• e-Newsletter Sign-up
• Print This Page
• Contact Us

Panaga Dance Centre History

2009 marks the 16th anniversary of the Panaga Dance Centre. In 1991 two Panaga Club members, Linda Hill and Ann Freeman, identified the need for a professional dance teacher to be employed by the club. They were the founders of what is now the Panaga Dance Centre. There are currently over 340 registered pupils and the Centre provides training in classical ballet and hip hop for boys, girls & adults. Robert Policarpio, a professional dancer and teacher, began lessons on 1 September 1993. In his 16 years at the Panaga Club, Robert has become a well-known face and is greatly respected for his commitment and the high standards he sets for both himself and his pupils.

In September 1994, Robert introduced the new Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Children‘s Syllabus to the Panaga Dance Centre students. In May of the following year, the first set of students took their RAD Children‘s Examination under Ms Priscilla Teoh, a visiting examiner from London. The Panaga Dance Centre has the distinction of pioneering the RAD in Brunei Darussalam. Panaga Dance Centre is now reaping the fruit of establishing a place of excellence, discipline and love for dancing. In 2002 Adrienne Kong and Edna Luah Xiao Hui successfully passed the RAD Vocational Graded Examination in Dance, Intermediate Level, becoming the first home-grown dance students to pass the RAD Major Exams. In the same year, James Doherty, the first ever boy candidate in Brunei entered and passed the RAD Grade Examination Syllabus. Exams are now held annually at the Dance Centre.

The Panaga Dance Centre had the opportunity to perform for the APEC Head of States Summit 2000, which was hosted by His Majesty, the Sultan of Brunei in November 2000. This was followed by successful performances in the Visit Brunei 2001 and GASEX 2002 conventions. In 2000, Panaga Dance Centre participated in the VIII International Youth Dance Festival in Macau, China, becoming the first dance representative of Brunei to the festival.

In 1998, due to the haze and a subsequent lack of people to help run the Centre it merged with the theatre section and became Theatre and Dance Section (TADS). In 2003 it was decided that the dance section was large enough to stand on its own once again and in May 2003 it proudly reverted to its original title, Panaga Dance Centre.

Annually since 2004, the Panaga Dance Centre performs at Panaga Beach on a stage erected on the sand a production called “Sunset Silhouette”. This has been a great success with an audience of over 500 in March 2008. Also, during the month of June or July, Panaga Dance Centre hosts its major dance Production involving all the ballet students. This production includes a Classical Ballet usually with visiting Guest Dancers from the Philippines.

April 2005 Panaga Dance Centre held its first ever “Weekend Workshop” at Panaga. Classes were taken by Ms Shayne White, a visiting Australian RAD examiner.

Panaga Dance Centre is situated in the Multi Purpose Hall in a large Air Conditioned studio. In the area two of the walls have fixed ballet barres and one wall has full length mirrors. There are windows upstairs in the Multi Purpose Hall, which allow parents viewing. Music is provided by either a large stereo system or live music on the piano.

During 2004-2005, Panaga Dance Centre designed, built, stocked and opened the Dancewear shop upstairs in the Multi Purpose Hall. This caters for all our Classical and Jazz students uniform requirements.

To join Panaga Dance Centre please complete a registration form and, bearing in mind the waiting list, you will be advised when space is available.