‘NATURAL INCLINATION TO MUSIC’ SEEN AS KEY FACTOR IN DANCE-OFF FOR 14 GOLDS

NEW CLARK CITY—THERE will be 14 gold medals at stake in dancesports on Sunday, and Team Philippines is hoping its “edge in musicality” would allow the host to at least get a fair share of them.

Making a comeback after a long absence in the Southeast Asian Games, the sport will put up for grabs the most number of golds for the day starting at 9 a.m. at Royce Hotel and Casino here.

“It’s hard to see how it would play out because we only see the practice, we need to see the actual performance,” said Lowell Tan, Dancesports Council of the Philippines (DCP) official, on Saturday.

“But we, Filipinos, have that natural inclination to music, and that trumps techniques and skills,” Tan added.

There are six golds at stake in Latin, six in standard and two in breakdancing, which will have its maiden staging in the games.

The Philippines won two golds and two silvers in two events during the 2005 SEA Games held in Cebu City.

Sean Micha Araner and Ana Leonilla Nualla, and Mark Jayson Gayon and Mary Joy Renigen will compete in standard.

Michael Angelo Marquez and Stephanie Sabalo, and Wilbert Aunzo and Pearl Marie Cenda will take spotlight in Latin. Yer Lord Illyum Gabriel is the main bet for boys breakdance.

Participants are hoping for a big crowd at the ballroom, which can accommodate 500 people.

“It would be a big boost for our athletes to have people cheering for them,” said DCP president Becky Garcia.

Scoring will be done by 12 judges who come from outside the SEA region.

“Now we are having computerized scoring where the athletes and the crowd get to see the scores right away,“Tan said .