Lego bricks model dances singkil at Philippine-Denmark friendship anniversary

MANILA, Philippines — A Danish LEGO bricks model has done the Filipino folk dance “singkil” during the commemoration of the 75th year of the Philippine-Denmark bilateral relations.

The Philippine embassy in Copenhagen recently presented the LEGO model Singkil designed and built by Lee Magpili, Filipino senior model designer of LEGO Group.

Ambassador Leo Herrera-Lim and Thomas Lehmann, director for Asia, Latin America and Oceania of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, unveiled the LEGO installation during the diplomatic reception at the Sølyst, Klampenborg in Denmark.

Combining Filipino creativity and ingenuity with the world-famous Danish LEGO bricks, the installation is a symbol of the development of the relations between the Philippines and Denmark.

Magpili said his creation was inspired by Filipino folk dances in the past and his passion for toy bricks. The dancers were all animated using a motor and activated with a small robotics unit.

“The dance is a courtship ritual similar to our struggles as Filipinos and Danes overcoming our hardships to continue to have a strong relationship. It is stories like these that inspire me to make creations... and stories like these that I hope will inspire Filipinos and Danes to continue to work together for a lifetime,” Magpili said.

The reception was attended by over 100 dignitaries, including ambassadors of foreign embassies in Copenhagen, Danish officials and business executives.