The Kulturang Placereño contingent of Placer, Masbate province tried several firsts in their Sinulog-Based (SB) entry that won them first place in this year’s Sinulog dance competition.
Dancers performed as singers hummed “Miligoy de Cebu,” part of a courtship dance that originated in Consolacion town in northern Cebu. Dancers later used castanets.
They also brought their own set lights to add life to the production.
“What we did was risky but in the end it was all worth it,” choreographer Victor Cuenco told Cebu Daily News.
The Placer contingent bested 14 other contingents and took home the trophy and P1 million cash prize.
REPEAT PERFORMANCES
They beat Tribu Sinanduloy of Tangub City in Misamis Occidental,last year’s winner.Tangub settled for second place this year.
Masbate Gov. Rizalina Seachon-Lanete and Placer Mayor Joshur Judd Lanete II received a P1 million check and trophy from Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Sinulog officials during yesterday’s awarding ceremony at the Cebu City Sports Complex.
The Monday after the Sinulog parade is the chance to see the winning contingents repeat their prowess in a command performance.
GRANDSTAND
Josefina Guillen, head of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the chairperson of the SB judges committee, said Placer bested other entries because of the clarity of their theme which they communicated to their audience.
She said their props and performance complemented this.
TRADITION
“They excelled in almost all criteria. They had very disciplined dancers. They had high energy and well coordinated and synchronized movements,” Guillen said.
Placer’s Sinulog entry started with scenes of merrymaking while singers hummed an old Cebuano song “Miligoy de Cebu”.
They later settled down to hear Mass. A priest then blessed religious icons before him, a Cebuano tradition that is still practiced today.
Cuenco, who used to handle Placer’s free interpretation (FI) and SB entries said Mayor Lanete asked him to focus on this year’s SB.
The mayor also tapped Cebuano choreographer Barry Luche to handle their FI entry.
CULTURE
Placer’s fairyland themed FI placed second, next to Lumad Basakanon of barangay Basak San Nicolas that won the grand prize.
Their FI entry featured dwarfs, a horse drawn carriage, bees and butterflies dancing on top of steel poles.
It showed a little prince who played outdoors and was later stolen by elements.
Prayers by the king and queen’s subjects helped them find their son.
Their lead dancer, dressed in a white gown, went out to lead the merry making with dwarfs who looked like those in the fairytale “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”
Cuenco said they started rehearsals last September.
To make sure that SB dancers master their steps, he had them focus on their hand and head movements. Longer practices started in December.
“It was a very simple theme. We just emphasized our culture and tradition,” Cuenco said.
Placer first joined the Sinulog-based dance contest in 2012 and brought home the grand prize. They placed third in last year’s Sinulog.