Tales of the Sinug dance
The Casa Gorordo Museum (CGM) held yesterday its first forum about the history and changes of the Sinug dance.
The forum, CGM Talk, is in addition to the museum’s tradition of holding the Sinug sa Casa Gorordo, usually held a day after the Feast of Sto. Niño.
Ceasar Nimor, a retired assistant professor of the University of Cebu who has been studying folk dances, said that the Sinug’s exact origins are not known.
However, he said there are three popular tales that could explain the existence of the dance.
Nimor discussed the second version, explaining how beautiful ladies carry the Holy Child.
The story dates back to 1521 during the first baptism of the pre-Hispanic Sugboanons, where Queen Juana was given an image of Sto. Niño as a gift.
She danced in joy while carrying the image, while her subjects followed her movements, thus the Sinulog dance.
The other story is about the playful narrative of Baladhay in which, Nimor said, people thought of Sto. Niño as merely one of their gods after 1521.
The people then placed the image in a room along with their other god figures.
Nimor said that Baladhay is said to be the reason the Sinug dance started after he was sent to the god figures’ room for being upset.
Inside the room, he was cheered up by a charming dark, curly-haired lad who was dancing and teasing him.
From these stories sprung different versions of the Sinug dance, Nimor said.
These include the Votive Sinug, which is danced by candle vendors while chanting prayers, and the Comative Sinug, which is performed by the Turang Dance Troupe and the late Estrellita “Nang Titang” Diola.
Nimor said there is also the contemporary version or Sinulog where the dance steps are highly choreographed. This started in the 1980.
Nimor said that the Sinulog dance today includes great, elaborate costumes and props that are bigger than the dancers.
The CGM forum yesterday ended with a presentation from the Mabolo Sinug Dancers. /