Spring marks a plethora of milestones, like that of the flowers blooming. Though spring also marks the Kababayan at Rowan, a night of music, dance, singing, and storytelling.
On April 18, 2026, Rowan University Philippine American Coalition (RUPAC) held its annual Kababayan event in the Pfleeger Concert Hall. Kabayan: What Makes Us showcased both traditional Filipino dances and modern reimaginings to present the heritage of the organization.
With an overarching theme of love, Kababayan 2026 showcased the sentiments felt regarding one’s family, friends, and those who are no longer with us. Those involved wanted to elevate Kababayan from being just a cultural display into something that resonated with all audience members.
“I wouldn’t consider Kababayan just a cultural thing, but I feel that it’s a celebration of everyone, no matter who you are or where you come from. It’s really all about having a great time and making things fun for everyone,” said Isaac Averion, a performer at Kababayan.
“Kababayan is a melting pot of different cultures and different dances, both traditional and modern. A celebration is the right word to describe it. It’s not just ‘sit and watch’. It is ‘come join us in this journey,’ and it’s showing all our hard work. Come see the fruits of our labor, come eat our food, and see what we’re all about,” said Charlize Estalilla, the Performance Co-Chair for the event.
In doing so, RUPAC captivated their audience in traditional Filipino numbers, but also in performances that varied stylistically and culturally. Kababayan featured performances from Spice Isle Steppaz, as well as a Jumanji-themed number from Rangeela. These RUPAC partners brought their own culture’s style of performing to the stage, showcasing how the event serves as a celebration for all involved in it.
Kababayan also spotlighted organizations dedicated to serving Filipino communities, like New Pathways and the Purposeful Unconditional Service to Others (P.U.S.O.) Foundation. Act two of the event started with raising funds for the latter organization, allowing all audience members to be involved with their work.
Throughout both acts, the audience was left awestruck at each number. With support from other Filipino organizations within District 5 of the Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue in the audience, every number concluded with cheering echoing in Pfleeger Concert Hall.
“Seeing the audience’s hype for everything was my favorite part of Kababayan 2026. I really didn’t expect the crowd to be so hyped for it. I’ve heard about Kababayans in the past, but I didn’t know it’d be to that level,” said Averion.
Kababayan featured modern dances from RUPAC’s boy group, Boy Bawong, and its girl group, Bebots. With a medley whose performances alternated between the two groups, the audience erupted in applause and cheers, especially with Boy Bawong’s provocative rendition of “Toxic” by Britney Spears and Bebots’ tight choreography to Doja Cat’s “Jealous Type”.
“I enjoyed [performing for the Bebots] because I always loved dancing. It’s always been a passion for me since I was young. Since I had to drop out of it, Bebots really gave me a chance to revive that passion again,” said Gabriella Rivera, another performer at Kababayan.
“Performing with Boy Bawang was definitely my favorite part. Hearing the hype from the audience just made me so happy and, honestly, rejuvenated me,” said Rivera.
Kababayan was not designed only for Filipino students, but as something that everybody can enjoy. The annual show had another strong showing and audience turnout, fulfilling the purpose set out by RUPAC.
“Kababayan, the word, means countrymen or your townsfolk, so people who come from the same place as you. We call our show that because it’s a gathering of all of RUPAC. It’s people who come from a similar background, even if not ethnically,” said Rivera. “Our non-Filipino members got dragged in because they have so many Filipino friends and have already been a part of the culture and experienced it. It feels like something they can be a part of and something that’s inclusive.”
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