Philippine Daily Inquirer
dated 17 April, Saturday, 2004.

                 UP HONORS NAT'L ARTIST FOR DANCE

    THE UNIVERSITY of the Philippines recently honored National Artist for Dance Leonor Orosa Goquinco in "The President's Hour." The program of Filipino video, music, poetry and dance was held at Quezon Hall in the Diliman Campus.

    Touted as the Agnes de Mille of the Philippines, Goquinco pioneered in fusing Filipino styles and themes with ballet and modern dance, interpreted by her Filipinescas Dance Company. From 1961 to 1974, the troupe went on tour to perform her landmark "Filipinescas: Philippine Life, Legend and Lore in Dance."

    Says Pedro Abraham, Filipinescas alumnus and head of the UP ensemble Kontra Gapi, "She reveals to us and to the world the soul of the Filipino - humanity, complexity, simplicity, beauty and, ultimately, truth."

    Goquinco's other works inclued "Vinta," "Trend: Return to Native," adn "Noli Dance Suite." Her citation says,"She confronted the endless challenge of elevating Philippine dance...lifting to its peak of national artistic development."

    Now in her 80's, she oversea the rebirth of Filipinescas at the College of St. Benilde.