COUNCILOR Sonya Verdeflor said Wednesday that the delegation of the Philippines representing the Asean Culture and Tourism Fair in Korea was the group choreographed by Segundo Jesus “Panoy” Cabalcar, Jr.
Cabalcar was the best awarded MassKara Festival choreographer for 20 times. He is also the choreographer of Barangay 16 that won as champion in the recently concluded MassKara Streetdance competition in Bacolod City, she said.
Verdeflor said 10 members of the group of Cabalcar went to Andong City and Jeonju, South Korea for the Mask Dance festival, as the Sori International Fair at Jeonju per invitation of the Asean Korean Center.
“Of all the performers at the Asean Culture and Tourism Fair, the delegation from the Philippines was the most applauded because its performers were in high energy, and the audience were so fascinated with our masks, the costumes and choreography of our dancers, that they were always placed in the finale during the performances participated by 10 member nations of the Asean,” she said.
Verdeflor said their one week stay in Andong City, the sister-city of Bacolod, as well as, in Jeonju in South Korea, had given them very inspiring experiences like the disciple of the South Koreans in handling festivals, who are very time conscious, they have complete crew assigned to every nation who participated and interpreters, as well.
The interpreter assigned to the Philippine delegation was Hee Won Hwang also known as “Harriet,” who is a Korean. She was also trained in the Philippines and learned English for six years in De La Salle University-Taft, she said.
Verdeflor together with Councilor Ana Marie Palermo and Cabalcar were among the 13-man delegation of the Philippines to South Korea.*