Dance your way to a healthy lifestyle

Manila, Philippines -  Filipinos love dancing as much as singing. And in the same manner that there are many singing contests all around the country, dance competitions also sprout almost everywhere.

While singing is about hitting the right notes, dancing is all about visual impact, the beauty and synchronicity of movements with the dance beat and the energy felt by those who see it.

In the last two years, Magnolia has elevated the dance battle or dance-off to the status of a spectator sport with Magnolia Sayaw Barangay. It is much awaited by the young people who take time to prepare for it and immerse themselves in the latest dance styles like swag, krumping, pop and lock, and whacking.

A little ingenuity helps, too, in the case of the Next Level Oltomix Group that jumped rope in their unique dance routine on the way to winning the opening leg of the Magnolia Sayaw Barangay at Barangay Holy Spirit in Novaliches, Quezon City recently.

 “We are the first to do this in the Philippines,” says Leah Estribor, member of the Next Level Oltomix group

“Magnolia Sayaw Barangay is an inspiration to many groups. The group improves a lot and even becomes popular when it wins,” Estribor adds.

The warm response to the event was the result of Magnolia’s positive message: “Every day’s an Awesome Day,” which highlights positivity, happiness, and being active in life challenges.

“It’s a fact that Filipinos love to dance. When we launched this project a year ago for Magnolia Beverages, specifically Magnolia Healthtea Powdered Drink Mix, we also saw this as a program that would help motivate the youth to adopt healthier lifestyles and veer away from bad vices,“ says Magnolia Healthtea Powdered Drink Mix assistant brand manager Giselle Villanueva.

This year, hundreds of groups from 30 barangays in Metro Manila and other nearby provincial cities vied for the crown and the grand prize of P25,000 in the grand finals held last May 25 at the Market! Market! Activity Center, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

“It is so overwhelming to see a big company like Magnolia supporting a program that provides a lot of opportunities for the passionate Filipino youth dancers. Hopefully, more companies would take the same initiative in supporting local talents,” notes Deo Bantillo, event judge and member of the internationally acclaimed Philippine All Stars dance group.