A decade of streetdance supremacy

MANILA, Philippines - Get ready for the biggest, toughest and hottest streetdance competition in the country — the Skechers Streetdance Battle 10.

Every year since 2005, the fiercest high school and college crews in the metro battle out to be crowned as the ultimate streetdance crew. The original and longest-running streetdance competition in the country carries a long history of the generation of accomplished dancers it has helped mold.

MJ Arda, a former member of the powerhouse group UP Streetdance Club (UPSDC) and who has been part of the annual battle since Year 2, is back as the technical judge in the Skechers Streetdance Battle 10 elimination legs. Arda says, “Skechers was able to set a standard already with the dance community and the competition scene in the Philippines. When you dance in Skechers, you know it’s something big.”

Vimi Rivera, founder and choreographer of Legit Status dance group, was also part of UPSDC that achieved a three-peat from 2005 to 2007. “When you compete, you’re inspired by the year before, so your aim is to be better than the year before,” says Rivera.

Because of the length of its run, the Skechers Streetdance Battle became a platform for emerging talents where they can launch their individual careers as professional dancers and coaches.

“It wasn’t hard,” admits Xernan Alfonso, now one of the top choreographers in the industry. “In college, everyone is already looking at you. After college, we started choreographing for other teams and became friends with people in the industry.  We got to work with the people we idolized. If it was not for the Streetdance Battle, we wouldn’t be in the league of these dancers and choreographers.”

“One of the many things we learned from our mentor, Jerome (Dimalanta), is to not do the same thing over and over,” Von Asilo, UPSDC’s current artistic director shares. “There should always be something interesting, something that is eye-catching. That’s what inspires us, even when we coach,” Asilo adds.

A-Team co-founder Angelica Arda says she and other members of the team have become especially close to the people in the competition, including the organizers. “Teams always come back because they know they’re being taken care of.” Fellow alumnus Shayna Young agrees with the sentiment. “I consider Skechers a tradition. There might be other competitions, but the Skechers’ tradition is different. It’s like family since it’s been with us for such a long time.”

If UPSDC was the powerhouse college crew in the early years of the competition, the Sayawatha Dance Troupe from Miriam College High School led the high school division by winning Year 1 of the competition. The girls from Katipunan set the stage for a decade of excellent streetdancing for high school students by showcasing precise execution and polished routines.

“It was the biggest stage where I have ever performed so far,” Roz Manlangit recalls her first exposure in the competition. “Word was also going around that we, Sayawatha girls, were definitely a team to beat.”

At present, Manlangit has her hands full as a full-time dancer of Tha Project as well as a coach, handling workshops and a group exercise instructor. Still, her years as a member of Sayawatha (and later, UPSDC) in the Skechers Streetdance Battle remain fresh in her mind.

“Year 1 (of streetdance battle) was a defining moment for me,” Manlangit shares. “I really started to take dancing seriously because of that. Young dancers get an opportunity to train and believe that they can be great at their craft. The competition gives them a window to the possibility of dancing even until after college since they get to meet dancers from all walks of life. It also nurtures their love for dance through a healthy competition.”

The love for dance is evident in Andrea Cajucom and her teammates in Terpsichore of St. Paul College-Pasig. The new team to beat after bagging first place in Skechers Streetdance Battle 9, Terpsichore keeps grounded by staying true to their vision: “Do what you love to people you love.”

Nowadays, the field offers a wider range of competition among high schools as more teams strengthen their core group to produce the highest level of streetdancing yet. Although the talent of the team is undeniable, the girls had no idea they had a shot at winning it all in Year 9.  “It was a humbling moment. (Last year), we weren’t expecting to win at all but people still believed in us even after we doubted ourselves,” Anna Isabela Isip admits.

Back to defend the title this year after making it to the Final Battle, the senior dancers of the crew remain optimistic with their chances, saying they are more bonded as a team now more than ever. Expect something new from Terpsichore, young competitors who are all eager to extend their winning streak and their experience on stage. “Skechers combines all different schools so it’s a wider range of competition,” Ysa Consolacion adds. “I like how the competition unites the dance community whose members all have the same passion.”

Don’t miss the outstanding performances at the Skechers Streetdance Final Battle 10 on Nov. 15, Saturday, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

(Other sponsors of the Skechers Streetdance Battle 10 include Greenwich Pizza, ETC, Sports Digest, Chalk, Clavel Sneaker Magazine, WhenInManila.com, SoundCheckManila, and RX 93.1. The event is conceptualized and organized by Brainbox. For more information, visit www.skechersstreetdancebattle.com.ph. For tickets, call SM Tickets at 470-2222 or visit www.smtickets.com.) (Follow me on Instagram @pepperteehankee.)