Dance is integrated into Philippine culture. Folk dances not only convey the artistry of movement but are often associated with life-functions such as harvest time, mimicry of birds, and certain rituals like the warding off of evil spirits. However, these dances – though culturally-rich and historically important – do not truly reflect the modern Pinoy lifestyle. 

If you walk down Chater Road in Central on a Sunday, you will see different groups performing a wide variety of dances for various different reasons: practising for a show, learning the moves to a new song, or for the pure joy of moving one’s body to music.

As one of the more established dance groups, Star Pinoy HK dancers have performed in hundreds of shows. Good friends and avid dancers Luna Sayon and Richelle Araquil founded the group in 2008 with just a few members, dancing for fun and for their own entertainment. It quickly became both an outlet for their creativity, and a safe space for building friendships. “Star Pinoy is like our home away from home,” says Elysse, the group’s current leader. 

“Isa sa mga paborito naming performances ay yung ‘Pintados De Passi’, isang cultural/historic festive dance na sinayaw namin nitong ginanap na 125th Philippine Independence Day 2023,” [One of my favourite performances was the ‘Pintados De Passi’, a cultural/historic festive dance that we performed during the 125th Philippine Independence Day 2023] shares Elysse. Their performances run the gamut from eye-catching folk to energetic and fast-paced modern dances.

The group have performed at government functions, private shows, beauty pageants, competitions, community events, and many more. They also appear in the award-winning film, We Don’t Dance for Nothing (2022, also featured in Issue #2 of Pangyao magazine!), and they are officially recognised by and have received Certificates of Appreciation from the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong. 

The members of Star Pinoy HK also do their bit to help those in need in the community. In mid-January this year, they organised a fundraising drive called TikTok Dance for a Cause for Jane Rose, an MDW who lost her tongue to cancer while she was working here in Hong Kong. The group were able to raise more than PHP 48,000.00 (HKD 6,900) for Jane Rose, who is now back in the Philippines, and Star Pinoy founder Luna was able to hand it over to her brother during a trip back home. 

At its core, Star Pinoy HK is a group for MDWs with a shared love of dancing and performing. But those who have joined the group have also gained so much more besides; a family, a support system, an oasis of sorts, to help them de-stress and find happiness, despite the challenges of homesickness, loneliness, and often gruelling work.

This community spirit is summed up perfectly in a quote on their Facebook page (which boasts 59,000 followers) from their recent fundraising drive: “In the end, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It is about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It is about what you’ve given back.”