In his dance studio, Val Sandiego shows the blue and white costumes he will recycle from last year’s Sinulog for the coming Jan. 18 Mass with Pope Francis in Manila where the Cebu dance company will offer the prayer dance in honor of the Sto. Niño. (CDN PHOTO/ LITO TECSON)
Keep it simple and avoid extra expenses, was Pope Francis’ instruction to organizers of his coming visit to the Philippines next week.
Taking this cue, the Sandiego Dance Company will no longer be sewing new costumes for their sinulog dance during the January 18 papal mass at the Quirino Grandstand of Luneta Park.
Choreographer Val Sandiego said they decided to reuse their blue and white costumes from their 2014 Sinulog Grand Parade presentation.
“We realized how the Pope gives importance to simplicity. In celebration of the Year of the Poor, we thought that instead of spending our money and our would-be sponsors’ money for a costume to be worn only once, why not give the amount to the poor? Share it with people who need it for food and other basic needs,” he said.
Val and 49 dancers will represent the Archdiocese of Cebu during the papal mass in offering the sinulog as prayer dance on Jan. 18, the feast of the Sto. Niño.
They will also conduct an on-the-spot dance tutorial for six million expected mass-goers, who have been encouraged to bring their images of the Sto. Niño to the open air venue.
FAVORITE COLOR
“The blue and white costume last year symbolizes water. Since the Sinulog is based on the movement of water, it perfectly fits the entire presentation. Plus, we learned that Pope’s favorite color is blue,” said Val.
They will only have to add accessories and a few designs to make the costume stand out in a large crowd. The cost will be minimal.
Dancers will use the same costumes for the Sto. Niño fluvial procession when they dance at the Sto. Nino Basilica Pilgrim center on Jan. 17, Saturday, before flying to Manila.
Val dropped an earlier plan to make a new set of Filipiniana-inspired gowns in red, white and gold with full, multi-layered skirts.
When he spoke with Cebu Daily News in mid-December, he excitedly talked about having the image of the Sto. Niño painted on the fabric so that each time the dancers spread their skirts, people would see images that symbolize Cebu and devotion to the child Jesus. Each set would cost at least P8,000.
They got a reality check when they recently danced the sinulog in the Carmelite Monastery and Poor Clare.
“The sisters were shocked when we told them how much we were going to spend for the presentation. They said that it was too much and that Pope Francis would not be happy about it,” said Val.
So the January 18 presentation turns out to be a humble reminder for them to focus on dancing for their devotion, not to please only the people’s eyes, said Val.
He recalled how 13 years ago on January 18, their house and costumes for the Sinulog that week were all burned in a fire.
They ended up dancing in the Sinulog parade in plain white T-shirts, sans costumes.
“We are being reminded of why we are doing the sinulog dance. In Sinulog 2002, we wore none of those grandiose costumes, but our hearts were burning with love, hope, and devotion for the Child Jesus. I think, that is something that Pope Francis would love to see,” said Val.