Sandiego Dance Company to still perform on Sinulog

CEBU, Philippines - While the Cebu-Sandiego Dance Company will be performing the traditional Sinulog dance at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila to welcome the visiting pope, the award-winning dance troupe will not skip on dancing during the Sinulog grand parade on Sunday.

Val Sandiego, choreographer and owner of the dance company, said they will make it a point that they can perform on the feast day, which has been a family tradition since its inception.

Sandiego said that when they were informed by the organizers, one of the problems that they have to come up was the number of dancers because the activity falls on the same date.

“Among gitunga ang among dancers. Ang mosayaw sa Manila kay ang mga pioneer samtang sa Sinulog, ang manayaw kay mga bag-ong dancers,” said Sandiego, who is not just a staunch devotee of the Sto. Niño but a popular figure in Cebu for his great skills as choreographer.

The 104 newcomers will be dancing the basic Sinulog dance steps.  Sandiego along with his wife Ofelia and their children will dance for the Pope. “Kay moadto man mi sa Manila, usa sa among gihuna-huna as to who will be the lead dancer for the Sinulog. Maayo na lang kay sa among paghangyo ni (former) governor (now congresswoman) Gwen Garcia, wala gyud nibalibad ug misanong gyud dayon,” Sandiego shared.

This year will be Garcia’s ninth time to dance in the Sinulog grand parade as a guest performer of the festival.  Garcia, who was governor of Cebu for nine years, said it has been her personal vow since 2005 to dance during the Sinulog as a thanksgiving for the blessings that Cebu has received from the Sto. Niño.

She danced as a Maranao princess in the Haladaya Festival of Daanbantayan town in 2006. The following year, the former governor danced during the opening and closing ceremony in the town’s festival as an Egyptian queen, and her favorite cha-racter, Aeda, queen of Nubia.

In 2008, Garcia danced in the Palawod Festival of Bantayan as the goddess of the sea, in the Tostado Festival of Santander in 2009, and in the Ani-anihan Festival of Tabuelan in 2010.

In 2011, the former governor performed in the Sinulog parade with the Bonga Festival contingent of Sibonga town and in 2012, she danced along with the La Torta contingent of Argao.

In 2013, the province did not field any contingent in the Sinulog grand parade, apparently an offshoot of Garcia’s suspension.

But despite her suspension, Garcia was able to make her last dance for the Sinulog along with the Rosquillos Festival contingent of Liloan town.

Last year, after winning the congressional seat, Garcia did not dance.

Since last week, the San Diego Dance Company has been rehearsing double time at the Tinago Sports Complex. More than 200 dancers, who will be dancing in Manila and Cebu, did shift-dance rehearsal.

The group will be dancing right after the opening dance of the Cebu City contingent. Most of their costumes were recycled.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, before flying to Manila yesterday, made a surprise visit to the performers.

Palma stayed for almost two hours and watched the dancers practice as well as the dance rehearsal of Garcia.

“My heartfelt thanks to all of you. I’m sure, it is a privilege of a lifetime, for giving yourself to the Lord. I know that performing will be a joy for you but it also entails some sacrifices,” Palma told the dancers. — (FREEMAN)