History
PASACAT is a Philippine folk dance, but in San Diego, it began as the acronym for the Philippine-American Society and Cultural Arts Troupe. Today, PASACAT’s mission is to preserve and promote the Asian Pacific culture through the arts, thereby, extending goodwill and enhancing cultural understanding.
The Beginning
On September 7, 1969, during a salute to San Diego’s 200th Anniversary by the Filipino-American Community Association of San Diego County, with Delfin Labao as president, San Diego witnessed the birth of this performing arts group in the first Philippine Cultural Extravaganza held at the Organ Pavilion, Balboa Park. Paz Marquez Uro and Dr. Bill Yumul choreographed and instructed fifty Filipino-American youths in Philippine dance for this three-hour tribute. The enthusiasm from this performance was tremendous, as was the response to continue Philippine folk dancing. In November, 1970, PASACAT became the first formally organized Philippine Dance Company in San Diego.
