Eleven years on, with over 2600 students and more than 1600 members, the Filipino Dance Club – Dubai (FDC-D), one of the oldest and most popular Filipino organizations in the UAE, still keeps on dancing.

From its humble beginnings of having only 11 students in February 1996, the highly successful ten-week course of the Dance Clinic, which teaches basic boogie, tango, cha-cha-cha and swing is growing stronger than ever with an average of 100 students each batch.

Founded in 1996 by a small group led by Dick Orense, FDC-D is a non-profit organization, whose objective is "to promote the social and physical wellbeing of the Filipino expatriates in Dubai through the medium of dance."

From that time on, Friday afternoons have given new meanings to the lives of many Filipino expatriates residing in Dubai and Northern Emirates. The growing membership of the Club can perhaps be attributed to the fact that ballroom dancing is not simply dancing.

It is a also a very good form of exercise that enhances the physical, mental and social wellbeing of its members, thus making them healthy and happy in their outlook which results in their being effective and productive Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

Over the years, the FDCD has endeavoured to uphold its objectives and fulfill its missions beyond the norm of its dance sessions through various outreach, charitable, and social activities.

On its 10th anniversary, the Club has donated an amount of PHP 50,000/ (approx Dh 5,000/) to Gawad Kalinga (means “to give care”), an organization in the Philippines that aims to provide an alternative solution to the related problems of poverty.

For as long as there are those who will give their time and effort to share with others, then ballroom dancing will continue to grow. And this is given credence by the steady growth of its members: from the original 24 to the current number of over 1600 members, which is considered to be one of the largest amongst the Filipino organizations in the UAE.

The strength of the Filipino Dance Club-Dubai is based on a solid foundation made up of the dedicated dance Instructors and Instructresses who have taken it upon themselves to share with others their time and the skills that they had previously or have acquired though the Club, without any remuneration.

Their greatest satisfaction is manifested on graduation day when they see the transformation of their once shy students to the most confident and energetic ballroom dancers as they perform intricate dance steps - considering that most of them literally didn't know their left foot from their right. It is then the goals and missions of each and every officer, dance instructors and members are fulfilled.

The newly inducted officers of FDC-D, with Connie Paguidupon as President, has many projects planned for the Club. Members will be regularly updated through the FDC-D website. A regular Newsletter, that chronicles the weekly sessions of the Dance Clinic, plus other activities will also be initiated and disseminated to its members.