Wednesday, January 09, 2008 Sinanduloy Cultural Troupe turns crystal
FIFTEEN years since its founding, the Sinanduloy Cultural Troupe continues to bring pride and honor to Tangub City. Inspired by then First Lady now City Mayor Jennifer Wee-Tan, the troupe was founded in 1992 primarily to provide venue to train young Tangubanons in the field of performance so drugs and other vices won't lure them.
Sinanduloy comes from the word "sanduloy," a Visayan term for mixture of rice and camote boiled together. Essentially, Sinanduloy is a potpourri of sounds and dances.
Trainers of Sinanduloy were teachers of Physical Education (PE) from different schools in Tangub City. They were trained in ballet, jazz, modern, folk and street dancing in Manila and Cebu. They also attended workshops conducted by the Cultural Center of the Philippines and other national folkloric groups. They mounted production as product of their researches.
Sinanduloy first joined Sinulog Festival of Cebu in 1994 in the Free Interpretation Category, and landed in the Fourth Place. In 1998, the troupe was invited to perform before President Fidel V. Ramos during the opening of Malasag Ecovillage at Cagayan de Oro City. One of the streets at the village was named Sinanduloy Street.
The following are the awards garnered by the troupe in Sinulog Festival in Cebu: 2000 Millennium Winner (Free Interpretation Category), 2001 Grand Champion (Free Interpretation Category) 2002 Grand Champion (Free Interpretation Category), Best in Street Dancing and Best in Costume, 2003 Grand Champion (Sinulog Based Category), Best in Costume, Best in Street Dancing, Second Runner-Up (Festival of Festivals in Aliwan, Manila); 2004 Second Place (Sinulog Based Category) 2005 Grand Champion and Best in Musicality, 2006 Grand Champion (Sinulog Based Category), and 2007 Grand Champion (Sinulog Based Category).
This year, the troupe was also invited by the Department of Tourism (DOT) to perform at the Quirino Grandstand, Luneta Park, Manila during the 107th National Independence Day Celebration.
The troupe's spell-binding performance is a reflection of a well-coordinated and organized workforce behind every production that includes the trainers, costume designer, props men, choreographer, dancers themselves and other support services like the medical team and the kitchen crew. This is a secret long revealed, that each one who takes part in the production does his role, and each one dedicates his service to his patron saint, the reason why he does it with fervor and devotion. Many of the Sinanduloy dancers and instrumentalists were able to graduate from college and pursuing their chosen field. This more than makes up for the Mayor's desire to keep them away from drugs and vices. It is heartwarming to know that they became productive and responsible individuals.
On its fifteenth year anniversary, the troupe mounted a major production, shown free to the public, last November 30 at the Sinanduloy Cultural Center. It enabled the troupe alumni from within and outside country to reminisce and revisit the past, and renew old ties through the alumni homecoming in the same month.
With its fire to develop the youth continually burning, the Sinanduloy Cultural Troupe will be here to celebrate more anniversaries to come. (Trends)
