I was an active member of our school’s performing arts group back when I was in high school. And one of my favorite parts of being in a performing arts group was when we were competing in street dancing. I was a grade 9 student when I transferred from Batangas to Tarlac, so I was a newbie in school, and I didn’t have many friends back then. But one day, I heard that there would be an audition to be a part of the school’s performing arts, and I decided to try it so that I could meet new people and make new friends.
Fast forward, I passed the audition and made it on the street dancing team. Every year, our municipality held a Street Dancing Competition and every year’s theme is Silawan (lantern) Festival. The municipality of Gerona is recognized as the "Home of Aesthetic Crafts" due to its lantern production. The Silawan Street Dancing Competition, in which every high school student in the Municipality of Gerona competes, showcases each group's talents and dancing abilities while also displaying Gerona's products and culture. We started our practice after class, and later we would practice for a whole day for a week. Joining the street dance is one of the best decisions I made in high school because it became my stepping stone on other activities that I have joined and it is my confidence booster.
The fiesta of Gerona came, and we are ready to compete. The competition always starts with a parade from our school to the venue of the street dance. I remember that we were wearing festive outfits and holding props that were the same size as our bodies. The parade starts at around 1 in the afternoon; we didn’t mind the scorching sun that rays on our skin. When we arrived at the venue, we just rested a little and waited for our turn.
Fast forward to the awarding moment. As a first-timer at this kind of event, of course I was nervous, like a lot. We prayed while we waited for the announcement of the Silawan Street Dancing Champion. And to our surprise, they called our school’s name, and we couldn’t do anything but jump and scream in excitement. We were so ecstatic at that time because all of our dedication and hard work finally paid off.
Spoiler Alert! We did win three consecutive years, from 2014 to 2014, and I proudly say that I took part in all three trophies.
SILAWAN FESTIVAL 2016
SILAWAN FESTIVAL 2015
SILAWAN FESTIVAL 2014
So that wraps up my blog. Join me on my next blog for more stories. Stay tuned and stay connected for more adventures ahead. Thank you, and until next time!