Lapu-Lapu Metropolis’s Pageant Queen, and the winner of the Sinulog Pageant Queen 2025, Sofi Grenmo, rehearsing at Hoops Dome, Lapu-Lapu Metropolis in preparation for the Ritual Showdown of the Sinulog Pageant 2025. On her left is Lapu-Lapu Metropolis’s Pageant Queen director and choreographer, Neil Tan. | Photograph by Morexette Marie B. Erram
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Thought-about because the grandest and largest competition within the Philippines, Sinulog is sensory overload.
On one hand, it’s a visible deal with, with performers wearing colourful costumes, and gigantic, eye-popping props. Then there’s the loud brassy notes from the trumpets and the beat of the drums.
And to prime all of it off, a show-stopping choreography that blends the long-lasting ‘one step ahead, two steps backward’ with a compelling storyline.
The Sinulog’s Ritual Showdown, the spotlight of each Sinulog Pageant competitors, would usually final not more than 10 minutes.
Lumad Basakanon performs within the Sinulog sa Dakbayan 2025 on Sunday, January 12, 2025.
The group was topped as this 12 months’s champion in each the Road Dance and Ritual Showdown classes. | Mun Nillas
However such a grand efficiency really takes months to organize, hundreds of thousands of pesos in manufacturing and dozens of individuals — all as thanksgiving to the Señor Sto. Niño.
On this particular function, CDN Digital takes its readers a peek backstage on how Sinulog contingents gear up for his or her D-day.
Conceptualization
Like all medium of artwork, each Sinulog efficiency usually begins as an idea the place choreographers, writers and different creatives collect to brainstorm.
Within the case of Lapu-Lapu Metropolis, it took them lower than half-hour in arising with a storyline that might showcase what they needed.
Members of the Lapu-Lapu contingent observe their dance routine. | Morexette Marie Erram
A complete of 45 contingents, together with visitor performers, will likely be competing for this 12 months’s Sinulog.
For this 12 months’s showdown, Neil Tan, Lapu-Lapu Metropolis contingent’s choreographer, shared that they might proceed to showcase the perfect factor about their historic metropolis – the place Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who gave the Señor Sto. Niño picture to Hara Humamay (later baptized as Queen Juana), received defeated by its chieftain, Lapulapu.
A member of the Lapu-Lapu contingent take a brief breather from observe. | Morexette Marie Erram
“It’s about Lapu-Lapu Metropolis just like the factor that we’re actually most pleased with. Within the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo in 2024, we had the airport theme as a result of we take pleasure of our airport (the Mactan Cebu Worldwide Airport),” Neill defined.
Screening
As quickly as conceptualization is finished and authorized, auditions start instantly.
For Lapu-Lapu Metropolis, they carried out three rounds of screenings, with essentially the most troublesome half being having to trim down the variety of auditionees from 600 to 120.
Members of the Lapu-Lapu contingent observe from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. each day.| Morexette Marie Erram
“Daghan gyud kaayo sila (They have been many) so we’ve got to inform them nga we solely want this variety of individuals. However we additionally wanted backup so others, gihimo namo sila as reserve (we made them as reserves),” Neil mentioned.
Coaching, Rehearsals
Then got here essentially the most awaited half — the extraordinary rehearsals.
Dancers like Kim Auxtero, who resides in Brgy. Punta Engaño, needed to begin making ready by mid-afternoon so he can catch a coach or bus that transports everybody from their home to their venue of observe.
The Lapu-Lapu Metropolis contingent begins training in early December. | Morexette Marie Erram
“The service drives round Lapu-Lapu Metropolis to fetch everybody so we’re informed to attend by the freeway round 5 p.m.,” Kim defined.
The performers from Lapu-Lapu Metropolis started training in December. Since then, Kim and the remainder of the group pour blood, sweat and tears from 7 p.m. as much as 11 p.m.
In some instances, observe periods could lengthen as much as 1 a.m. to make sure everybody’s on the identical web page.
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Rehearsals are a number of the most grueling elements earlier than contingents take the stage on the Cebu Metropolis Sports activities Middle (CCSC) on the Pageant Day, mentioned Neil.
“However we’ve got to coach them early on so they’ll know what it’s like on the competitors day itself, that we have to give our greatest,” he added.
In keeping with the Lapu-Lapu Metropolis contingent’s choreographer that it solely took them a
In keeping with the Neil, in addition they wanted a schedule that doesn’t interrupt the research or employment of performers, contemplating that almost all of them have been college students and younger adults like Kim.
“Their schooling continues to be the precedence,” he added.
At the very least 40 contingents will compete within the Sinulog Pageant as we speak, January 19. | Morexette Marie Erram
Through the first weeks of their observe, the contingent from Lapu-Lapu Metropolis needed to hop between barangay-owned or school-owned metropolis gyms.
“There was no fixed venue as a result of a number of the gyms have been getting used for Christmas Events because it was December, and different occasions,” Neil mentioned.
Challenges
Except for logistical challenges, Sinulog contingents face different obstacles, essentially the most urgent one can be the unpredictable climate.
The rains have been one of many challenges of the Lapu-Lapu contingent. | Morexette Marie Erram
Particularly when it rains, not solely do they should discover shelter for the performers but additionally to seek out fast shelter for his or her props – which took them weeks and even months to make by hand.
“The rains are actually an enormous problem for us… Particularly over the past week of December, for those who keep in mind, there have been downpours almost on a regular basis,” Neil mentioned in a mixture of Cebuano and English.
Props for the Lapu-Lapu Metropolis contingent presentation. | Morexette Marie Erram
That is why, earlier than they begin training, organizers normally maintain Novena Lots to say due to the Señor Sto. Niño and to wish for honest climate.
Sinulog as prayer dance
Historic accounts pointed to the Sinulog as a prayer dance in honor of the Holy Little one, with influences from Cebu’s pre-colonial instances.
Practising for the Sinulog 2025 on Sunday. | Morexette Marie Erram
The observe of the Sinulog as an providing survived centuries, due to candle distributors and Estelita ‘Nang Titang’, who earned the nickname ‘Keeper of the Sinug’.
Even in as we speak’s fashionable instances, members of the youthful era proceed to view Sinulog as an providing and a prayer like Kim.
The 21-year-old had been becoming a member of in Sinulog Festivals for greater than 5 years already. His motivation: to say due to the Sto. Niño and provide his prayers.
“Halad gyud para kang Señor Sto. Niño,” she mentioned.
Follow makes good. Lapu-Lapu Metropolis contingent prepares for Sinulog.| Morexette Marie Erram
This 12 months, she provided her dance to the Holy Little one within the hopes that her mother and father would reconcile.
Main a troop of over 100 individuals to compete in one of many grandest and largest competition within the Philippines is by means not a straightforward feat.
However like Kim, Neil mentioned each ounce of effort poured into their practices and rehearsals, is for the Señor. Sto. Niño.
“All the things we do, it’s for our beloved Sto. Niño,” he mentioned.
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