Lumad Basakanon shines in Korea dance festival
The award-winning Tribu Lumad Basakanon of Barangay Basak San Nicolas took center stage last night as among the top 15 best teams in the World Wonju Dynamic Dance Festival in Wonju, South Korea.
The top 15 were selected from 200 participating teams.
Kicking off last September 20, the World Wonju Dynamic Dance Festival 2017 showcases various group dances and musical performances from Korea and other parts of the world.
The group was ranked 3rd overall and 1st in the international category.
Lumad Basakanon was the only team from the Philippines and it was its first time to join the festival. It sent 40 dancers, including Sinulog Festival Queen 2017 Marla Alforque.
"They are the most unique in terms of costume, choreography and their performance was flawless during the eliminations and the concept is something new for the Koreans. They are the only one who is using live music. Even the mayor of Wonju was really impressed by their performance," said Sinulog Foundation Executive Director Ricky Ballesteros.
The other teams performed mostly traditional dances.
"It is something we can be proud of, not only for Cebu but for the Philippines. Cebu is quite popular to Koreans… even our interpreters studied English in Cebu. Cebu is more popular than Manila here in Korea. Filipinos here are proud for Lumad," he said.
Ballesteros has judged the festival for three years but chose not to join the panel this year in deference to Tribu Lumad Basakanon being among the performing contingents.
He said festival organizers invited the team anew after seeing its performance in the Sinulog last January.
"When their Director attended Sinulog and they invited Sinulog dancers to perform in Wonju, we sent University of Cebu Dance Company. The following year, they invited again Sinulog to join the competition but there was miscommunication so instead of competing, we ended up as guest performer. The director wanted to invite Basakanon but I told them it’s difficult to send the group because of the numbers of performers and the instruments so, this year, they invited again Basakanon and they accepted the invitation. The production always attends the Sinulog every year and they observe how we organized the Sinulog. We have been communicating, exchanging ideas then," he said.
The team spent for the members’ airfare while festival organizers shouldered inland transportation, hotel accommodation, among others.
Tribu Lumad Basakanon dominated the Free Interpretation Category in the Sinulog in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2014 and 2015 and garnered other awards in the Aliwan Festival in Manila.
The team is known for its synchronized steps and concepts.