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Filipino Americans in Dance
Dances produced and performed by Filipino Americans have long been a staple within the Filipino American community as an art form which has been used to educate others on culture, national identity, and community as a whole. This art form is an example of a commentary set forth by Filipino Americans and embodies many important issues, such as nationalism, orientalism, as well as the historical and modern origins of both Filipinos and Filipino Americans. From this commentary emerged the Pilipino Cultural Night or PCN as it it is commonly abbreviated, in which the focus was placed on Filipino Students and their communities.

Pilipino Cultural Nights
PCNs began as a method for students that wished to accurately express their cultural backgrounds. Classic folktales originating from the Philippines were adapted to not only display historical culture, but also as a way to spotlight particular current events. The PCN was a way to bring to light Filipino American history, which had typically been overlooked by many.

Features of Pilipino Cultural Nights
A main focus of PCNs was the valuing of presentation over participation. Within the performances contained distinct costumes worn by performers, adequate lighting, sometimes live instruments being played by musicians and more. The program was often dicatated in both English and Tagalog to appease to the bilingual crowd the event drew in. Often folkloric dances were featured where students explored fashion and transnationalism within the context of Filipino American identity. Skits presented within the program had a tendency to draw comparisons to the experiences of Filipino Americans, such as traditional views of parents, homophobia, domestic violence, and more important representations of Fil-Am experiences.

Modern Filipino Dancing
One such example of modern dance making its way into Philippine culture is the viral video of the 1,500+ inmates from Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) reenacting the infamous Thriller dance by the late Michael Jackson. Popular modern dances such as the Thriller choreography are taught as an effort to encourage partisanship amongst inmates, as well as to potentially reduce the likelihood to engage in criminal activity.