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Dumaguete dance group wins top prize in Korea competition


DUMAGUETE CITY— A dance troupe from this city on Wednesday was named grand champion of the International Youth Fellowship’s (IYF) World Cultural Dance Festival held in South Korea.

The 32-member Sidlakan Dance Company (SDC), which represented both Dumaguete City and the Philippines, bested 15 other contingents from across the globe in the annual dance competition that aims to showcase different world cultures.

For their victory, the SDC received a cash prize of $5,000 (P267,000) and a glass trophy. Trailing the Philippines were gold winner West Africa, followed by silver medalist China, and the contingent from the United States of America, which won the bronze medal.

This is the second time a dance company from Dumaguete won the contest. Dumaguete-based Kahayag Dance Company also represented the Philippines and was named grand champion in the 2015 edition of the festival, also held in South Korea.

The SDC’s winning performance was called “Fiesta Sa Nayon,” a dance portrayal of the annual fiestas held in the country and its significance to Filipinos, said Vic June Nocete, the dance company’s artistic director.

“The tradition of the Fiesta Sa Nayon dates back centuries to the rural areas and towns in the Philippines. During Fiesta Sa Nayon, Filipinos would gather for a fiesta in the middle of the town to celebrate a good harvest, and it would be a particular time for the people to focus on their neighbors, family, and friends,” he said.

 

Nocete noted that he considers this victory a second one in the said dance festival, having been one of the choreographers during Kahayag’s bid for the championship in 2015.

“(We were given a chance to become) good ambassadors of our country, I think that’s the best prize we got,” he said.

The road to the championship, however, was not easy; aside from undergoing a rigid screening process, they also lacked funds to shoulder their expenses for airfare, costumes, and props for their performance.

Local officials were among those who gave money to help the SDC in their journey, including Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Remollo and Siaton town Mayor Fritz Diaz. The province’s tourism office also donated funds for their championship bid, Nocete added.

He said the preparations took them three months. Asked what their strategy was, he said: “I believe that if you have a desire to win and bring honor to your country, you can do everything.”

The SDC is composed of freelance dancers, artists, professionals, and students from Dumaguete City. —KBK, GMA News

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