Cultural pride shines through with Filipino Dance Troupe

It’s that time of year again as many different groups are preparing for the upcoming multicultural rally on April 3. One group has been practicing like no other, and that would be the Filipino Dance Troupe.

The multicultural rally is an event where many different cultures perform to represent themselves. The Filipino Dance Troupe has roughly 30 members who are all students at Clayton Valley.

In the lower quad, the troupe will practice after school, usually from 3:30-5. The troupe requires extra practice to master each dance that they need to learn for the approaching rally.

The Filipino Dance Troupe practices a very unique style of dance called tinikling. It’s a traditional Filipino dance that involves expert dancers rapidly stepping, jumping, and hopping through clapping bamboo poles.

“Tinikling is a traditional Filipino dance where dancers hop in between sticks,” sophomore Jenna Evangelista said. “I decided to join it because I wanted to meet other Filipinos and really be involved in the community in a new way.”

The Filipino Dance Troupe includes roughly 30 members, and they have been practicing often as they prepare for the April 3 multicultural rally. (Photo by Talon staff)

The Filipino Dance Troupe also has a very welcoming community. Members of the troupe come together to practice and perform, but it’s more than just dancing. It is a way to experience memories with one another.

“My favorite part about being in the Filipino Dance Troupe is the community,” sophomore Champ Rosario explained. “I feel like having this community is very fun, and we get to do a lot of things other than just dancing, like going out to eat and other team bonding.” 

It originated in 2023, and wasn’t nearly as popular as it is today. More and more people are joining to expand their social lives and express who they are and what their culture is. The community that they have built is unlike any other at Clayton Valley, and is a big reason why so many feel the need to join.

Members of the group go through countless hours of perfecting their dances. They want to make it perfect in front of all the students at Clayton Valley and other locations as well.

The Filipino Dance Troupe has performances outside of the multicultural rally. They travel to different cities and schools to show their talent in tinikling and represent their culture to others. 

“Recently we’ve performed at an elementary school called Silverwood, we’ve also performed at John Muir Hospital,” junior MaKyllie Colindres said. “We want to spread our culture, and it’s a great way to show people where I’m from and where we are all from.”

As the spring semester starts to unfold, the closer the most anticipated rally of the year starts to get. The Filipino Dance Troupe are preparing to put on a performance that students will not forget.