Monday, January 21, 2008 After 20 years, maestro wins
ALCOY’S win in yesterday’s Sinulog grand parade couldn’t be sweeter for choreographer Victor Cuenco, who waited 20 years before bagging a first-place finish in the annual festivity.
And it was the fulfillment of a wish he made before the Simala, Sibonga shrine once, when he was on his way to Alcoy town to train the award-winning contingent.
“I petitioned that if it was all right, I would be enlightened to come up with a contingent with the right stuff to impress the judges. I have a lot to thank for because everything fell into place, and we had very credible judges,” he told Sun.Star in Cebuano last night.
Friends were congratulating him shortly after the judges in the Sinulog-based category came up with its decision, when Sun.Star chanced upon him at the Cebu City Sports Center.
The whole time the Alcoy contingent wowed the crowd with its performance, Cuenco was holding the rosary he bought during that Simala pilgrimage.
While the Cebu Central School won second place in the 2003 Sinulog grand parade and first place in street dancing in 2004, yesterday was the first time Cuenco tasted victory in his 20 years as a Sinulog choreographer.
Junjet Primor, who conceptualized the Siloy festival, was instrumental in Cuenco’s becoming its choreographer.
He approached him to take the place of his dance master Isagani Menchavez, who mentored Alcoy to a third-place finish in last year’s grand parade but later went to work in Dubai.
Cuenco’s advice to other choreographers: continue refining the craft and strive for art’s sake no matter how meager the funding would be.
“If it’s meant for you, God will grant it. Paghulat lang, maabot ra gyud na (Just wait and it will be yours),” he said. (RHM)
