BAGUIO CITY – The overall champion of this year’s Panagbenga streetdancing competition will be given a ticket to the upcoming prestigious Aliwan festival in Metro Manila next month.
Freddie Alquiros, a member of the Board of Directors of the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc. (BFFFI), said the foundation will fund the participation of the Baguio City National High School (BCNHS) Special Performing Arts, this year’s overall champion in the grand streetdancing competition high school division, to the Aliwan festival to be held in Metro Manila by the later part of April as part of their reward for their convincing performance in showcasing the wonders of Baguio city in their short but informative performance.
He disclosed that no less than the head of the board of judges of the grand streetdancing parade and field demonstration, Nestor Hardin, approached him and encouraged the foundation to send the BCNHS delegation to participate in the upcoming Aliwan festival because of their impressive performance that could contribute in their efforts to be one of the top performing contingents in the said festival.
Annually, the BFFFI sponsors a contingent from Baguio City to represent the city in the Aliwan festival where among the contested performances include the streetdancing, float parade and the culminating event, the Search for Ms. Aliwan.
Among the initial preparations being done by the foundation for the participation of the BCNHS contingent is seeking sponsors for transportation, the identification of the decent lodging for the participants, and the provision of any assistance to improve their performance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L55enrL7biE&feature=youtu.be
The performance of the BCNHS dubbed “Wonders of Baguio” depicts the ethnicity and the cultural identity of the different Cordillera tribes. Ethnic clothes, bead works, back dresses, head dresses, props made out of recycled cartoons, newspapers, bamboo sticks, feathers, fur, tiger grass and intricate hand-painted props made by the students and teachers highlighted the said presentation.
Alquiros said the BFFFI is simply awaiting the Aliwan invitation for the Panagbenga contingent participation before the foundation finalizes things although the BCNHS was already informed about their participation in the country’s most prestigious gathering of world-class festivals from the different parts of the archipelago.
BCNHS bested five other high school contingents in the high school division of the grand streedancing parade and field demonstration. Placing second to the BCNHS was the University of the Cordilleras (UC) senior high school followed by the Saint Louis University (SLU) senior high school, Pinsao National High School, Pines City National High School and Remnant International College.
The BCNHS contingent took home the P250,000 cash prize as the champion of the grand streetdancing parade high school division with P50,000 as subsidy for the performers.
By Dexter A. See
Banner photo and video by Armando M. Bolislis
