T-MATES Dance Company, a dance crew from Bohol, finished among the top six teams in the Team Division at the World of Dance Summit 2026 in Los Angeles, California, USA, advancing to the World Finals as one of only 12 finalist crews selected from 40 competing teams worldwide, the group announced on social media.
The Los Angeles finish capped a run that began in March 2026, when T-MATES was crowned World of Dance Philippines 2026 champion.
Dressed in costumes inspired by the Bohol tarsier, the group bested 48 other crews at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay City on March 29, 2026, winning P100,000 pesos in prize money along with the right to represent the Philippines at the Los Angeles summit.
That win earned the Tagbilaran City-based team direct entry into the Championship Round of the Team Division at the Summit.
T-MATES said the road to Los Angeles was marked by setbacks.
The group competed in the Philippine finals with 21 dancers, but financial limitations cut the delegation to 15.
The team said it was later forced to reduce its roster further, to just 10 dancers, because of unforeseen circumstances shortly before the competition.
Despite the reduced lineup, the group said it performed a routine built around the story of the Bohol tarsier to represent both the province and the country.
Fundraising drives in Bohol and Manila
To help cover travel costs, T-MATES held a send-off concert called “Panukad” at the Bohol Cultural Center in Tagbilaran City, featuring five hip-hop groups, performer Joseph Gara and the Loboc Children’s Choir.
The group said the event drew support across the province, including from the Provincial Government of Bohol, the City Government of Tagbilaran, and the municipal governments of Alburquerque, Baclayon, Balilihan, Tubigon and Carmen, along with the Bohol Geopark Office and the Provincial Youth Development Office.
Local businesses, schools and cultural organizations — among them First Consolidated Bank, PMI Colleges Bohol, South Palms Resort, the Bohol Arts and Cultural Heritage Council and the Center for Culture and Arts Development — also contributed.
In Manila, the team held a fundraising dance showcase and art auction on July 3 at the Halili-Cruz School of Dance in Quezon City, organized with three days’ notice with the help of tour consultant Lutgardo “Gardy” Labad.
The event was hosted by dance educator Shirley Halili-Cruz and drew Filipino arts and cultural figures, including choreographer Alice Reyes, actor Audie Gemora and singer Celeste Legaspi.
Proceeds from an accompanying art auction, featuring works donated by Boholano visual artists Sam Penaso, JumJum Ouano, Lloyd Uscita and Jeffrey Sisican, along with heritage restoration artist Guy Custodio, went toward the team’s travel fund.
The showcase also featured an impromptu 30-minute dance performance organized by Anna Cruz-Bueno, dean of the Halili-Cruz School of Ballet.
Team leadership
T-MATES is led by April Jay Banquil as artistic director, Earl Bryan Orig as head choreographer and Angelo Inguito as production manager, with Labad serving as tour consultant and advising manager.
Annamee Orion serves as team manager, secretary and social media specialist.
The delegation’s stay in Los Angeles was hosted by the Tagbilaranon Association of Southern California.
The group said its Los Angeles run was funded and supported by a wide network of local government units, businesses, cultural organizations and individual donors across Bohol and the overseas Filipino community, whom it credited for making the trip possible.