Monday, January 07, 2008 Show us new moves, plots, Sinulog contingents urged
TO IMPRESS the judges and treat the audience to something out of the usual, Sinulog 2008 organizers challenged dancing contingents to come up with new concepts and movements for the Jan. 20 parade.
Choreographers should research, innovate and be creative, Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) Executive Director Ricky Ballesteros said.
As in the previous year, judges who are dance experts themselves will look for contingents that will use new concepts in the storyline and interpret them appropriately, organizers said.
Costumes should be colorful and relevant to the concept and musical instruments should be as unique as possible.
“Our judges have been watching and judging the Sinulog for many years and they would like to see new concepts, something novel. That is what would attract them. Dancers should focus on the concept and how they will interpret it,” said Dolores Suzara, Sinulog 2008 project director.
The Sinulog Foundation Inc. is expecting some 50 contingents to compete in the Sinulog street dancing, with an overall theme of “prayer in dance.”
“The theme and concepts are all the same, thanksgiving to the Sto. Niño for miracles and healing but it’s the storyline and how it’s interpreted that varies. The movements and costumes have to be appropriate and relevant to the storyline,” Suzara added.
Contingents can compete in the free interpretation category, where modern or tribal dance movements and costumes are incorporated in the dance, or the Sinulog-based category, which involves traditional Filipiniana movements and costumes.
Every year, thousands of revelers come to Cebu City on the third Sunday of January to watch the Sinulog grand parade, which features dances offered in thanksgiving to the Holy Child.
A grand finale will have Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Cebu City First Lady Margot Osmeña, the Cebu City Dancesport Team and dance troupes of various colleges performing together. A fireworks display will follow the performance.
New sounds
Ballesteros also urged the contingents to create new sounds using unique musical instruments and not limit themselves to the trumpets and drums, which are trademark instruments used to tap the Sinulog beat.
Proper execution of dance movements will also help a contingent win, he said.
“Do a lot of research and create new movements. Even the craziest dance steps, say animal movements, if dancers execute them properly and they do it at the same time, they will really impress the judges and the audience. And it has to be new,” Ballesteros added.
As of yesterday, 14 out-of-town contingents have signed up to join the grand parade street dancing competition, including seven from Mindanao, six from the Visayas and one from Luzon.
Among those that have registered are the contingents from North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Tangub City, Iligan, Agusan del Norte and Camarines Sur.
Surigao del Sur and a contingent from Las Vegas in Nevada, United States have signed up as guest performers.
There will be three out-of-town participants who will arrive at least three days before the parade and will not have a public school to sleep in but Ballesteros said this has been addressed.
The Cebu City Sports Center gymnasium will be vacated so the contingents can occupy them, he said. (LCR)
