A festival for creative movement and expression
By September Grace Mahino
April 14, 2025
With the Filipinos’ penchant for performance widely recognized, it’s only apt that the local love for dance gets the recognition it deserves. That is why, for the second iteration of the International Dance Day Fest, Ayala Corporation and Circuit Makati are making sure that the week-long festival truly lives up to the theme “Dance for all” by making the various disciplines of the art form accessible to everyone.
From April 23 to 27, the Samsung Performing Arts Theater will be a venue for an inclusive celebration of different dance genres and for showcasing the best Filipino and international dance talents. The International Dance Day Fest 2025 will gather more than 1,200 artists to present myriad performances that will cater to every kind of dance enthusiast, from fans of traditional folkloric dances and classical ballet to admirers of urban dance, contemporary movement, and even paradance, which is an inclusive discipline that blends dance with wheelchair accessibility.
“International Dance Day is more than just a celebration of movement—it’s a powerful reminder of how dance connects us all, transcending boundaries and uniting us through shared expression. By showcasing the artistry of Filipino dancers alongside global performers, we highlight dance as a universal language that connects cultures,” said Christopher Mohnani, the managing director of the Samsung Performing Arts Theater and Circuit Makati’s arts and culture manager, during the dance festival’s media launch.
Kicking off this year’s International Dance Day Fest on April 23 is the opening night gala featuring multi-award-winning British choreographer Sir Wayne McGregor CBE and his Company Wayne McGregor. The 7:30 pm show will also be the dance company’s Philippine premiere presentation of Autobiography (v105), a groundbreaking dance portrait that was uniquely arranged for the event. It is a 23-section series of movements inspired by McGregor’s old writings, personal memories, and pieces of art and music that are relevant to him, arranged in a sequence based on the artist’s own genetic code.
A portion of the proceeds from the opening night gala will benefit the Artists Welfare Project, Inc. (AWPI) HMO fund, which provides vital healthcare support for dancers.
To further promote meaningful engagement, not just between dance artists and the audience, but also between fellow creatives, Company Wayne McGregor will also conduct a special workshop and masterclass that offers a rare opportunity for dancers to learn from one of the most innovative forces in contemporary dance. Company Wayne McGregor’s participation in the International Dance Day Fest 2025 is made possible in part by The British Embassy Manila, the British Council, and Ayala Corporation.
On April 24, the spotlight will be on the Filipino cultural dance heritage. The Folk and Traditional Dance Gala will be a showcase for the country’s national dance companies that serve as esteemed cultural ambassadors on the world stage: Bayanihan, The National Folk Dance Company, and the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group. Also participating are prominent collegiate dance groups: the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Salinggawi Dance Troupe, The Kalilayan Folkloric Dance Troupe, the Philippine Normal University (PNU) Kislap Sining Dance Troupe, Rizal Technological University (RTU) Kultura Rizalia Dance Troupe, Sindaw Philippines Performing Arts Guild, the Centro Escolar University (CEU) Folk Dance Troupe, the University of the East (UE) Silanganan Dance Troupe, and Kaloob Philippine Music and Dance Ministry.
“Folk dance is still relevant. We are not limiting ourselves to [performing only] the pioneering works of National Artists. We are introducing new approaches to folk dance that are still rooted in local culture,” said Ronnie Mirabuena, the Chief Culture and Arts Officer of the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Arts and Education Department and a member of the Philippine Folk Dance Society. “Folk dance isn’t a static art even when it uses traditional narratives. The youth are looking for new ways of narrative development and staging.”
Meanwhile, street dance, urban grooves, and hip-hop will be front and center on April 25 with the Street Dance Gala, which will feature performances by FemmeMNL, UPeepz, VPeepz, the A-Team, TPM (Team Package Makers), the Electrogroovers, PID (Power Impact Dancers), and UNRVLD. For this genre, the longstanding challenge has been to change the negative connotation of hip-hop dance as a non-professional art form. Said Xernan Alfonso, the master teacher and curator of the gala and a member of the Philippine Folk Dance Society, “Hip-hop is about what you see and hear around you. We’ve always been here, and yet hip-hop dancers aren’t perceived as professional ones even when we’ve been winning in international competitions.” With finding support their biggest hurdle, the hip-hop dancers’ hope is that the festival provides the needed push to overcome negative connotations about the genre.
April 26 is dedicated to the classical discipline of ballet, with the Ballet Gala uniting the Philippines’ professional ballet companies (Alice Reyes Dance Philippines, Ballet Philippines, Ballet Manila, and Philippine Ballet Theater) and ballet schools (Steps Dance Studio and the Association of Ballet Academies in the Philippines). Guest artists from Hong Kong Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre will also be participating in a show that is sure to be marked by grace and technical excellence.
Finally, the Contemporary Dance Gala happens on April 27, featuring some of the country’s finest contemporary dancers, with a special focus on artists from outside Metro Manila. This evening highlights the rich diversity of contemporary dance in the Philippines, bringing fresh perspectives and distinct movement styles to the stage. Expect performances from Dance Forum, the UP Dance Company, Daloy Dance, Galaw.co, Guang Ming, Hiraya, Airdance, Mari Dance, and Para Dance.
In addition to the live performances, Fifth Wall Fest, the country’s only multidisciplinary movement group, will showcase site-specific works that will demonstrate how dance transcends the confines of traditional performance spaces. A dance market and bazaar will also be open throughout the festival where the festival attendees can buy dance paraphernalia, exclusive merchandise, and dance-related gadgets.
“Holding the International Dance Day Fest at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater is intentional and in line with what Ayala Land is doing with Circuit Makati, which is to become the center of arts and culture in Makati,” Mohnani remarked. Steps Dance Studio founder and director Sofia Zobel Elizalde added that Ayala Corporation has long been a big supporter of the arts, which is the soul of the country. “An event like International Dance Day Fest is important because of the exposure it affords to Filipino talent.”
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The International Dance Day Fest 2025 is presented by Ayala Land, Make it Makati, Circuit Makati, and the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, with additional partnership support from the Ayala Corporation, the British Embassy Manila, and the British Council. For more information, follow CPATOfficial on Facebook and Instagram. For tickets, visit Ticket World. All images are courtesy of Ayala Land.
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