Grand slam win for Carcar

CARCAR City bested eight contingents to take the top spot in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan secondary level.

The Talisay City Central School beat six contingents to win the elementary level.

The event was held inside the Cebu City Sports Center.

The theme of the Carcar City Division was education.

Several three-level divided bookshelves served as the dancers’ backdrop, with the back of the stage looking like a library.

Larry Gabao, former president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and chairman of the board of judges in yesterday’s competition, said the Carcar contingent delivered “a fresh new concept.” “And it was very good,” he said.

‘Library concept’

Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) executive director Ricky Ballesteros said Carcar’s performance “was almost perfect.”

Its dancers were clad in white Filipiniana and white and gray barong.

Katherine Estenzo, Carcar’s choreographer since 2008, said she came up with the “library concept” while attending a seminar in Iloilo City last April.

“I was staying in a library that time and I thought it would be a good idea for the Sinulog. Besides, I am teacher. Lainlain na akong concept sa among sayaw sa una unya wa pa gyud ko kahimo (We’ve had several concepts but not) about education,” she said.

Estenzo said her team, which was composed of 96 dancers and 150 props men, started practicing last month.

This is the third straight year that Carcar won the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan.

The contingent from Talisay, whose concept centered on the coronation of the Sto. Niño, stood out because of its dancers’ movements.

Gabao described these as “very defined.” “They really had a very good movement vocabulary,” he said.
Consultation

The dancers, who wore silver and gold gowns and the barong, emerged from a backdrop of clouds. Two angels hanging from two poles later placed a crown on the huge image of the Sto. Niño.

Marvey Caño, choreographer of Talisay since 2010, said their concept this year was based on the consultation he made with the teachers of the school

Caño said his delegation, which was composed of 100 dancers, started practicing last November.

He said it was the first time Talisay joined the elementary level.

He said they’ve participated in the secondary level for years, and only got to third place.

The two contingents also bagged the best in costume and musicality awards.

For the Sinulog grand parade on Jan. 20, Gabao advised the two winning contingents to include more highlights of their dance routines.

Other winners

The other winners in the secondary level were the Tuburan National High School (second), Tribu ni Beatriz of Beatriz D. Durano Memorial National High School of Danao City (third), Toledo National Vocational School (fourth) and Uling National High School of Naga City (fifth).

The other winners in the elementary level were the Pajo Elementary School of Lapu Lapu City (second), Pundok sa Nagkahiusang Danawanon of Danao City (third), Gregoria Milan Memorial Elementary School of Balamban (fourth) and the Naga Central Elementary School (fifth).

First-place winners received P300,000; second place, P150,000; third place, P100,000; fourth place, P75,000; and fifth place, P50,000.

Carcar and Talisay received an additional P50,000 each for bagging the best in costume and musicality awards.

Photos by Sunnex

The awarding was presided over by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Department of Education 7 Director Carmelita Dulangon.

Although Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia could not attend the event because of the ongoing crisis at the Provincial Government, she waved to the contingents from her office at the Capitol during yesterday’s parade, which started at the Capitol grounds before proceeding to the Cebu City Sports Center.