Pison 67 to do something for dance. If she had contributed to the growth of modern dance in the Philippines when she was based in CCP, she sees her efforts these days geared towards continuing the legacy of her mother, bringing to Davao, what the “center” enjoys—various choreographic techniques and discourses. Being the “mother” of numerous choreographers who have become professional contemporary dancers and choreographers, both here and abroad, has been a blessing to Locsin’s vision. When her “babies” rehearse with and create pieces for her in Davao, she lets them handle the classes in her studio, thus exposing her students to different techniques of dance. Her philosophy that has informed her modern and contemporary works – that belief in being open to all forms of techniques—remains the same. In Davao, she tells her own students to absorb everything that her guest choreographers/teachers share with them. This, she believes is crucial in developing the students into versatile dancers and sensitive choreographers (her studio offers ballet as this is more “sellable” to middleclass families; another studio is being built for jazz classes). Considering the realities of dance in the Philippines, in Davao in particular, Locsin’s advise to her students is a practical one. In order to survive in a nation whose institutions provide little support for the arts in the regions, dancers have to be flexible— both literal and figurative—for all sorts of productions, including “rackets” which are the major source of income of dancers in Davao. And to take choreography in Davao to another level, Locsin has organized workshops on modern and contemporary dance. Although the term “neo-ethnic dance” is loosely used in Mindanao—if one is not lumad and choreographs, his/her work is considered “neoethnic”—and hardly theorized, she recognizes the “gwapo” (i.e., “handsome”) creations of local choreographers. These creations, as Locsin demonstrates some of their movements, combine strong stomping on the ground, flexed feet and hands, and pelvic contractions. Indeed, they are handsome choreographies by dancers who are exposed to various ethnicities in Mindanao. Mario Lim, head of the KALUMON Dance Theater Ensemble and inspired by the desire to pass on the heritage of the ethnolinguistic groups of Davao, has researched their movements, facilitated discussions with people in ancestral domains, and transformed their narratives into dance. His group joined Locsin’s October 2010 workshop which had guest choreographer Myra Beltran sharing with them the principles of contemporary choreography—the use of time and space, the logic of partnering, the basic rules in all dances (even indigenous dances have their sets of rules), and the importance of concept and discourse—that could not only help