Pinoy artist a finalist in USA Arts awards, gets JFK Award

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino artist Jason Ignacio, a member of the critically-acclaimed CityDance Ensemble, was named a finalist in the Outstanding Emerging Artist Category of the DC Mayor’s Arts Awards.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Ignacio also received the John F. Kennedy Center Millennium Stage Local Dance Commissioning Project for his work.

"The DC Mayor’s Arts Awards is considered the most prestigious honor given by the District of Columbia to individual artists, arts organizations and patrons of the arts. Award recipients will be selected among finalists and announced live on stage at the Mayor’s Arts Awards Ceremony on March 2009," the DFA said on its website (www.dfa.gov.ph).

Philippine Ambassador to Washington Willy Gaa lauded Ignacio’s achievements saying the recognition given to him "is a testament to his talent and to the artistry of our people."

“Born and raised in the Philippines, Jason is proving to be an innovative talent here in the United States. He is showing how his passion for dance and his advocacy for the environment can be expressed through the performing arts," added Gaa.

The DFA said the John F. Kennedy award was for his work entitled “Mountain," which centers on the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991.

The Millennium Stage Local Dance Commissioning Project is a program that supports the local dance community by nurturing the creation and presentation of new dance work to a wide audience.

It gives the Commission Award each year to two local choreographers or companies.

"Ignacio’s 'Mountain,' set to a musical score created by sound data of volcanic seismic readings interpolated into recognizable musical elements, will be presented on the Millennium Stage of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in September 2009," the DFA said.

Ignacio has been a CityDance company member since November 2007.

He began his dance training at age 12 and was trained by Ballet Philippines, Philippine Ballet Theater, Steps Dance Studio and was a member of the Earth Savers Dreams Ensemble for five years.

In 2001, he continued his dance training in New York City with a scholarship at Ballet Hispanico where he also served on the faculty as a teacher. - GMANews.TV

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