Labayen Dance/SF's repertory is inspired by Asian matriarchal rituals, indigenous tribes' burial practices and also the theosophical and movement ideas of mystic George Gurdjieff through works inspired by Nordic poetry, Celtic dances and music, to contemporary, classical and obscure indigenous music. With foundation in classical ballet, Enrico Labayen merges Southeast Asian movement and gestures with martial arts, American modern dance, European contemporary Tanz-theater approaches resulting in works that re-defines and challenges traditional dance ideas and conventional musical values.

As one of America's most renown Asian American choreographers, Enrico Labayen, founder of Labayen Dance/SF has made a name for himself not only here in San Francisco, where he bases his company, but across the continent and around the globe. He's also won a slew of awards for his work. Soon Enrico Labayen will be making his mark on the Middle East as he and his dancers perform their prize winning dances in Jordan at the Amman International Theater Festival, and also in concert at the Miller Theater at Columbia University in New York City and now in 2003, represents the US in the International Dance Day in Manila, Philippines.

Labayen's work integrates ballet technique, American modern dance and Asian rituals and gestures, creating a potent, strangely beautiful hybrid language of image, experience and passion. From the ballet These Women, inspired by an Asian matriarchal ritual which explores women's strength and power, to the minimalism of Unearthing, which depicts the solemnity of burial rituals and practices of Southeast Asian Island tribe, to A Ritual for Separation and Cloth, where Labayen explores the human condition from the perspective of an artist of color straddling his own duality of culture.

PAST WORKS BY LABAYEN/SF

ENRICO LABAYEN - Founder & Artistic Director of LABAYEN DANCE/SF

The choreography of ENRICO LABAYEN is a distillation of a broad range of theatrical dance forms. Creatively integrating classical ballet with American modern dance, jazz, contact improvisation, multi-gravitational techniques and Asian ritual gestures and movements which results into a synthesize movement language and voice. Labayen's works are rooted in classical ballet which is its' mainstay, and he believes that it is the medium through which the multitude of ethnic and modem dance influences are blended.

Labayen trained on full scholarship at American Ballet Theatre School, Harkness Ballet, American Dance Center, American Ballet Center and the School of American Ballet. He has performed a wide range of choreography and companies including Lucas Hoving, American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Alley, Joanna Haigood, Edward Villela, Melissa Hayden, Alonzo King, Andre Eglcvsky and George Balanchine.

In 1990, Labayen premiered his first choreographic journey in " Hommage" and "Mindstorm" for the 21st Gala of Ballet Philippines, Leonor Goquingco, National Artist for Dance Philippine Star dance critic hailed his work as "exquisite and evocative... complete and in a class by itself "; Anna Kisselgorf of the New York Times called him "a top-flight professional artist." He had his works presented at Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival. The Delacorte Dance Festival both in New York, Local 7, a Footwork production, Centerspace in San Francisco, Ncw-Filipino II in collaboration with painter Ben-Cab and his solo works with the Baguio Arts Festival with visual artist Santiago Bose. Labayen's successful choreographic journey lead him to represent the Philippines in the International Arts Festival-Singapore and his work was described as " a landscape of impression, imagery and beauty... expressing ancient but still relevant experience through dance".- Straits Times

After living and working in New York City for 12 years, Enrico Labayen moved to San Francisco as a Principal Dancer with LINES Contemporary Ballet where choreographer Alonzo King created major roles specifically for him. Labayen toured and performed with LINES Contemporary Ballet in Eastern Europe and the US.

Enrico Labayen's exceptional ability to guide the growth of dance artist has earned him a great following both here and abroad. His training emphasizes the development and enhancement of movement quality, musicality and personal artistry, not just the development of technical proficiency. Highly sought after as ballet master and choreographer, Labayen has been ballet master for Sacramento Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet, New York Dancers, Sacramento Ballet, New York Dancers, Eglevsky Ballet, Singapore Dance Theatre, Steps 74 NYC, Manila Matropolis Ballet, Philippine Ballet Theater, Marais Dans Studio in Paris, Bern Ballet in Switzerland, Frankfurt, Berlin, Potsdam.

Joining the faculty of San Francisco Institute of Choreography, SF Unified School Districts' High School of Performing Arts and SF Dance Center. Labayen founded and formed his San Francisco based dance company, Labayen Dance/SF which continues to receive critical acclaim worldwide since its' founding in 1991.

Labayen's choreographic repertory of over 40 works since its inception in 1990 has been performed at international and national dance festivals such as: The Singapore International Arts Festival, Manila Contemporary Dance Festival, Int', Dance Day Festival, Internationales Tanztheater-Bonn, Dance For Tolerance - Bielefeld, Dance with Objects Festival -Potsdam, Stuttgart Tanz Festival, Amman Int'l. Theater Festival, Music and Arts Festival @ Columbia University's Miller Theater, Lesbian and Gay Dance Festival. Queer Arts Festival and was the highlight of the Human Rights International Arts Festival in San Francisco in 1997 and Filipino American Arts Exposition 1998 and 1999.

Mr. Labayen has received choreographic grants and commissions from California Arts Council, San Francisco Arts Commission, California Artists Series, SF Grants for the Arts, The Hotel Tax Fund, The Zellerbach Family Fund, United Nations-CED, International Theater Institute (Asia), National Commission on Arts and Culture, University of the Philippines' Film Department, Arts International, The Rockefeller Foundation, The Carnegie- Mellon Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts and the United States Information Service, Asian and Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Grant for United States of Asian Americans.

Enrico Labayen choreographic gifts and artistic vision has won him The Isadora Duncan Award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography (1997); The Dutch Ministry of Culture Award (1992); Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music Fellowship (1993); Choreographer of the Year by Manila Chronicle (1994); and Dancer of the Year Award by Beaux Arts Society of New York 1981.

In January 2000, Enrico Labayen was named "Filipino American Faces of the Century" for being " one of the Filipino Americans whose lives celebrate all that the Filipino American is capable of and have truly shaped our history in the United States and given the Filipino Americans and its community the inspiration to realize their dreams". - Filipinas Magazine

In April 2000, Enrico Labayen was honored by the Filipino American community with the Filipinas Achievement Award 2000 acknowledging "his achievement in creating an extensive body of work that has enriched the lives of those who witnessed it, gathering critical and popular acclaim for artistic and cultural endeavours and symbolizing both the accomplishments of Filipino individuals and arts organizations and the challenge of increasing opportunities for minorities in the future."

" Rarely does a choreographer of contemporary dance manage gracefully to combine the technical precision and elegance of classical ballet with the freedom and innovation of modern art. But Enrico Labayen, artistic director/choreographer of Labayen Dance/SF succeeds at this task. His collage of dance pieces presented captivating original works and revived classical stories with an inspired beauty...enraptured the audience with a sea of visual imagery with unconventional pairings intimating a range of sexual expression...the overall impression delighted the audience with a refreshing vision of contemporary dance. " - Dance Magazine