MANILA, Philippines ? President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself has handpicked the 40 men and women who will dance the Independence Day Rigodon de Honor on June 12 at Malacañang Palace.

It?s an interesting mix of people who cut across ages, from the industrialist?s wife Lizzie Zobel, the outspoken Nikki Teodoro, retail clan scion Dina Arroyo Tantoco, actress Sunshine Cruz, beauty queen Miriam Quiambao to socialite-entrepreneur Frannie Jacinto.

This is the 111th anniversary celebration of Philippine independence.

It was last year, on June 12, that the President revived this elegant ceremonial dance that dates back to the Spanish era.

Its performance on Philippine Independence Day is a Malacañang tradition started by American Governor Gen. William H. Taft. It was discontinued in the era of President Corazon Aquino when the tradition may have been considered frivolous and extravagant.

The Rigodon traces its history to France. According to the Cultural Center of the Philippines Encyclopedia of Art, the dance was introduced to the court of King Louis XIII by a dancing master named Rigaud and became known as Rigaudon. In Britain, it was called Rigadoon.

The dance came to Manila in the 19th century, where it was called Rigodon. Danced to lively orchestra music, it is usually performed at state functions, with government officials and members of civil society garbed in native formal attire.

The publication of the Third National Folk Dance Workshop in 1981 described the rigodon as ?an intricate dance wherein partners stand side by side with ladies usually and almost always on the right side. The dancers are arranged in a square formation, and pairs, from four to any number of even pairs may take part. The head pairs are called cabeceras while the side pairs are referred to as costados.?

In Nick Joaquin?s book, ?Palacio de Malacañang: 200 Years of a Ruling House,? published by the Society for the Preservation of Philippine Culture (2002), the author recounts the ball Governor General and Mrs. Teddy Roosevelt gave in honor of the House and the Senate. ?The feature of the function,? writes Joaquin, ?was the classical rigodon de honor, danced by 32 pairs, with Governor and Mrs. Roosevelt leading the head and the rear end, respectively, of the dance formation. The Governor General had Mrs. Quezon as partner, while Major General Ewing E. Booth paired off with Mrs. Antonio de las Alas. The head of the dance formation was completed by Acting Speaker Antonio de las Alas and Mrs. Ewing E. Booth. Although dancing the rigodon for the first time, the Roosevelts seemed entirely at home in its complexities. The First Lady had Senator Benigno Aquino Sr. for partner.?

In Joaquin?s book on the history of the Palace, First Daughter Ruby Roxas remembers her parents President Manuel A. Roxas and First Lady Trining de Leon leading the Rigodon de Honor at the Grand Ball on Independence Day of 1946 at the Palace. ?There was a state dinner and General MacArthur was among those present. And they danced the traditional rigodon: my father and mother, and US Ambassador and Mrs. McNutt, and Vice President Quirino ? but not, I think, Vicky Quirino: she and I were too young then.? (Joaquin, 2002)

For this year?s Philippine Independence Day reception at the Palace, dancing the rigodon are Vivian Tan, Lizzie Zobel, Joanne Andrada, Becky Garcia, Belinda Adora, Nikki Teodoro, Julie Defensor, Dina Arroyo Tantoco, Kakai Arroyo, Mimi Aquino, Annette G. Abrogar, Liana Romulo, Carol Quimson, Chiqui Roa Puno, Sunshine Cruz, Precious Lara Quigaman, Miriam Quiambao, Frannie Jacinto, Trisha Bonoan-David, Sorsogon Governor Jade Ecleo, Senator Bong Revilla, Secretary Ralph Recto, Ambassador Luis Arias, Ambassador Rod Smith, Representative Roman Romulo, Rep. Trisha Bonoan, Rep. Dong Gonzales, Quezon Gov. Dax Cua, Leyte Gov. Jerome Petilla, Gov. Michael Keon, Kenneth Yang, Babes Romualdez, Atom Henares, Anton Lagdameo, Generals A. Yano and N. Abaya, Gabby Claudio, Ali Atienza, Buddy Cunanan, and Raul Manzano.

The Rigodon de Honor, CCP president Nestor O. Jardin said, was a beautiful tradition. Jardin, who joined the Independence Day Rigodon de Honor last year, said: ?Its revival was successful and truly meaningful. As a former dance artist, I am happy that President Arroyo has taken it upon herself to revive this dance tradition.? Michele T. Logarta, Contributor