The contingent from Guinsay National High School is the Karansa Festival 2023 grand champion. | CDN File Photo by Gerard Jamora
CEBU CITY, Philippines — It’s that time of the year again in Danao City!
On Sunday, September 15, Danao City in northern Cebu will celebrate its most anticipated event, the Karansa Festival.
The Karansa Festival is a dance competition featuring street dancing and a ritual showdown, held every third Sunday of September, a day before the city’s fiesta celebration.
This festival is a thanksgiving dance in honor of the city’s patron saint, Sto. Tomas de Villanueva.
The word “Karansa” is native to Danao City and means dancing to the rhythmic beats of its jingle.
Back in the 1980s when the Karansa Festival started, there were no official dance steps. It wasn’t until 2007 that the signature steps were introduced, thanks to the vision and creativity of Danao City Councilor Carmen Remedios “Ivy” Durano, the city council’s chairperson of the Tourism Committee.
READ: Danao City’s Karansa Festival is back
Since then, the four “fundamental” dance steps—Kiay, Kurug, Karag, and Karahay—have been incorporated into the performances of various contingents. The steps involve swaying or wiggling the hips and shaking one’s body to the festive drumbeats and jingle, as performers chant: “Tara na, mag Karansa na ta!” (Come, let’s dance!)
Danao City, known for its pottery making, especially in Barangay Suba, often features pots during the festival dances.
This year, 10 contingents will compete in the street dance competition and ritual showdown. Last year, the champion was Guinsay National High School, which won a cash prize of P150,000.
The street dance will begin at 1 p.m. in Poblacion, Danao City, with the ritual showdown scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Ramon Durano Sr. Sports Complex.
In addition to the festival competition, Filipino actors such as Paul Salas, Jameson Blake, and content creator Aaron Maniego will also join the celebration. /clorenciana