SLEEPLESS nights and cramming paid off for the grand prize winners in the Sinulog 2009 grand parade last Sunday.

Buyogan choreographer Victor Cuenco said that when he was told the contingent will use bees as part of the concept, he got so excited with the possibilities he spent many nights without sleep just to come up with a production.

He said he had insomnia but he did not mind because he liked the idea of a contingent with bees.

Cuenco choreographed the Abuyog, Leyte contingent in the Aliwan Festival in Pasay City last year, but last Sunday was the first time in 12 years that Abuyog joined the Sinulog.

Buyogan’s presentation started with dancers as “bees” in a beehive that two boys hit with a slingshot.

The bees went after the boys, one of whom got stung several times and was lying unconscious and twitching on the ground before he was healed through the intercession of the Holy Child.

Sinanduloy choreographer Jojen Pascual, on the other hand, said they had to cram because Tangub City initially had no plan of joining the Sinulog this year.

He said they just had the right inspiration and advise, saying he thought of the Spanish era stone bridge and the fluvial parade because of the judge’s comments last year.

Tangub, he said, was told that it lacked the homage and veneration for the Sto. Niño that were seen in past performances prior to last year’s, so he came up with the fluvial procession.

Mayor Jennifer Wee Tan said they decided to join only last November, so they had to double the effort and felt “double the pressure.”

Double

“We were not supposed to join, so in everything we had to double our effort, and it was double the pressure. We had to prepare double time,” she said.

“The power of cramming,” Pascual joked, though he admitted that they were not sure if they could cope with the pressure because they were used to having months of preparation.

Cuenco said he was happy for Buyogan, whom the SFI said was a first-time participant.

Mayor Octavio Traya Jr., though, said Abuyog actually joined for the first time in 1996, during his last term as mayor.

Thanksgiving

When he got reelected last year, he thought of joining again to thank the Sto. Niño.

The victory would have also been doubly sweet and a rare feat for Cuenco had Alcoy, which he also choreographed, won the Sinulog-based crown.

Alcoy, which received a standing ovation from the crowd last Sunday, was relegated to fourth place after winning first place in 2008.

Cuenco, though, said he is still happy after winning the grand prize in the Sinulog-based category for the first time last year, because he won, also for the first time, the Free Interpretation category crown this year.

“I’m still happy because after 20 years of doing choreographies I finally got the grand prize in the free interpretation (category). The win is glorifying and exciting,” he said.

He said they are now setting their sights on the Aliwan Festival, where all festivals from all over the country converge to determine the most deserving of the P1 million prize.

Both Tan and Traya declined to divulge how much their respective local government unit spent for their contingent, saying it was all for the glory of the Holy Child.

Traya said it all depends on his fellow officials and donors from the private sector if Buyogan will return next year to defend its crown.

Tan said they do not mind spending more than whatever cash award they win in the grand parade because the dance they offer is their way of paying homage to the Sto. Niño.

She did not say that Sinanduloy will be back in 2010.

What was sure, though, is that Tangub and Abuyog’s contingents will be missed if they won’t return after wowing the Cebuanos and tourists last Sunday. (RHM)

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(January 20, 2009 issue)
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