I’m so grateful you’re here.

I created BABAElan as a contemporary choreographic work rooted in an Indigenous-informed Filipino process shaped by the philosophy of Kapwa — the understanding that we exist in relationship with land, ancestors, and one another.

Babae means woman.

The Babaylan are Indigenous spiritual leaders in the Philippines — historically and still present today — who mediate between humans, nature, and the cosmos to maintain balance within their communities. During Spanish colonization, Babaylan were persecuted and executed in attempts to dismantle Indigenous spiritual leadership. Yet their lineage and knowledge systems persist.

BABAElan draws from this living lineage of feminine spiritual leadership.

Through the materiality of palm and clay pots, I explore the story of women being initiated — remembering their lineages, moving through ritual, and growing into their identity as embodied leaders of feminine power and continuity. I am not reconstructing a traditional dance form. Instead, I move through lineage as process, translating ancestral resonance through contemporary bodies.

The first iteration of BABAElan was commissioned by the Art Gallery of Ontario in January 2025 for the Pacita Abad exhibition. In the gallery, the work unfolded in dialogue with painting, colour, and diasporic memory.

Later that year, the work evolved through Dusk Dances 2025, where it met open sky, grass, and public park audiences. Raffia moved with the wind. Clay pots grounded the dancers in soil. The piece expanded outward, shaped by land and community.

Within one year, BABAElan enters its third iteration.

For the first time, I am bringing it onto a formal stage through Citadel Dance Exchange, an annual curated dance series presented by Citadel + Compagnie in partnership with The National Ballet of Canada’s Creative Action Programme.

This transition is an evolution. Moving from gallery and outdoor environments into a theatre setting requires new spatial architecture, rehearsal refinement, costume development, and technical integration. The elemental materials — palm, clay, breath, grounded gesture — must translate with clarity under theatrical light.

The artists shaping this stage adaptation with me are Candace Kumar and Christina de la Cruz.

The work features original music including Ancient by Kimmortal grounding the choreography in contemporary diasporic sound.

Over the six weeks leading up to performances on April 8, 9, and 11, we will be in rehearsal shaping this stage premiere.

This season, the project was not awarded production funding through public arts grants. I remain committed to compensating the artists with integrity.

Bringing this work to the stage requires resources.

I am seeking to raise $15,000 to cover:

Your contribution directly supports the artists behind this work and allows BABAElan to continue growing without relying on unpaid creative labour.

If this work resonates with you — in its lineage, its materiality, or its evolution — I invite you to contribute, share, and help carry it forward.

With gratitude,

Maraming salamat,

Blessyl Buan

Choreographer