The Manila International Dance Festival or MIDFest 2023 will officially take its opening salvo on September 08 at the historical grounds of Rizal Park, Manila. It will have its festival run for three days.
This is a collaborative project with Manila Vice Mayor Yul Servo Nieto in its continuing efforts to promote and enhance the promotion of culture and the arts in line with its belief in sustaining peace and respect for diversity.
Vice Mayor Yul Servo stresses that “it has always been my belief that the creative arts can take us to a better understanding of our differences and can forge unity to our goals. It’s empowering to all and especially to the treasures of our heritage.”
The festival in its greater theme for 2023 encapsulates, “Celebrating, Diversity, Peace, and Unity Through Dance and Music.”
“It is our aim at MIDF or MIDFest 2023 to use the dance art form in the promotion of peace and unity among diverse communities while strengthening our resolve to continue propagating our cultural dances in our modern world,” enthuses Mr. Archie Dema-ala, Festival Director.
It will be participated by renowned 21 cultural dance groups from The Philippines and 5 countries joining the festival and imparting their very own cultural heritage like indonesia, India, Malaysia, South Korea, and Thailand.
The festival will run for three (3) days and will be going on a performance art tour by showcasing these dance groups in the partner malls and universities in Manila with the main highlights to be staged at the historical and prominent Rizal Park and Fort Santiago, Intramuros Manila.
Festival Director Archie Dema-ala was surprised on the positive response of the participants when the call was echoed for the MIDFest 2023. “I was so thrilled when unexpectedly local participants started to flock in to register their groups and as well to the participaring countries by sending their own groups. This alone makes my heart full as it shows an unfolding of an ultimate dream to have an exchange of culture and heritage among locals and with our international counterparts, thus reminding everyone to always treasure our traditions and culture.”
It is in the festival’s aim in its inaugural to focus in the City of Manila being the seat of power where Malacañan Palace is located and as well as Intramuros, a walled city during colonial times in the heart of the Old Manila and the Fort Santiago, a storied citadel and former military prison.
The Manila International Dance Festival 2023 is in partnership with the utmost support of the Office of Manila Vice Mayor Yul Servo, Department of Tourism, National Parks Development Committee, Concert at the Park, Department of Tourism, Culture and Arts of Manila , Senator Loren Legarda, Hotel Sogo, Lyf Hotel, Archiestic Events Production and VERDE Creatives.