By Elmina Cochingco
Karilagan Dance Society of Edmonton represented Canada at the Dance Grand Prix Italia 2019 competition from June 17 to 21, 2019 and took home two gold awards: Best Ethnic Dance Group and Best Pedagogy Award. There were twelve countries that participated in this competition, including the USA, South Africa, Mexico, Finland, England, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Brazil, Italy, Canada and Sweden. There were 100 entries performing per day, over the course of two days.
The organizer of the Dance Grand Prix Italia is also the one in charge of the Barcelona International Dance Competition where Karilagan competed in 2010 and took home three gold trophies: Best Ethnic Dance Group, Best Costume and Best Pedagogy Award. That year, KDS left their bamboo poles in the theater because there was no more time to ship them through cargo. In 2011, Mr. Giorgio Mordenti, the organizer of the dance competition invited them to compete in Italy and advised them that he kept the bamboo poles. Since 2011, KDS has received an invitation every year, and this year, they decided to accept it. Mr. Mordenti was so happy to see them and so excited to watch KDS dancers performing “Singkil”, “Tinikling”, “Bumayah” and “Paunjalay”.
