Instilling discipline thru the ‘Algorithm March’
It all began with the Algorithm March, a dance fad created in
Basic steps, repeated as necessary, include the bending of knees and reaching out straight with hands as first step. Then, dancer has to lean back, hands on hips. Third, he has to turn around and bow. Then, he faces right to do a right hand horizon sweep. Fifth, he bends knees and do breast stroke. Then acts as if picking up something from the ground. Next, he shakes arms downwards and finally flaps arms.
The dance can be performed in lines, moving canon style one at a time. After each movement, the line takes a step forward. Over at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in barangay Kalunasan last August 1, some 967 inmates, arranged in 66 columns, performed the algorithm march successfully (meaning none of the person in front or behind the line was hit with the flapping and the stretching of arms). For prisoners to study the moves, 24 inmates arranged in two columns were earlier tasked to practice first to perform a demo.
Dance choreography moved on to incorporate the music of “In the Navy” and “YMCA” popularized by Village People during the Pass in Review. Then the inmates – including women and those of the third gender - performed Dayang-dayang, Sisters Act 1 and II, Radio Gaga, including ballroom dance numbers with alleged mega shabu lab financier Calvin Tan and cohort Simon Lao prior to the most-awaited, most-viewed-via-YouTube “Prison Thriller”, as inspired by Michael Jackson’s 1983 hit that stayed in the Billboard Charts for 37 weeks, a feat that not even one of Michael’s succeeding songs has surpassed.
With already 3.2 million hits on the YouTube, the “Prison Thriller” is tagged as the “dance that placed CPDRC currently at the center of the world.”
It wasn’t my first time to be at CPDRC. When it was still located along
As part of a dance group before for our school dramatics club, I always believe that the feet may learn the steps but only the heart can dance. So that once you introduce the dance to somebody, you have to make sure he/she has the heart for it. I could very well understand why it took architect-choreographer Vince Rosales some time to convince inmates that dancing is a productive activity. He was, at that time, immersed in an audience of mixed orientations from their dark worlds and jet-black past. It’s just amazing to find a braveheart in him who is unstoppable against unfavorable winds.
The Algorithm March, with its aim for precision and rhythm, is also meant to teach prisoners to keep at pace with their own personal growth in a rehabilitation facility. And to deal with their own emotions and master their temper while receiving instructions from Byron Garcia, Capitol consultant for security.
Despite being bound by the shackles of ignominy, social stigma, loneliness, and uncertainty, the inmates found their hearts freed. And these fluttered to move in synchrony with the steps.
It started with compliance till the inmates love what they are doing; from obeying first before complaining to embracing a form of transition. Through dance and music incorporated into a method of discipline, it made possible for the innate goodness of the inmates to be magnified, to shine.
No hard heart refuses to break at the constant prodding of compassion and charity. Nature teaches us that constant dropping of water wears away boulders.
And so last August 1, the prisoners proved their meat as performing artists; showing to the world that they are as educable as you and me. They are capable of learning new things, while unlearning ideas from their pitch dark worlds, if given the inspiration, right materials, the resources, the break, the trust.
In a jest, inmates were said to be afraid of Byron’s instruction that once they go sloppy with their attitude towards rehearsing for the series of dance performances for the 438th founding anniversary of the Province, they will be kicked out of CPDRC for good.
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