Another breed of MassKara Festival dancers eyed

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines   — With the recent launching of the dance showdown, another breed of dancers is expected to be highlighted in the 2011 MassKara Festival that would be accessible to more people and reflect the dynamism of the festival.

Festival director Eli F.J. Tajanlangit said the dance showdown, in partnership with GMA TV, is open to all participants of any age and without the necessary use of elaborate costumes and masks.

“In the past years, our concept of the MassKara dancer is one wearing elaborate costumes and masks, dancing in the streets,” he said. “This year, anybody can dance anytime, anywhere in the festival using low-tech, low-cost costumes and masks.”

We would like to show that by way of this contest, Tajanlangit said as he emphasized that the traditional streetdance competitions where contingents try to outdo each other in the costumes and masks departments remains the highlight of the festival on Oct. 15 and 16, with the schools and barangay categories.

The dance showdown is envisioned to become another major activity of the MassKara Festival, he said.

The first round of the competition will be part of the opening rites for the 2011 festival on Oct. 1 at the Bacolod Public Plaza, after the switch-on of the bandstand lights. The competitions will be the culminating activity on Oct. 19.

Tajanlangit joined streetdance committee chairperson Rudy Reveche, Dado Tan, assistant program manager of GMA for Regional TV, and Rutha Rojo, events and promo specialist of GMA TV-13 Bacolod, at the launching of the contest at Business Inn in this city the other day.

The contest is open to participants of any age, who shall form a group of eight to 12 dancers. Any dance form and canned music is allowed, as long as the dancers use masks during their performance. Face-painting and character make-up are allowed.

Reveche said the orientation for participants is on Sept. 18 at the ABC Hall, screening on Sept. 24 at the BAYS Center, elimination round for 20 participants on Oct. 1 at the public plaza, and final round for 10 groups on Oct. 19 at the public plaza.

Prizes are P15,000 for the champion, P10,000—first runner-up, P7,000—second runner-up, and P3,000 each for seven non-winning groups, Tan said. — (FREEMAN)