In all those years – close to a quarter of a century – I had one answer: the Bayanihan Philippines National Dance Company.
Without fail, they perform awesomely and entertain royally. Through their songs and dances, they exude sheer magic and possess the powers of little miracles to convince potential travelers and would-be investors.
I firmly believed in them then and even more so today after seeing another show some months back. And guess what? The Bayanihan has just celebrated their 45th anniversary! They have not skipped a beat or missed a step since 1959.
Through the years, this unique highly-exceptional and multi-awarded group of dancers, singers and musicians, who are our exemplary ambassadors of goodwill, has hit the road of six continents, performed in all types of venues and before all kinds of audiences. Can you picture all that traveling – the bagsful, the cratesful of memories?
So in celebration of another important milestone in the existence of the Bayanihan, we got in touch with some alumni and together walked down memory lane.
Rosky Balahadia-Hilado, a veteran dancer of the earlier days, was a Miss Caltex finalist, a Karilagan International model and a choreographer under the legendary Conching Sunico. She later served as an executive of the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines for over 24 years. Married to Teddy Hilado, the former Bayanihan technical director with whom she has two children, today she has her hands full as a leading events organizer, is active as the vice president of the Baile Foundation and sits on the board of the Bayanihan Alumni Association.
"My travels with the Bayanihan were full of excitement and filled with memorable moments. I met all kinds of people, from royalty to heads of state, from diplomats to tycoons, from inspiring Filipinos living abroad to the remarkable members of the stage crew and many, many incredible others – some even became great admirers and trusted friends.
"My favorite countries include Mexico, Russia and Israel. I enjoy Mexico because of its arts and crafts, artifacts and jewelry. I like Russia for its history and culture, museums and churches. I cherish Israel for its extraordinary ability to dramatically convert their once barren desert landscape into thriving farmlands and flourishing orchards.
"I find the Mexicans to be light-hearted, extremely friendly and constantly in good spirits. The Russians may initially be reserved and perhaps even cold, but once you reach out, they are charming, warm and endearing. The Israelites are nationalistic, driven and dedicated, committed and devoted in everything they do. I salute them.
"How can I forget when I came upon the blind singer Jose Feliciano at the La Hungla in Caracas, Venezuela or when I bumped into the Peppermint Twisters at the popular Peppermint Lounge in New York, where they taught me how to dance the Twist which was the craze at the time. But the most unforgettable encounter of them all was the Filipino artist Vitalis, a long-time resident of Paris. He was so proud to be a Filipino. He genuinely fell in love with the Bayanihan, became so close to some of our performers and would watch the show almost every night whenever we were in the French capital. He likewise took the time and effort to teach some of us how to sketch, how to paint. One of my priced possessions is a painting he did which he presented to me on our very last performance in Paris.
"All of these wonderful experiences and many others have become a very important part of my life."
Leni Alano-Cabili, I suspect, breathes Bayanihan, thinks Bayanihan and without a doubt loves Bayanihan. Some friends even claim, in a whisper of course, that she must have her daily dosage of Bayanihan tablets by day and another set of Bayanihan capsules by night.
Allow me to explain. A Bayanihan dancer from the late Fifties and well into the decade of the Sixties, Leni, and with her three sisters Sandy, Ruby and Delia, plus brother Boots were all Bayanihan dancers. That’s not it. Are you ready for this? Four of her five children – Lizzie, Marie, Lenlen, and Hanna – joined the Bayanihan, too. And I would not be shocked to learn one day that some of her grandchildren would be auditioning!
You think that’s her only world? Oh, no! Wife of former Mayor of Iligan City Camelo Cabili, the active lady golfer is a member of the board of trustees of St. Luke’s Medical Center and the national board of the Girls Scouts of the Philippines, among other endeavors.
"From trips abroad, tourists remember most the landmarks and attractions, the churches and museums, the stores and restaurants. But as a Bayanihan dancer on tour, I recall with fondness the theaters we performed in, such as the Old Metropolitan Opera House in New York. I guess we were among the last to perform on its stage for it was soon completely demolished only to be resurrected as the New Metropolitan Opera House at the Lincoln Center with two First Ladies, Lady Bird Johnson and Imelda Marcos, as special guests at its inauguration.
