Cebu dance group wins big in Korea

CEBU, Philippines —  The combined forces of Don Juan and Angel Fire paved the way for Cebu City’s historic victory in the 2022 Wonju Dynamic Dancing Carnival in Wonju, South Korea.

Toledo's Hinulawan Festival, on the other hand, also landed fourth overall in the same showdown.

The victory is said to be historic as this is the first time that an entry from the Philippines won the grand prize.

This is the second time in just about four months that an entry from Cebu City ruled in South Korea.  The famous Tribu Basakanon also reigned supreme in the Powerful Daegu Festival in South Korea.

Don Juan, a three-time Sinulog Dance Crew competitor, and Angel Fire, which rose to popularity after emerging as a finalist in the Pilipinas Got Talent, have decided to collaborate for this event.

Don Juan only used to have Anna Michelle Buot as the only girl, but, with Angel Fire around, the Cebu City bet’s performance became more “electrifying.”

“They also collaborate with the choreography…such a talented group. They checked all the criteria–dynamics, artistry, creativity, synchronization, and precision of movements,” said Ricky Ballesteros, the only Filipino judge in the event.

Don Juan and Angel Fire also spiced up their performance with the top-grossing Korean series Squid Game in the final round which earned the attention of the Korean audience.

For the audience votes, the Cebu City squad got 195 points, just two points behind Jeonju University Taekwondo demonstration team. The perfect score from the audience score is 200.

The audience votes constitute 10 percent, while the remaining 90 percent comes from the panel of judges.

Cebu City’s Don Juan and Angel Fire received a trophy and cash prize of 20,000,000 Korean won.

Yongin University Dance Project from the Daegyoung University of Kotpiuri came out third while the Joyful Tribe of Toledo City, also known as the Hinulawan Festival, placed fourth among the 15 finalists.

It was unfortunate that Toledo’s bet, which wowed the crowd during the elimination, was not able to unleash their creativity fully as they were performing when it was still around 5pm yet.

They initially asked the organizers to reconsider and have them perform last so they can optimize their props, which include some lighting effects, but was turned down.

Toledo City won the Wonju Dynamic Dancing Carnival virtual competition during the pandemic in 2021 from different entries around the world but missed the final spot this time.

Meanwhile, Lapu-Lapu City, which showcased the concept of the battle of Mactan, failed to make it to the final round.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Ahong Chan still felt like a winner though after attracting some Korean nationals to visit the city for exciting tourist activities soon.

“Ang nindot nga pasalubong sa among pag-uli sa Lapu-Lapu kay ang dakong oportunidad nga maka-imbita kita og daghan pang mga Koreanong turista nga mobisita sa atong syudad. Magdala kini og daghang kaayuhan di lamang sa tourism industry kundi lakip na ang pagpadayon sa panginabuhian sa atong mga kaigsuonan nga nagtrabaho sa lain-laing establisemento,” Chan said in a Facebook post.

Meanwhile, after its successful stint in Wonju, the Cebu City team, headed by ABC president and ex-officio Councilor Franklyn Ong, is set to perform on October 6-9 in Jeju Island and on October 13-15 in Gwangju, South Korea.

The Cebu City squad is set to return to Cebu on October 16 with Ong expected to welcome them back with a resolution congratulating their feat. — GAN (FREEMAN)