Folk dance tradition lives on in Taal Vista Hotel

Who or what are we as a people if we do not keep our traditions? If we don’t hand them down from generation to generation?

Tradition preserves heritage. It gives us a unified feeling of belonging, a shared identity.

Looking at the big picture, tradition serves as a bridge between past and present, a conduit where life lessons and values are shared, connecting us as members of a family, a community.

At Taal Vista Hotel, tradition is alive and well, especially every weekend with the staging of a cultural show at high noon. Every Saturday, and Sunday, lunchtime at the Veranda, the Bughaw Folkloric Dance Company brings guests on a nostalgic trip back to pre-colonial and colonial periods in Philippine history as the troupe performs two sets of dance suites, each one lasting 30 minutes.

Dance master Randy Roraldo, 47, says the two suites are subdivided into the dances and music of the three main islands of the country, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Showcased are the native dances in these regions, for instance, the subli and carinosa among the Tagalogs, the singkil in Mindanao, curacha among the Visayans. Showtime starts at 12.30 p.m.

Roraldo’s production team is composed of usually 14 dancers, 6 girls, and 8 boys, 5 musicians, and 2 production assistants. We noticed on our last visit that the dancers are quite young, as if they were in their early teens.

The dancers, according to Roraldo, are his students at Tagaytay Mendez Academy High School. Their ages range from 16 to 19. Through the weekly gigs, the students earn extra money for their school needs.  

Roraldo, who teaches Pilipino and Cultural Arts, used to be a dancer with Bughaw, too. The company has changed membership through the years as the old members retired and raised families. Roraldo thought it best to retain the name Bughaw when he took over its management.

Apart from the cultural presentation, which has been a staple at Taal Vista Hotel from the time it was known as simply Taal Vista Lodge when it was founded in 1937, the harana or serenade is one other tradition maintained in the property.

Three gentlemen musicians, in native costume of flowery camisa y chino, wander throughout the restaurant, strumming their guitar, moving from table to table as they play your favorite songs upon request. They are quite versatile that they could sing anything from kundiman to today’s pop hits. All of these while guests partake of a sumptuous buffet that varies from Filipino to Asian to international.

Going even a step further into the culture beat is Kultura Butik, a specialty shop in the periphery of the

main lobby, where one can discover Filipino artistry through handmade creations such as bags, trinkets, jams, and souvenir items.

Only 59 kilometers away from Manila, Tagaytay is known for its cool climate with an annual average of 21 degrees-C. Its high elevation, at 2,000 feet above sea level, allows the city a spectacular view of Taal Lake and Taal Volcano.

(Taal Vista Hotel is currently holding a series of food festivals showcasing the cuisines of popular Filipino restaurants every weekend this July at the Veranda).