dance, like most in the performing arts world, was one of the first asked to close and will more than likely be one of the last called to open.

With the current pandemic stifling artists’ creativity, not to mention their means of livelihood, one wonders how the local professional dance community is coping and surviving. State of the Arts – A Podcast, a Samsung Performing Arts Theater initiative, recently spoke with three of the most active and prolific professional dance practitioners in the country.

Each of them has their own distinct and individual stories but are bonded together by their passion and love of the performing arts. Currently they are channeling this passion to help raise awareness for the local dance community and help activate much needed funds to sustain and keep Filipino dancers survive the current crisis.

State of the Arts: When did you all realize that the current crisis is going to be a real issue?
PJ Rebullida, Galaw.Co Director: I did not think this pandemic would last this long. I was still teaching classes and working with Rhosam in trying to help fellow artists but I woke up 4 weeks after the lockdown and I realized this is not going to end soon, we need to do something to survive.
State of the Arts: LikhaPh, the entity currently raising funds to offer relief for all the displaced dancers has been around for a while correct?
Rhosam Prudenciado,
LikhaPh Founder:
LikhaPH was my personal outreach program. Coming from the province myself, I felt the need to find a way to get all regional dancers somehow connected and
offer a platform for them to learn and network even if they are not Manila based. When the pandemic happened, LikhaPH was already an existing platform that allowed the organization to reach displaced
dancers nationwide in a quicker fashion.

State of the Arts: How is LikhaPh able to help?
Nicole Primero, Airdance Director: Because there is an existing community already, it was easy for all of us to understand that dancers will be losing their jobs and needed help. We immediately went to
work and started fundraising by creating online programs and partnering with select individuals and foundations to come up with much needed funds.
Rhosam: As of this date, we have raised a total of Php931,000 and have distributed about Php700,000 of that. We have given one-time assistance to about 300 individual artists nationwide including those from the existing professional ballet companies in town. We have also helped sustain 3 independent dance companies and their members since the lockdown and have offered a platform for dance teachers to continue teaching and earning while quarantined.

State of the Arts: Where do we go from here?

PJ: We continue to raise funds and create more programming that will allow us to help more dancers. The goal is to keep this as a resource for the dancers by the dancers for a long time. We have many plans and many more dancers to help and reach. The question now is how are we as a dance community able to bend our wills in the service of the greater good? I feel that if we collective come together, set aside our egos, that would be magical.

If you are interested in donating and helping LikhaPH, please visit their social media channels @LikhaPH (FB, IG) or calling +639178172654

State of the Arts is a weekly podcast about the arts, theater and creatives in and around the Philippines. Located in Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati, the show invites industry leaders, arts practitioners and audience members to talk about current events that shape and further the arts in the country. Listen on Spotify or all of your other favorite podcast channels.