Philippine Folk Dance Lessons Free at Season's

Kawayan Folk Arts, a dance studio based in San Jose, offers at  on Saturdays at 1:30 p.m. 

The objective is "so the child can connect with their roots and have a sense of identity and pride in their culture," said Genevieve Nicolas, artistic director of Kawayan Folk Arts.

Each week, instructors will introduce one type of folk dance from the Philippines. On Saturday, participants learned Jota Manileña of Manila, an adaptation of the Castilian Jota dating back to the colonial days. It is customary for women to wear ball gowns and men to wear formal Barong Tagalog shirts when performing this dance.

Next week, the workshop will introduce participants to Mangalay which originates from the southern island of Mindanao.

To find out more, visit kawayanfolkarts.org.