Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Top contenders plan ‘surprise’ presentations
TANGUB City, Misamis Occidental and Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City promised to surprise the crowd, as they defend their respective crowns in this year’s Sinulog on Jan. 20.
Mayor Jennifer Wee Tan said they will present “something big,” adding that they have kept the core of last year’s dancers who took the highest honors in the 2007 Sinulog-based category.
“Let’s not go into the details of our presentation, but it is definitely very nice. It is going to be a very good surprise,” she said.
Lumad Basakanon choreographer Norman Navarro, in a separate interview, also made the same remark, saying their group is going to present something different, even as they stick to their trademark fast-paced steps.
“It will be a surprise,” he said, as he canvassed for the contingent’s costumes yesterday afternoon.
Tangub is riding on three consecutive wins, while Basakanon last year recovered from a heart-breaking loss due to point deductions in 2006.
Basakanon was the 2007 runaway winner in the free interpretation category, and received the top purse of P500,000.
It also won an extra P150,000 for the best in costume prize in its category (P100,000) and the best in musicality (P50,000) award.
Dennis, Norman’s brother and fellow choreographer, said that while their costumes are still Yakan-inspired, practically the group’s brand, they introduced innovations and different colors.
“Our performance is 80 percent new, although we will incorporate some of our previous steps that worked,” Dennis said.
After back-to-back wins in 2004 and 2005, Basakanon tumbled in 2006 after the judges deducted 20 points from its score for a rule violation.
It had used wheels for its carabao props. But the prohibition has been lifted for this year’s competition.
Dennis said that as defending champion, they feel some pressure, especially that around 40 percent of their contingent are new members.
Their star attraction, 10-year-old Jercom Lemon Beck, who was just six when he first joined and helped Lumad Basakanon win in 2004, will still be with them.
On the other hand, Mayor Tan sent notice that they intend to take home the Sinulog-based category crown for the fourth straight time.
“This is very big for us. We are well-prepared, wala mi magkulang sa preparation. Our level of preparation is still topnotch,” she said.
But more than winning, she said, they see their joining the Sinulog as a way of thanking the Holy Child, not merely defending a crown.
5 straight
Sinulog Foundation executive director Ricky Ballesteros said the foundation has not formally acknowledged so-called “hall of famers,” adding that they discourage it so as not to alienate excellent contingents like Tangub.
He said the Sandiego Dance Troupe and even the Landonians are still welcome to join as contestants and not merely as guest contingents.
Ballesteros said the Southwestern University has the most number of wins, followed by Tangub, Basakanon, Camiguin and Sandiego.
But for him, if a Hall of Fame will be formally organized, the bar should be set high.
“For me, five consecutive wins in the same category could be considered a Hall of Fame achievement. But we do not really encourage the creation of such an award,” he said in Cebuano. (RHM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (January 9, 2008 issue)
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