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Monday, January 14, 2008
New names dominate contests
By Rene H. Martel
CEBU CITY -- A celebration of union and family tradition, with the Sto. Niño as guide, and worship because of better yield earned the panel of judges’ nod in yesterday’s Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan.
Including those in last Saturday’s Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan, the winners are seen to give other contingents in the Sinulog grand parade this Sunday a “tough fight.”
Sun.Star Network Online's coverage of the Sinulog 2008 Festival
Dr. Josefina Guillen, Philippine Folk Dance Society president, said she was “looking forward to a very exciting Sinulog.”
“Yung mga kasali ay maga-galing. Ang aabangan na lang ay ang from outside Cebu City. Cebu contingents are getting better and better each year. And it is a pride of Cebu,” she said (The contestants are really good. We only have to see the performances of out-of-town contingents).
“We were happy to observe that we have very good groups in the elementary category… But in the high school division, we found out that there were more very good and outstanding groups during the (Sinulog sa) lalawigan,” she added.
Yesterday, Barangay Laba-ngon bested nine others in the high school category with an “excellent performance, choreography, and costuming.”
Winning concept
Wearing light colored Fili-piniana costumes, with the women alternately bearing flower-adorned hoops and bunches of flowers, Labangon’s dancers did the traditional Sinulog steps. Choreographer Angelo Manapsal attributed the win to their concept.
It was a rare feat for him after Carmen town, which he also choreographed, topped the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan high school division last Saturday.
With the Basilica del Sto Niño as backdrop, Labangon’s presentation started with the marriage of a couple, who released doves as they jovially got out of the church, followed by relatives, including a crying “lola” (grandmother).
Well-wishers then approached, including one who gave a gift box that contained an image of the Sto. Niño, whom the couple venerated from then on by holding it aloft starting when they did the usual celebratory dance. The Sto. Niño then blessed the husband and wife.
The couple continued paying tribute to the Infant Jesus, including when they had their first child baptized in the same church shortly before the contingent exited amid the crowd’s applause.
Showcasing values
“I think they were able to showcase not just the theme, being the Sto. Niño, but the Filipino values of family, cultural tradition, like preparing a gift, which was the Sto. Niño. Binigyang importansya ang family…. Yong lola, it gives us the significance of a real family, which we did not see in the other groups,” Guillen said (They gave importance to the family).
The judges also credited Labangon for making the Sto. Niño central to their routine, unlike others that “just make use of the Sto. Niño just so they can have it (image) in the production, which is useless.”
Labangon edged last year’s champion Barangay Apas SK (represented by Camp Lapulapu National High School), which was relegated to fourth place.
Abellana National School took the second spot, which it also won last year; followed by T. Padilla, third; and Ba-rangay Basak Pardo, fifth.
In the elementary category, Guillen said Mabolo Elementary School’s (ES) children showcased a skill “as if they were already adults” performing.
“The first time we saw it, we asked: Are these the children of Basak (San Nicolas’ Lumad Basakanon)? Their skill showed like they were adults. They were very skillful,” Guillen said.
Mabolo also borrowed heavi-ly from 2007 Sinulog grand parade free interpretation champion Lumad Basakanon, particularly its movements, including the swaying of dancers with interlocked arms, and painted body stockings.
Choreographer Maximar Custodio said theirs was a story of Mabolo farmers who were not satisfied with the yields of their various crops that they prayed to the Sto. Niño for aid.
Hearing the prayers, the Sto. Niño sent a “beautiful woman” who introduced to the farmers the pineapple, which Custodio said was once abundant in the barangay.
Intensity
“There was the intensity, the high level of performance right away in the opening; and they sustained it until the end, until the last dancer, the final tableau, was out of the stage,” Guillen said of Mabolo, which rebounded from a fourth place finish last year.
Sambag I took second honors; Lahug ES maintained its third place finish; Zapatera dropped from a 2007 first place finish to fourth; and Pasil ES, which neighboring Barangay Suba supported, fifth.
Sambag I and Labangon took the best in costume special award in their respective categories.
Guillen said that while the props help, it only accounts for 10 percent while performance and choreography account for a total of 50 percent.
A Sinulog judge through the years, Guillen praised the choreographers for helping it develop from its simple beginnings.
“The choreographers, I salute them. Dahil kahit hindi sila nananalo, sumasali pa rin. At yong Sinulog group workshops, it added knowledge and skills; there is a sharing of ideas,” she said (Even if they haven’t won, they still join the yearly contest). (Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga. (January 14, 2008 issue)
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