"La Fenice in Venice, Italy, is another one on my slate. Probably more than 200 years old, this to me is the most ornate and elegant. I can still see the two little boys in full costume with powdered wigs whose only job was to draw the outer curtain before each performance. Such a tradition!
"The ultra modern and very spacious Beethoven Halle in Bonn, Germany together with Maan Auditorium in Tel Aviv, Israel complete my list of my favorite theaters. The latter had several music rooms backstage where I liked coming in early so I could listen to the orchestra rehearsals which I greatly enjoyed.
"I was fortunate and blessed to have met several fascinating personalities and celebrities during our world tours. One was President Sukarno of Indonesia, who was the most liked head of state among us dancers. He was an enchanting charmer and patiently taught us Indonesian social dancing and a couple of local folk songs. In addition, he was also a brilliant storyteller. Under the huge acacia trees on the grounds of the presidential residence Merdeka Palace, we were all spellbound as he narrated ‘how we bravely fought the Dutch...’
"In the town of Kohler in the American state of Wisconsin, I met Mr. Kohler himself at the reception he hosted after our evening performance. That was a big thrill for me. Son of German immigrants, he set up one of the most successful businesses in bathroom ware and fixtures, which to this day remains a famous brand. Oh yes, the place is named after the family which incidentally employs the entire population of the town.
"It was wonderful to get together once again with the Mexican President and Mrs. Lopez Mateos at the well-attended reception held at the beautiful Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City during our opening night. Just a few months before, they were in the Philippines for a state visit when one evening we performed a whole repertoire at the old Rizal Theater in Makati in their honor. The hosts were President Diosdado Macapagal and his wife Evangelina.
"During an extended stay in one of our visits to New York, we were invited to be guests at the Ed Sullivan Show. Remember how popular it was? Well, while we were busy tapping – surprise, surprise – in walked the "Big Three" – Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte and Sammy Davis, Jr., the friendliest of the trio. We could not believe our lucky stars. Before long, we were chatting in at the studio like old friends."
Noel Benitez, a member of the illustrious clan with historical ties of noble deeds, was associated with the Bayanihan not just as a dancer (together with his brother Joly and sisters Amelou and Maritza). He joined the World Tour in 1968 and performed at the New York’s World Fair. Married to the former Suzie Moya, another Bayanihan alumna, they have three children, namely Marco, Marielle and Marton. The former vice mayor of Tagaytay City is today an accomplished businessman, concerned planner and a caring developer.
"We were in Paris for our first Christmas away from home and we were all so emotional. Though we performed before an appreciative full house during the entire holiday season, we tearfully sang Christmas carols in French at the end of each show. Just as the curtains would be drawn, tons of multi-colored confetti would fill the stage. But this seldom lifted our spirits. There was one exception though. Since my birthday falls on Christmas Day, our impresario Claude Girard and his attractive wife, the prima ballerina Liane Dayde, threw a dinner party at their beautiful home. The Bayanihan boys-will-be-boys cheerfully took turns bussing every girl that stood under the mistletoe by the entrance of the living room. New Year’s Eve was something else. Immediately after the last evening performance for the year, we all ran back to our hotel, Chateau Frontenac, at the Champs Elysee to prepare for our midnight celebration. When the clock struck 12, all the guys rushed to the streets where we joined what seemed like half of the city in merrymaking. We got to kiss everyone we bumped into á bonne annee.
"For five solid months, we crisscrossed the many countries of South America where we were totally immersed in local life. It was a gratifying, learning experience. We sang their songs, and we danced their dances, loved their food, appreciated and honored the traditions of the different cultures which were much like ours. We made friends and established long, lasting friendships.
"Venice was memorable, too. The canals, the gondola rides, the foot bridges, the architecture of homes by the water, the intriguing walks on the streets and alleys. One day we sat down for coffee by the Piazza San Marco and a string ensemble surprised us with their own beautiful rendition of Dahil sa Iyo.
"During the course of our tour around the world, we performed before leaders from various fields of endeavors – business industries, sports, show business legends, not to mention royalty, presidents and prime ministers. But my choice as the most memorable personality would be the Holy Father, the Pope. Seeing him up close at a private audience with the entire company is an experience I will never ever forget."