The episode of morning show “Umagang Kay Ganda” last Thursday, November 3, 2016, has earned the ire of netizens after it mistakenly defined folk dancing as a dance for poor people, lower class citizens, and servants!
The segment was featuring “Dance Kids” champion Crazy Duo, with Ariel Ureta sharing the pair’s accomplishments while the show flashed some tidbits of ballroom dancing trivia on the screen.
While the other trivia passed netizens’ scrutiny, it angered a lot of people that the show declared that folk dancing was for poor people.
Perhaps, the writers and researchers had only meant to contrast the statement with the previous one stating that ballroom dancing was only for the elite and rich people in the past; however, the short statement came out as negative and only belittling the rich heritage of folk dancing!
Before that statement, “Umagang Kay Ganda” had shared that ballroom dancing came from the Latin term “ballere” which means “dance”. Then, the show revealed that in the past, the dance was only done by a few people, particularly the rich. In contrast, folk dancing is for the lower class, servants, and poor people.
“This is insane! Whoever the researcher of ABS-CBN is insane! I’ve been dancing this treasures of ours for how many years! You don’t have no right to discriminate the dancers who dedicate their lives to preserved our culture! Post the correct information!” urged Jose Arnel Flores.
“So disappointing, they need to be educated. FYI ABS , Folk dance is from our very rich culture and traditions wherein Singkil dance was performed by a “Princess”, Tribal dances performed by “Chieftains”, Maria Clara suites/ Jota by elite Aristocrats. This dances were performed Locally and in International dance festivals because it represents “All of us Filipinos”,” wrote an angry Maileen Tutanes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECGdPnVbPB8