Goldie Garcia and the magic of Magdaragat Philippines

by Oscar Pantaleon Jr.

	Still performing after decades with the group, Goldie Garcia remains an active presence onstage as a proud Magdaragat dancer and mentor. (Photo by Chito Sta. Brigida)

Sharing the stage last year with Goldie Garcia brought back memories of my days with the Philippine Madrigal Singers when we would jointly present with the Bayanihan Dance Company and Ballet Philippines evenings of artistry rooted in culture and elevated by world-class production.

That same spirit of artistic discipline, storytelling, music, movement, and Filipino pride lives in Winnipeg through Magdaragat Philippines Inc. And few embody it more fully than Goldie, one of the organization’s core production leaders. Spend even a few minutes talking with her and one thing becomes clear: Magdaragat is not just something she does. It is part of who she is.

Rising from the ranks

Goldie joined Magdaragat at seven years old, the age when children traditionally entered the group. She came in as a young dancer, never imagining she would one day become one of its principal movers.

When founder Dante Buenaventura passed away, uncertainty followed. Goldie was only 18 then when she was asked to help lead. “I said yes, not knowing what that entailed,” she recalls. That yes became a lifetime commitment.

From those early years, she not only taught choreography but also learned the unseen mechanics of artistic operations: lighting, sound design, staging, administration, sales, marketing, and public relations.

Today, in addition to sharing core production leadership with Caroline Calitis and Nicole Tamayo, Goldie has become the face of Magdaragat who attends meetings, answers questions, and carries the responsibility when decisions become difficult.

Goldie also pushed the group forward in practical ways. She lowered the joining age to five, built a children’s curriculum, and blended dance with culture, food, language, and life skills. For her, dance is only the doorway. Confidence, character, teamwork, and identity are the real lessons.

Magdaragat’s golden anniversary

That philosophy will be on full display when Magdaragat Philippines Inc. celebrates its 50th anniversary on May 16 at Petrus Hall.

The evening will be part showcase, part reunion, part love letter to everyone who helped build Magdaragat. Alumni from across Canada are flying in because, as Goldie puts it, “Magdaragat meant something special to them.”

The program will unfold in two acts: the first honours the founding years and the creative storytelling style of their Tito Dante; the second celebrates how the group evolved through the years with a broader repertoire, live music, bigger productions, international tours, and new generations of performers.

The dinner and full show will be followed by Winnipeg-style fundraiser auctions and late-night snacks.

Dancing to the next 50 years

If the past is proof of resilience, the future looks bright. Magdaragat has returned from COVID with its largest membership ever. Younger generations, Goldie believes, are hungry to know who they are and where they come from.

She and her colleagues in core production now mentor emerging leaders, sharing creative responsibility while preserving the group’s foundations. There are plans to travel again soon, giving current members the life-changing experiences that shaped her own youth.

Goldie believes the next generation will carry Magdaragat forward. “Younger generations crave and yearn to learn about themselves,” she says. “We hope to impart to them as much as we have learned from those who came before us, and for them to make it their own in the next 50 years.”

And if anyone understands what that means, it is Goldie, the little girl who joined Magdaragat at seven, grew up within its traditions, and is now helping carry the group into its next era.

Limited tickets to Magdaragat Philippines: 50 Years of Magic are still available. To purchase tickets, contact Goldie Garcia at (204) 292-7921 or e-mail magdaragat@hotmail.com.