2017 Battle of the Bamboo - Kulturo

For the fourteenth consecutive year, Filipinos In Alliance at the University of Illinois at Chicago proudly presents Battle of the Bamboo, a cultural dance competition showcasing traditional Filipino folk dance. 

Participants come from all over the Midwest and they range from high school to collegiate levels. The groups perform a dance of their choosing to the best of their abilities and are judged by a panel of experienced dancers. The Philippines has a rich cultural history which includes a diverse collection of traditional folk dances. With the dances, performers unravel stories that have been passed down through generations of Filipino history. 

Our theme this year KulTuro: A New Era. As you may know, Kulturo is not a Tagalog word; rather it is Kultura, which means culture. However, we went with the spelling of KulTuro because the second part of this word is "Turo," which means "to teach" in Tagalog. In terms of "A New Era," it does not mean we are starting COMPLETELY new, but we are building off our past and culture that we have grown up to learn, as we will teach our values. 

As the Millennial Generation, it may be difficult to completely and accurately 100% reproduce traditional Filipino culture. However, with what we have learned, be it from being a first or second-generation Filipino-American, we are ushering forth in A NEW ERA: An era where we are teaching what we have learned from our roots, and not only growing from these roots, but also showing how our culture is alive, shaping who we are today.