UT Dallas Group Dances Its Way to a Win

Filipino Student Association savors 1st Place honor at Statewide Conference

With one intricately choreographed, toe-tapping performance, the UT Dallas Filipino Student Association (FSA) danced its way into the hearts of hundreds of friends and fans – and on to a first-place victory in modern dance – at the 2011 GoodPhil Games. 

The group, which includes about 85 members, traveled to Austin to participate in GoodPhil, where collegiate Filipino Student Associations from across Texas compete in dance, a sports tournament, and celebrate Filipino heritage and camaraderie.

The dance competition showcased three different styles:  modern dance, spirit and traditional. A video of UT Dallas’ winning modern dance performance has attracted hundreds of views on YouTube.  

“The level of dedication and commitment they showed in preparation for the event was truly inspiring,” said Danny Cordova, assistant director of the University’s Multicultural Center and mentor to the group.. “I’m honored and proud to be their advisor.”

Henry Thai, UT Dallas’ GoodPhil coordinator for 2011, said participating in the event meant more than hard work.

“On a deeper level, doing GoodPhil meant creating bonds with everyone over the course of three months, losing sleep to fit in a few extra hours of dance practice and having the opportunity to be a part of something amazing.”

Aside from the victory in modern dance, the UT Dallas FSA placed second in co-ed volleyball and took home the Barkada Award, given to the school that best exemplifies the spirit of GoodPhil and of the Filipino people. In Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines, barkada roughly translates as “friendship.” 

GoodPhil 2011 involved eight schools: Baylor University, Houston Baptist University, Texas A&M, the University of Houston, the UT Arlington, UT Austin, UT Dallas and UT San Antonio.

The location for the competition changes each year and was last hosted at UT Dallas in 2004.

The UT Dallas Filipino Student Association also placed second in co-ed volleyball at the conference.