By Leona LiuContributing Writer
“I place a cup on my head when I study,” Weinberg freshman Allie Morales said “My roommate thinks I’m crazy, but I’m just practicing for my performance.”
Morales’ behavior is common among members of Kaibigan, Northwestern’s Filipino student association, which she joined this year. Kaibigan members perform Binasuan, a traditional Filipino dance in which dancers balance water-filled cups on their bodies.
Dressed in baggy and sopping-wet T-shirts, members practiced the ritual this past weekend. With traditional music blaring through a boom box, the dancers steadied blue plastic cups on their heads and arms. It was the first time they have practiced with water in the cups.
Traditionally the cups are filled with wine, explained Lesley Arca, the co-president of Kaibigan. Performed at celebrations such as birthdays and weddings, Binasuan is her favorite Filipino dance because of its liveliness.
“I was always really curious about Filipino culture,” said Arca, a Weinberg senior who joined the club as a freshman. “I never had much exposure to (it) in high school, but Kaibigan has allowed me to explore it better.”
Kaibigan was founded in 2001 by Joseph Graciosa, a Weinberg student who graduated two years ago, to revive a defunct on-campus Filipino group. The club’s name means “friend” in Tagalog, the primary dialect of the Philippines.
Typically, older club members pass down the dance to current Kaibigan members.
“I really like being a part of Kaibigan,” said Vanessa Fajardo, a fifth-year McCormick student. “In high school, we had an Asian cultural group, but it was really exclusive and cliquey. Kaibigan is far from that.”
Kaibigan also regularly takes members to see Filipino films and exhibits in Chicago. In addition, its members attend the Filipino-American conference at the University of Illinois each November. Last year, the club’s Binasuan routine won first place at the University of Illinois-Chicago’s annual intercollegiate Filipino dance competition. The group is competing again this year.
Kaibigan also puts on an annual on-campus event, the Pinoy Show, which showcases traditional dances and songs.
Several group members are not Filipino.
“Many people join because they are interested in learning traditional Philippine dances,” said Jon Maloto, the co-president of Kaibigan. “Several on-campus groups have seen us dance and want us to perform at their events.”
But Maloto, a McCormick senior, stresses that Kaibigan is not just a dance group.
“Above all, we are a cultural group,” he said.
Kaibigan will be performing Saturday for Southeast Asian Night at Parkes Hall.
Reach Leona Liu at [email protected].
