ABOUT US

Since 1992, Maharlika Cultural Troupe, Inc. has been a cultural institution where youth can interact, learn, and create meaningful memories in a safe, productive, nurturing environment. We help develop youths’ personalities, social skills, and talents in performing arts while preserving our Filipino heritage. Maharlika families build enduring relationships by caring for one another, showing proper respect and integrity, and valuing individual differences. We uniquely foster leadership which is exemplified in our 6 youth board members. Maharlika provides mentors and role models of maturity, responsibility, respect, and appropriate conduct by practicing communication, team spirit, and honesty. These are our profound cultural ethics and morals which are passed on to Maharlika families and shared with the community.

Weekly workshops are offered every Sunday at 3PM at the First Christian Church of Pleasant Hill, 2115 Pleasant Hill Rd. Hill, CA 94523. Activities at a typical Maharlika workshop include learning folk dancing, hip hop dancing, Filipino cuisine, music, Tagalog and other Filipino languages, and the many old customs and traditions of the Philippines to share with mainstream America.  Maharlika aims to promote cultural awareness, racial harmony, and family values in the community. Maharlika is an outlet and arena for creative expression, communication, sharing, and appreciation of youth talents. A place of fun, camaraderie, and learning, Maharlika provides a safe environment for personal, social, artistic, and cultural development of youth and families in our community.

Our current teachers, Alverna Bautista and Cassie Dizon, are highly qualified to teach our youth.  Alverna Bautista is a graduate of California State University, Hayward in Liberal Studies, Life Science Option teachers credential track and dance minor track and also graduate of Southern College of Seventh-day Adventist in Nursing and a current lincensed Registered Nurse and a Certified Occupational Health Nurse-Specialist. Alverna has extensive background in dance, stage performance, and teaching Philippine dances and culture to all ages. Experiences include 30+ years of Philippine dance and stage performances, 20 years of teaching Philippine Folk dances to all ages and backgrounds--Instructors comprised of prominent and well respected leaders of the Filipino community: former Philippine Normal College Folk Dance Group dancer and Kapit Bahay Dance Group Director Gloria Arellano, former Bayanihan Philippine Folk Dance Troupe dancer, Filipinana Dance Group dancer, Perlas Ng Silangan Dance Group director, and currently Director of a Washington state Philippine Folk Dance Group Menchi Cayetano, former dancer of Barangay Dance Group and current Filipinana Dance Group member, Helen Cuya, former Silayan Dance Group Instructor and director Carol Alconcher, and Kulintang Master "Danny" Kalanduyan. Cassie Dizon is a graduate of the University of California Davis with a B.S. in Human Development and currently works for the Department of Public Health.  Cassie has a varied and extensive training in teaching community members of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Her experience includes 18 years with Maharlika families, ABA therapy and education with autistic children in the Bay Area, 2 years of service as a mentor and site coordinator for the Acorn Mentoring Project in South Sacramento serving underprivileged youth ages 4-16, and 2 years tutoring and teaching for UC Davis’ Neurology, Physiology, & Biology, Physics & Astronomy, and Molecular & Cellular Biology Departments to disadvantaged students.  Cassie has also earned awards in community service and leadership from UC Davis.

Alverna and Cassie design age, gender, and culturally appropriate activities each week. They constantly evaluate, interpret, and find solutions to problems youth face. Our teachers are also sensitive to topics about peer pressure, self esteem issues, mood swings, attitudes, social dynamics, grades, and other issues affecting our youth. They are trusted, valued, and irreplaceable pillars of the community. They share mutually beneficial relationships with Maharlika families and incorporate an assortment of resources into their lesson plans. The work Alverna and Cassie put together is a refreshing example of cooperation, collaboration, and teamwork. With their help, Maharlika is able to provide a holistic and comprehensive organization for teaching our youth every Sunday at the First Christian Church of Pleasant Hill.

Equipped with the research and dedication of our teachers youth will inherit and preserve their culture while simultaneously learning a unique art form.  Our community will then learn to value and explore important cultural and social traditions.  We help provide an invaluable means of connecting youth to the Filipino culture and make it accessible to the community.
Maharlika exists to serve the community. We repeatedly perform for local community festivals and fundraisers, contribute to special community service projects, and offer free weekly workshops designed for youth ages 4 and older in the Pleasant Hill community. In 2005, 2006, and 2007 we organized a benefit for medical and dental clinics in Pangasisnan, Philippines. Currently, we are partnering with the First Christian Church of Pleasant Hill in their Samaritan’s Purse Project to send personal hygiene care packages to children in third world countries. In December, we will be visiting Pleasant Hill care homes to donate parols, traditional Filipino Christmas decorations made by our youth, perform a few colorful dances, and sing carols with the residents.  Our youth and families have volunteered money, time, and talents for numerous projects for the past 18 years. The benefits your generous contribution will be shared with the whole community echoing through time and across the world. Salamat and thank you for your continued support.