On and off stage, Bayanihan members exude an aura of grace and professionalism. In their local and overseas trips, they wear uniforms, all made up, refreshed and prepped up for the event no matter how late they may have gone home the night before. For those who haven’t met them, they can be mistaken for a group of Filipino flight attendants getting ready for their flight at the airport. One giveaway, though, of their identity as musicians and artists is their bulky and heavy musical equipment that include the conspicuous kawayan (bamboo) poles used for the world-famous tinikling dance, large guitars, and other native instruments that they bring in every performance. Still, they manage to look like friendly executives with ready smiles.

"We’d like to think that we are emissaries of peace and love. As for our uniform, this is standard operating procedure. We carry the name of the Bayanihan and represent the Philippines wherever we go so it is important to always be at our best and bubbly selves," said Melito S. Vale Cruz, Bayanihan’s Deputy Music Director.

Apart from their splendid performances, the perky, genuinely warm and accommodating character of the troupe off stage, are assets that have endeared them to their audiences. Cruz recalls one instance when they were mobbed by the crowd during a US tour in 2000. "We felt like rockstars during a roadtrip where we traveled aboard a 10-wheeler Greyhound bus. The reception was so overwhelming as the crowd mobbed us," Cruz reminisced.

He also recalled a difficult challenge that the troupe faced during a US show in 2001. The Bayanihan was supposed to have a show in the States immediately after the 9/11 World Trade Center bombing that consisted of a repertoire of Muslim cultural dances. But since the New York tragedy was caused by Muslims, they thought that their presentation would be offending to the US citizens.

"After careful evaluation and study by an artistic panel, we decided to prepare two different repertoires for the show. For the Muslim repertoire, we changed the usually serious tone of the dance to a cordial atmosphere, depicting the Muslims in more joyous, friendly manner," Cruz explained. True enough, it was the Muslim presentation that was chosen for the show and it elicited a favorable reaction from the audience.

During our trip in Shanghai, the dance troupe teamed up for the first time with fashion models of Bench in a unique show which was a fusion of Philippine dances and fashion. An unfortunate event, however, was when the troupe was forced to cut their now famous bamboo pole in half, just to comply with a rule of the Chinese airport authorities, on our way to Kunming, China for another show. Nevertheless, the incident did not dampen their spirits at the Kunming show but instead served as a challenge for them to give their best performance to date, with the aid of tightly-tied kawayan poles.

The country’s oldest national dance company has also been the most award-winning Philippine troupe both locally and internationally. The Bayanihan has reaped over 80 awards and distinctions for their brightly costumed and energetic performances inspired by the Philippine’s diverse culture consisting of Chinese, Spanish, Islamic, Polynesian and indigenous influences. Foreign critics and enthusiasts also hailed the company as one of the world’s best ethnic ensembles.

When the company debuted internationally at the Brussels World Fair in 1958, it instantly won recognition, having been adjudged best out of the 13 national dance groups that participated.

Also included in its roster of prestigious awards were the 1968 Ramon Magsaysay Award for International Understanding; the Gold Temple Award during the 2001 International Folklore Festival in Sicily, Italy; and the ultimate winner among Gold Temple Awardees in 2005 where the Bayanihan did not even know that they were participating in a contest.

Behind every good performance are the dancers who bring to life the treasured age-old traditions of their ancestors. Former members who have helped achieve for the Bayanihan its world-renowned success are led by its founding chairman Dr. Helena Benitez, the late National Artist for Dance Lucresia Reyes-Urtula, namesake Lucresia Kasilag, the National Artist for Music and former president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila Mayor Lito Atienza and his wife, award-winning broadcast journalist Che Che Lazaro, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and his wife, Tommy Fabella, and Mel Alonzo, among others.

At present, the company has 55 active members composed of dancers, musicians and staff. This new generation of members comes from diverse backgrounds: Students, college graduates who made Bayanihan their profession, athletes, and self-employed individuals who are parttime dancers in the company. Noel Muyot started out as a messenger in the company but his love for music and determination to learn instruments enabled him to rise from the ranks from messenger to props man and eventually to one of Bayanihan’s leading musicians. Fellow musician Dominic Cruz, on the other hand, was able to put up a beauty salon manned by his family through his earnings in the company.

Vale Cruz said that Bayanihan continuously accepts new members but they have to undergo a tedious screening process that involves a series of auditions, psychological exams to test their ability to withstand pressure, seminars on Philippine history and culture, sessions on learning social graces, table manners and etiquette as well as personality development.

Although it came out with its first performance in Manila in 1956, the company was formally founded in 1957 by former senator Dr. Helena Z. Benitez, also the former chairperson of the Philippine Women’s University. The word "Bayanihan" was derived from the Tagalog word which means to collaborate or work for the common good. It is an ancient Filipino trait where neighbors willingly extend their help for each other without expecting anything in return.

Cruz said the company was established in answer to the clamor for a Philippine presentation in the world fair in Brussels, Belgium. Since then, the Bayanihan has mounted over 14 world tours, and more than a 100 short tours. It also appeared in international events and festivals in 55 countries. Its milestones included being the first non-American dance company to take centerstage at the New York Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and as the first Philippine group to perform in Russia.

This 2006, the company marks its golden anniversary with a grand, year-long celebration. A highlight of the anniversary event is the troupe’s major tour of the United States from the East Coast to West Coast. At the homefront, there will be concerts, special performances as well as free dance workshops.