Immerse in Filipino culture at Maraya Winter Arts Festival in San Diego
A Filipino feast where arts and compassion collide in entertainment — that’s Maraya Winter Arts Festival in San Diego.
As Maraya Performing Arts geared up to paint San Diego with Filipino flair, they’ve also prepared for a day of cultural celebration at the Wilson Middle School Performing Arts Center in City Heights this December 17.
A new beacon of social communication nestled in Chula Vista, Maraya Performing Arts is more than just an arts center, it’s a nonprofit with a mission to create a platform for creative expression.
Anjanette Maraya-Ramey, the powerhouse behind it isn’t just all about dance and music but she’s also leading a social movement. Maraya Performing Arts is weaving a tapestry of social engagement through music, dance and theater. In 2024, they will be open for adult lessons too.
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Anjanette is a South Bay native and a leukemia survivor and her organization has set up not just a day filled with games and sumptuous Filipino foods, but also a dance theater production called “Bayanihan.”
Showcasing an ensemble of performers aged 3 to 78, also including the Filipino American Women’s Club members, Filipino folk dances are presented at their finest.
“I am proud that I am a Filipino and I can show our culture through dances. Filipinos are resilient, and we want the world to know we exist.” Regina Garma, Filipino American Women’s Club president shared in an interview with KBPS.
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Harmony, arts and blood drive
While Maraya Winter Arts Festival had the attendees grooving to music and dance performances, there’s also a blood drive with the goal to acknowledge health inequities in San Diego’s blood supply.
“We want to use the arts to bring people together and then educate them and give them the opportunity to save lives,” noted Anjanette.
As you enjoy the feast, you can also become a hero by donating blood. In addition, the Maraya Winter Arts Festival will feature the talents of children with special needs from Maraya Arts Academy.
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