BAGUIO CITY – Respected choreographer Douglas Nierras staged a dance concerto, “Panalangin,” inside the iconic Baguio Cathedral last week.

The parish described the dance concert as a thanksgiving prayer to honor the cathedral’s legacy.

At the end of World War II, Baguio Cathedral became a refuge for thousands of people, as it was the only sanctuary left standing when the Americans carpet-bombed the summer capital.

Nierras told his audience he was aware of the concert’s impact on the history of the cathedral that started as a pastoral mission in 1903.

“A prayer performed in dance astounds too many people,” he said. “Prayers are different fingerprints of an individual’s connection to his creator. In our case, we dance our prayer.”

“People have reduced the art of dance into mere spectacle... entertainment, fun. It’s simply yugyugan (shaking). We dance to find enlightenment, to find ourselves... We dance to enhance humanity, to touch the soul,” Nierras said.

This is the first time the Baguio Cathedral has lent its halls as a concert venue with “Panalangin” as the inaugural performance.

The cathedral will host its first international music festival in December.