CEBU, Philippines -The contingents from Don Vicente Rama Memorial Elementary School and Apas National High School emerged as champions in the elementary and secondary divisions, respectively, in yesterday’s Sinulog sa Kabataan-Dakbayan.
Each school won P300,000 and a trophy.
Don Vicente Rama MES also won P50,000 more when it won Best in Costume. Apas NHS also won an additional P50,000 Best in Costume and placed second in street dancing to win P30,000.
Mabolo Elementary School and Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. MNHS won Best in Musicality and won P50,000 in the elementary and secondary divisions, respectively.
It was a fruitful endeavor for the newbie Don Vicente Rama MES as it bested Mabolo Elementary School (second), Cebu City Central School (third), Labangon Elementary School (fourth) and Carreta Elementary School (fifth).
Apas National High School made a comeback this year to dethrone Abellana National High School, who only placed third.
The other winners in the high school division are Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. MNHS (second), Talamban National High School (fourth) and Pasil Night High School (fifth).
The second to fifth placers got a trophy and cash prize of P150,000, P100,000, P75,000 and P50,000, respectively, for both divisions.
The winners for Street Dancing Category are Mabolo ES (first), Labangon ES (second), and Bulacao Community School (third) for the Elementary Division. For Secondary Division it was Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. MNHS (first), Apas NHS (second) and Talamban NHS (third). This new category was one of the highlights of the competition.
The first to third placers got a trophy and cash prize of P50,000, P100,000, P30,000 and P20,000, respectively.
Other contingents who emerged as winners during the Sayaw Cebu on January 9 were Zapatera National School, Best in Choreography and Most Colorful Delegation; Don Vicente Rama Memorial Elementary School, Most Discipline Delegation; Mabolo National High School, Liveliest Delegation; and Abellana National School, Biggest Delegation. The winning contingents won P30,000 each.
Most of the contingents who joined the 2015 Sinulog were neophytes. The performances depicted the 450th year of the ‘Kaplag’ or the discovery of the historical and miraculous image of the Sto. Niño.
Level up
Sinulog Board of Judges Annie Divinagracia Sartorio said this year’s contingents leveled up to a new level of performance.
She said the judges were amazed at the development in ritual performance and the advanced choreography, which were well-incorporated during the showdown.
“Nice and impressive kasi mas gumaling na ang mga contingents ngayon compared to previous years. But then there always be the best among the best. Yung winners well-utilized talaga ang stage with good costume and props and clean choreography” she said.
Sartorio, who is affiliated with Dinagyang Festival Foundation in Iloilo City and the San Agustin Kawilihan Dance Company, said other contingents recycled old moves.
“It is saddening that some did not apply it kaya yung movement nila redundant, boring and loose tingnan from the audience, and the space was not properly used.”
She advised the performers who are eying to join the Sinulog next year to have a proper execution and movement to attain the peak of the performance.
“For them to use more movement not only the arms kasi minsan calisthenics na so kailangan movement with the use of heads. And choreography pataas na pataas with impact and hindi dapat bumaba,” she added.
The winners automatically join the Sinulog Grand Parade.
Sinulog Foundation Inc. executive director Ricky Ballesteros congratulated the contingents for improved performances injecting new concepts and choreography.
“They put up a very good performance in terms of production, concept-making, storyline, conceptualization and costume, among others. We always try to innovate every year with non-stop research because the judges are looking forward for new ideas,” he said adding that the props management is very vital as it can ruin or beautify the presentation.
“Ayaw mokahadlok og experiment kay the judges and the audience will always look for a fresh ideas and concepts for you to standout from the rest,” he said.
Happiness
Fonzy Cobart, dance master of the Don Vicente Rama Memorial Elementary School, said that he was overwhelmed with happiness after the judges appreciated their ant-themed performance.
“I chose ant the movie as our theme kay something unique siya and dili g’yud ta maka-ingon nga naa mi kapareha,” he said.
Cobart said that it took almost three months for them to practice their presentation.
“Ako ang nagbuhat sa sayaw grabi ka-proud and happy pero kulba pod kaayo kay nindot pod raba ang Mabolo (Elementary School that won second place),” he said while shedding tears after the announcement.
He said that he instilled in the minds of the performers that their performance is dedicated to the Holy Child.
Venancio Esparaguera and George Villamor, choreographers of Apas NHS, were not able to contain their happiness after hearing they won. They reportedly only had a month to prepare for the contest.
Esparaguera said that preparation, discipline, hard work, and faith to the Holy Child are the key to win such competition.
He said it took almost P500,000 to produce the presentation that depicts the change of prayer and praise from the Spanish period up to the present.
The school has 100 dancers and 150 props men. The props were a giant church, candles and Tisa houses.
Crowd control
Senior Superintendent Conrad Capa, deputy regional director for operations of the Police Regional office 7 and the officer-in-charge of the Cebu City Police Office said that the spectators for the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan this year could reach up to 25,000.
He said that yesterday everything went smoothly but he said that during the Sinulog grand parade the police need to improve in their crowd control skills.
Capa, who comes from Luzon said that it will be his first time to personally witness and experience Sinulog this year.
“Nahihiya nga ako nag-e-enjoy ako sa trabaho ko,” he added.
Chief Inspector Wildemar Tiu, Fuente Police Station said they need more forces in and around the sports center to help control the crowd.
Tiu, who was the former Waterfront Police Station chief said that it would be his first time to overseeing his men in the grandstand but he is not new to crowd control since the Basilica Minore del Sto Niño is under the jurisdiction of the Waterfront Police.
Emergency exits will be watched because according to Tiu some revelers might use it as their entry point. — Kristine B. Quintas, Jean Marvette A. Demecillo with Bryner L. Diaz/BRP (FREEMAN)