Cordillera Gong Festival USA

Experience the vibrant energy of the Cordillera Gong Festival, a dynamic celebration of Indigenous music, dance, and living tradition. This immersive event unites Cordilleran, Igorot, and other Indigenous and ethnic minority communities in a powerful showcase of cultural pride and artistic excellence. Featuring captivating performances, a youth presentation competition, and opportunities for cultural exchange, the festival fosters intergenerational learning and community connection. As a leading U.S. gathering, it honors ancestral heritage while inviting diverse audiences to engage with the richness of Cordilleran culture, strengthening unity across the diaspora, alongside other ethnic minorities, and celebrating the enduring spirit of Indigenous artistry. The festival coincides with the National Indigenous Peoples Month celebration in the Philippines, Filipino-American History Month and Indigenous People’s Day on the Second week of October in the United States.

About the Artists

Gerry Dupingay
(Co-founder/Lead)
Gerry, is an FBI (Full-Blooded Ifugao) agent for peace and unity. Growing up in the rice paddies of Banaue, Ifugao he started dancing the Ifugao dance as early as 8 years old. Since then, he has participated in traditional dance campus competitions, from Elementary to College, and at festivals. He played the gongs and master the art of dancing the famous “dinuyya” and “Pagaddut” Ifugao native dances. Co-founding the CCE, USA in 2023 opened new doors for him to learn other Cordillera dances such as the “Tayaw”, “Torayan”, Takik, Bendian, and many more. His passion is to promote the Cordillera cultural heritage. He believes that the Cordillera dances also foster social connections, increase self-esteem and confidence, and instill a deep connection to the traditions.

MJ Milo-Payos
(Co-founder/Lead Choreographer)
MJ hails from the Cordillera province of Benguet, Philippines. She, and her family currently live in Jersey City, NJ, but works in New York City. She is a nurse practitioner by profession, specializing in cardiothoracic surgery. Nursing has always been her passion, but apart from being a nurse, she has a passion for dancing & music. She started being involved in dance performances in elementary school, initially with folk dances, then Cordillera cultural dances in high school and college. In college, She was made to choose between dance/musical performances to help pay her tuition in nursing. She chose to focus on nursing full-time & musical performances part-time because she was granted a full nursing scholarship at Saint Louis University, Philippines.
While being here in the US, she met people from the Cordillera region, Philippines, with common interests in performing Cordillera dances. The group started a cultural dance group, MJ suggested the name, "Cordillera Cultural Ensemble" or CCE.
She is also a proud mother of two beautiful girls, one currently serving in the Navy & and Jasmine, who is also part of the CCE.

Edward Frenzel Yapyapan
Frenz is proudly representing the Mountain Province heritage of the Philippines. A passionate cultural performer, he delights in the deep, resonant beat of the gangsa (gong) and moves with the natural rhythm that echoes his ancestral roots. Among his favorite dances are the spirited takik, the graceful tappaya, and even a playful boogie when the occasion calls for a fusion of tradition and fun.
His dedication to preserving and sharing these dances highlights the Cordilleran commitment to keeping indigenous music and movement alive. Whether performing at community events like Fiesta in America or teaching the next generation, Frenz embodies the joy and pride of the highland culture—celebrating identity through every beat and step.



Rex Payos
Rex is a proud Ibaloi from the province of Benguet, Philippines. He was a former police officer in the Philippines of the Police Security & Protection Group. He is an athlete specializing in Judo and competing in the World Police & Fire Games. He also works as a full-time material handler admin. His hobbies include working out in the gym on weekdays, hiking, biking, and performing Cordillera Cultural dances and playing the traditional igorot musical instruments such as gongs, solibao (drums) with family and friends on the weekends. He is a dependable family man, married to MJ, who is also part of the CCE.


