By Alexia Hernandez
After eight years, the Silliman University Dance Company (SUDC) represented Dumaguete City with the Silliman Band during the Sinulog Grand Ritual Showdown last Jan. 21 at Cebu City.
The group staged the Sandurot Festival as the city’s out-of-town contingent.
Entering the lineup only two weeks before the event, their performance bagged third in Best in Musicality under the Free Interpretation Category and fourth in street dancing.
Their last participation was in 2017, marking this year as their first performance in the said festival since the pandemic.
On preparations for Sinulog
SUDC member and second-year english education major Ian Carlos Dela Fuente said that the group began its rehearsals weeks prior to Christmas Day and continued throughout the New Year.
“The [SUDC] was added into the piece on January 4, giving the group only two weeks to practice our blockings, build choreography, and master the techniques,” he said.
Fuente also highlighted the team’s dedication to refining their performance despite the short preparation period.
“Daily rehearsals allowed us to refine every detail of our choreography and identify areas for improvement,” he noted.
Lekeisha Ybañez, an SUDC member and third-year foreign affairs student, shared her physical preparations for her debut as festival queen.
“On almost every break, I tried to do more arm endurance exercises so that I could gracefully present the Sto. Niño to the audience,” she said.
Ybañez also explained how her role came about unexpectedly, sharing: “The director called me after Christmas to ask if I would take on the role of Festival Queen. At first, my parents were hesitant, but they eventually gave me their full support.”
Sinulog is an annual celebration held in Cebu City honoring the Sto. Niño.
