With 39 contingents participating in the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo ’09, I was really wondering if the festival I was working with stood a chance at winning.
Our group, the Soli-Soli Festival, was waiting for our turn to perform and we were already mesmerized by the kaleidoscope spectacle of the ongoing performance and the others who, like us, are waiting for their turn to dance.
Then, after seeing the large props, visuals and jazzy combination of steps of the other performances, I realized that Soli-Soli was nowhere near the bandwagon. It was a combination of folk and emphasized arm movements. The demonstration was dramatic rather than kaleidoscopic. The color theme was subdued in green and matte gold accentuating the browns - colors which represented the grass that grow wild along the famous Lake Danao (San Francisco, Camotes) and the light brown hue of the finished products. This is what the Soli-Soli Festival is all about and the dancers were telling the story through dance.
The Palawod was among the very strong contingents for its visuals. Well, what can you expect from the lush scenery of the deep? What was quite astonishing with this stiff competition was that competing groups were kind to each other before and after the show and, as observed, there was “really no competition” at all. This made a very great deal considering that the theme speaks of One Cebu and everyone involved manifested it.
The only drawback maybe was skipping the formal awarding of winners during the awards night. But organizers have their reasons.
In conclusion, Soli-Soli landed in the top five spot and won second in the costume category. The top four were Palawod (Bantayan), Ani-anihan (Tabuelan), Haladaya (Daanbantayan) and Hinulawan (Toledo). The other winners were Bonga (Sibonga) in sixth place, followed by Pamungahan (Pinamungahan), Kinhason (Santa Fe), Cabcaban (Carcar) and Siloy (Alcoy).
***
Metro Mandaue’s Dance Craze Finals
Set at the entertainment hall of the Metro Mandaue Food Square last August 23, the Dance Craze Finals was held after a month-long series of eliminations. Dancing to the original radio version of the Wonder Girls’ hot track, the Mix Dudes, Funky Jammin’ Girls, Type One, Boys on Act and X-groovers took center stage. The X-groovers bagged the top prize. They were judged according to choreography, mastery/coordination, originality and costume.