Gertrude "Jane" albin
As an Ibaloi from Benguet province, Jane finds that traditional dance is a powerful means of preserving and sharing her cultural heritage. Since joining the Cordillera Cultural Ensemble (CCE) in September 2023, She has discovered a meaningful way to share this tradition with a wider audience. Her dual roles as a registered nurse and a performer in the CCE represent a modern expression of her Ibaloi and Igorot identity. Not only does she serve the New York community through her profession, but she also ensures the continuation of her vibrant ancestral culture far from home. This dedication keeps her Ibaloi and Igorot heritage alive for the next generation. Through the Cordillera Cultural Ensemble, she maintains a vital link to her roots while living far from the Philippines.


Janet Yapyapan
Janet is a U.S. registered nurse and a proud blend of Mountain Province and Benguet Igorot heritage, carrying the traditions of both regions.
Raised among the Benguet people, she was introduced early to the rich rhythms and graceful movements of their cultural dances.
For many years, ancient customs limited these dances to sacred occasions such as weddings, feasts, and other tribal celebrations, which narrowed her chance to fully immerse in the art.
As these traditions opened to public sharing, Janet embraced the opportunity to learn and perform, honoring both her Benguet and Mountain Province ancestry.
Through active participation with the Cordillera Cultural Ensemble, she now showcases the vibrant Cordillera culture across the United States, celebrating her dual Igorot lineage with pride.

Joyce Lao
Joyce Laoagan (Legal name) is a New York-based performer, producer, choreographer, arts educator, and creator. A full-blooded Igorot (3/4 Ibaloi and 1/4 Mountain Province), she is dedicated to exploring and researching the Igorot identity, drawing from a lifelong fascination with her ancestry—a subject not taught in schools and institutions.
Her educational background includes Psychology (pre-med), an MA in Music, and an MA in Arts Administration from Baruch College. Her training includes studies at the Stella Adler School of Acting, The Juilliard School (Vocal Performance), and HB Studios (acting). Currently, she is pursuing an MA in Dance Education at New York University, where she is the program's first student to focus on Indigenous and aboriginal dances.
Although she started competing in contemporary, Latin, street, modern dances and singing as a child, she didn't explore her indigenous dances and music until adulthood due to cultural restrictions in her community. Her passion for supporting fellow artists inspired her to establish The Ally Artists Group.
Joyce is committed to social justice, arts education, and healing, with a particular interest in the social-emotional aspects of the human psyche, connecting it to the performing arts. She serves as the Program Manager of the Dance Education and Family Programs at The Joyce Theater in New York City.

Will Simbol
Will Simbol is super stoked to learn with the Cordillera Cultural Ensemble and is immensely thankful for their graciousness and generosity.  A “stateside” born Kapampangan, he’s been a lifelong explorer of rondalla music of Luzon, Cebu, and Visayas, as well as Maguindanao and Maranao kulintang traditions of Mindanao.  

As a western woodwind, keys, and string player, Will has served as a studio session musician, Composer for the film We Are They, musician with the Rondalla Club of Los Angeles, Music and Education assistant with Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project, Faculty for the Harvard Arts and Passion Driven Learning Institute, Director for the Himig Kawayan Bamboo Orchestra, and Director of Education for the Brooklyn Philharmonic. 

Will’s favorite adventures have allowed him to connect with others through music, and foreals, he'd love to play with you, too.  

Lourdes Cosmika

Lourdes is a “mestiza Apayao” immersing herself deeply in her Cordilleran roots and cultural heritage. With a passion for the beauty industry and having the life experience of spending just under two decades in Singapore, she brings a uniquely cosmopolitan perspective to everything she does. A big fan of electronic dance music like techno and trance, she is captivated by the way hypnotic rhythms, soaring emotions, and collective movement can create a shared sense of connection and transcendence.

Inspired by memories of a magical childhood in the mountains- playing in the waters of the Apayao River, where stories of mermaids and various other mystical beings once enchanted her, she felt called to become a keeper of the flame through celebrating, preserving, and honoring the vibrant spirit of Cordilleran dance and music.