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Monday, January 16, 2006
Dance master quit call center job for Sinulog
For a contingent that never intended to join this year’s Sinulog grand parade and just had one week to practice its movements and steps, Compostela National High School (NHS) achieved a minor miracle.
It still showed grace and poise reminiscent of last year’s performance that earned it a similar second-place finish.
“We conceptualized and practiced our final formation last week only.
Compostela had no intention to join this year,” said choreographer Dax Barlaan, who steered the group to a first-place finish two years ago.
Barlaan said Compostela school officials called him just last week to assemble and come up with a competitive contingent.
He did not hesitate, knowing all hopes rested on him. He quit his call center job to give his full attention to the group.
“I had to do it so we will not be embarrassed,” he said.
Financial difficulty made Compostela NHS decide to skip this year’s festivity so that Barlaan was tapped instead by Camotes Island, Cebu to choreograph its contingent.
But just three days into the task, he was back in Compostela to do perhaps what few people hoped to accomplish, and with aplomb at that.
Although Compostela won second place in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan high school category last Jan. 7, what it showed yesterday was the same choreography Barlaan did for its presentation for the opening of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games last Nov. 25.
And it performed only because Department of Education (DepEd) officials told the school all those who participated during the Wow Philippines nationwide festival winners competition in Intramuros, Manila should be prepared to take part in the grand parade.
Compostela recycled its off-white costumes from last year, depicting turn-of-the-century fashion for men, with the women’s dresses accentuated by a splash of maroon.
Barlaan admitted they had to use the same costume yesterday, but modified this by outfitting the men with red tuxedos and adding a bit of plaid in front of their barongs.
The women also wore masks since his theme was the love story in the “Phantom of the Opera”, where, through the Sto. Niño’s intercession, the lovers were reunited.
“We wore T-shirts when we started near Fuente because the tuxedos and barong we had ordered did not arrive yet,” Barlaan said.
Although he did not topple rival Tangub City, which again bagged first place, Barlaan had more than enough reason to thank the heavens. (RHM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (January 16, 2006 issue)
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