Philippine Arts & Culture Ensemble of Michigan

Philippine Arts & Culture Ensemble of Michigan PACE-MI is a nonprofit that provides community programs and resources in Philippine arts and culture.

The Philippine Arts and Culture Ensemble of Michigan (PACE-MI) preserves, presents, and promotes the musical and cultural heritage of the Philippines. PACE intends to pass down a rich culture through a folk dance program, a string ensemble, and a kulintang (gong) ensemble composed of children and adults, all of whom are students alike. Rondalla: An orchestral ensemble of tremolo-stringed instrumen

ts played with the plectrum or pick and generally known as plectrum instruments. Originating in Medieval Spain and brought to the Philippines by Spaniards, the rondalla ensemble consists of various rhythm and mandolin-style string instrument groups including the banduria, octavina, laud, bass, and guitar. The rondalla repertoire covers a wide plethora of musical genres; most commonly Filipino folk and dance music, traditional folk songs, and western classical music as well as well-known pop songs. Kulintang: a modern term for an ancient instrumental form of percussive music composed on a row of small, horizontally laid gongs that function melodically, accompanied by larger, suspended gongs and drums. The kulintang instrument itself could be traced to either the introduction of gongs to Southeast Asia from India before the 10th century CE, or more likely, to the introduction of bossed gong chimes from Java via India in the 15th century. Nevertheless the kulintang ensemble is the most advanced form of music from before the late 16th century and the legacy of the Europeans in the Philippine archipelago. Folk Dance: As varied are the people of the Philippines, so too are the dances. There are many dances performed in the Philippine Islands such as the popular "Tinikling", to the exoticized "Pangalay", to the skill-based interpretation of the "Bangka" and Spanish-tinged "Jota". Dance categorizations range from geographic localization, to socialization functions, to dance influences, and to time traveling. Presentation of Dances in the Philippines are often categorized in ethnic or geographic localization. These localization are often presented in the following: Dances of the Cordillera Mountains (Igorot), Dances of the Taga-Ummah (Muslim), Dances of the Traditionalists (Lumad), Dances of the Low-land Western-Christians. Other less common presentations of Philippine dances have been categorized by societal functions. Philippine dances not only convey the artistry of movement but, are often associated with a life-function such as a wedding, the mimicry of birds, or even the warding of evil spirits. This outlook on dance can be looked at in the following categories: Ritualistic, Mimetic, Life-cycle, and Party dances.

Ready to enjoy Filipino fun and food? Save the date on June 28! Join us for a potluck picnic at Fast Shelter, Gallup Par...
05/31/2026

Ready to enjoy Filipino fun and food? Save the date on June 28! Join us for a potluck picnic at Fast Shelter, Gallup Park, Ann Arbor, MI.
Kita-kits, kabayan! (See you there, countrymen!)

May 17 Aralin Natin Classes - Folk Dance and Filipino Traditional Instruments (Strings (Bandurria) & Percussions (Saruna...
05/23/2026

May 17 Aralin Natin Classes - Folk Dance and Filipino Traditional Instruments (Strings (Bandurria) & Percussions (Sarunay).
NO CLASS ON May 24 in observance of Memorial Day Weekend.

May 3, 2026 - Aralin Natin Filipino Folk Dance & Musical Instruments (Strings & Gongs) Kick Off! Interested to learn for...
05/04/2026

May 3, 2026 - Aralin Natin Filipino Folk Dance & Musical Instruments (Strings & Gongs) Kick Off!

Interested to learn for FREE?
Register na! Tara! (Let’s go!)

05/04/2026
Part 2 Aralin Natin is still open for registration. See information below. Learning culture and tradition is fun and bu...
04/28/2026

Part 2 Aralin Natin is still open for registration. See information below. Learning culture and tradition is fun and builds bridges and community.

Learning and fun don't have to come to an end! 😄Our last Aralin Natin Language (Wika) and Filipino Crafts & Traditional ...
04/25/2026

Learning and fun don't have to come to an end! 😄

Our last Aralin Natin Language (Wika) and Filipino Crafts & Traditional (Larong Pinoy) classes are TOMORROW, April 26th from 1:30PM to 3:30PM!

But no need to worry! We have FREE Aralin Natin FOLK DANCE (Sayaw) & RONDALLA and INDIGENOUS MUSIC (Tugtugin) classes starting on May 3rd! Sign up now with the QR code or link below!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfN6PfEjGwBKBGIz_ob3tzClHjP1oQBkHbFd2XbH9HkDtk7IQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=110432468846123386840

Parol - making in April? Why not! The parol plays a big role in Philippine culture. Believed to originate in Pampanga in...
04/21/2026

Parol - making in April? Why not!
The parol plays a big role in Philippine culture. Believed to originate in Pampanga in 1908, it began as a lantern used for Simbang Gabi shaped like a star to symbolize the star of Bethlehem- a guiding light.
Something we can use all year round and not just for Christmas, di ba? 😊

Address

1100 N. Main Street
Ann Arbor, MI
48104

Telephone

+17342235041

Website

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