriching the country’s cultural heritage. At present, folk dances can be practiced by high school students under the subject, Physical Education, and there are also existing Dance Troupes that aim to hone folk dances through research and teaching.

References:

Oakes, Dick. Frances Reyes Aquino, https://socalfolkdance.org/master_teachers/aquino_f.htm.

Order of National Artists: Francisca Reyes Aquino. https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-philippines/francisca-reyes-aquino/.

“March 9, 1899, Francisca Reyes-Aquino Was Born in Lolomboy, Bocaue, Bulacan.” The Kahimyang Project, 12 Nov. 2013, https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1641/today-in-philippine-history-march-9-1899-francisca-reyes-aquino-was-born-in-lolomboy-bocaue-bulacan.

Bulan, Amierielle Anne. “How Francisca Reyes-Aquino Sought and Fought for Our Country's Folk Dances.” NOLISOLI, 9 Mar. 2019, https://nolisoli.ph/58676/francisca-reyes-aquino-abulan-20190309/.

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With how Francisca Reyes-Aquino dedicated and lived her life searching for and preserving folk dances, I do not see any reason why I would not promote her. She dedicated her life promoting the country’s cultural heritage and going to the most remote barrios in the Philippines even if it means going up to the mountains or crossing rivers. This commitment, passion, and love she displayed for the country is admirable, and is truly deserving of the highest national recognition given to Filipino artists. Without her, Filipinos would not have known one of the most popular folk dances in the country, Tinikling.

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Ballet Philippines: The Exemplar Amada and Other Dances

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Alice Reyes was born on the 14th day of October 1942 in Manila, Philippines. Her exposure to art began at a very young age being the daughter of Adoracion Garcia-Reyes, a coloratura soprano and voice teacher, and Ricardo Reyes, popularly known as "Mr. Philippine Folk Dancer". She is known as the "Mother of Contemporary Dance" because of her dance legacy, which is still evident in dance companies, choreographers, and dance coaches today. She is the visionary founder of Ballet Philippines (BP), the leading professional classical and contemporary dance institution in the Philippines. Ballet Philippines stands out nationwide and worldwide for its successful integration of diverse dance and movement forms that incorporates traditional and modern Filipino culture and global identities. Moreover, she is also the mind behind numerous dance masterpieces, some of which are "Amada," "Itim-Asu," "Bayanihan Remembered," "Mga Babae," "Tales of the Manuvu," and "Rama Hari". By the 20th day of June 2014, former president Benigno Aquino III, through Proclamation No. 807, proclaimed Alice Reyes as a National Artist for Dance because of her strong passion for her art genre.

References:

Alice Reyes, National Artist for Dance. Google Arts & Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/alice-reyes-national-artist-for-dance/yAGNl6-2oKH-TA?hl=en.

Marcial, J. (2018, July 22). NATIONAL ARTIST; ALICE REYES “THE MOTHER OF CONTEMPORARY DANCE”. wordpress. https://judemarcialblog.wordpress.com/.

Order of National Artists: Alice Reyes. National Commission for Culture and the Arts. https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-philippines/alice-reyes/.

Soliman, M. A. P. (2019, December 10). Alice Reyes on 50 years — and counting — of Ballet Philippines. BusinessWorld. https://www.bworldonline.com/editors-picks/2019/12/18/269750/alice-reyes-on-50-years-and-counting-of-ballet-philippines/.

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Alice Reyes initially planned to be in the foreign service, travelling the world and representing the Philippines as a diplomat. However, her fate changed as arts has always been a part of her. With her strong passion for arts and dance, she did not only introduce the development of a distinctively Filipino modern dance, but she also pioneered in the wide promotion of dance as a career path in the Philippines. With this, I firmly believe that Alice Reyes being made known to many will help promote the history and culture of Filipino Contemporary Dance together with their significance.

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National Artist for Theater and Music (1987)
NCR: National Capital Region (Pandacan, Manila)

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On January 11, 1902, Honorata de la Rama-Hernandez was born in Pandacan, Manila. She began acting in Spanish sarzuelas as early as the age of seven, including "Sueo de un Vals," and "Marina," and at the age of 15, she appeared in the Filipino sarzuela "Dalagang Bukid," where she gained fame for singing the song "Nabasag na Banga."

She battled for the domination of the "Sarsuela," a musical theater that focuses on current Filipino issues, as well as the "Kundiman," a significant Philippine folk song, as she believes these express best the Filipino soul. She accomplished all of this while the Philippines was under American control. The popularity of original Filipino sarsuelas like "Dalagang Bukid" and dramas like "Veronidia" is largely attributed to Rama. Rama also managed actors, wrote plays, and produced them. Among her many plays are "Anak ni Eva" and "Bulaklak ng Kabundukan."

In recognition of her achievements and contributions to Philippine art, she was named the Queen of the Kundiman and the Sarsuela in 1979. The reason Rama was named a "National Artist of the Philippines for Theater and Music" on May 8, 1987, was stated in the statement: "For her sincere devotion to original Filipino theater and music, her outstanding artistry as a singer, and as a sarsuela actress-playwright-producer, her tireless efforts to bring her art to all sectors of Filipino society and the world."

References:
Mirzaliyeva, M. (2022, September 12). Birth Anniversary of National artist Atang de la Rama. National Today. Retrieved January 2, 2023, from https://nationaltoday.com/birth-anniversary-of-national-artist-atang-de-la-rama/

Honorata “Atang” dela Rama – Provincial Government of Bulacan. (n.d.). Retrieved January 2, 2023, from https://bulacan.gov.ph/general-info/honorata-dela-rama/

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Honorata “Atang” Dela Rama fought for our cultural sovereignty and for the dominance of our very own “Sarsuela” and “Kundiman” and she did all this during the American occupation of the Philippines. She began performing when she was just 7 years old and has devoted her entire life to sharing her art with the entire Filipino population and the rest of the world. She performed in strange places like cockpits in addition to the major theaters in Manila because she passionately believes that everyone should have access to art. Her devotion to Filipino music and theater deserves to be recognized by not only people in my locality but the people of the nation.