Out-of-town performers traveled 12 hours by ferry from Placer, Masbate province to Cebu City but it was worth the effort.
Culturang Placereño with the Masbate dance company took the grand prize in the Sinulog-based category last Sunday.
They portrayed a family’s story of faith in the Child Jesus in a stand out performance.
A bright neon sun and blue clouds formed the back drop of a rural scene of brown carton shanties in a cornfield complete with a “carabao” and a wheel barrow.
On stage a father, mother and a child carried a huge corncob with the image of the Sto. Niño inside.
Gov. Rizalina Seachon Lanete swayed in a neon orange gown as other dancers with red and white giant fans closed the performance.
It was a sweet victory for Masbate in its first time to compete in the Sinulog-based category followning the theme “Refuge to a Filipino Christian family, the story of faith”.
Victor Cuenco, the choreographer, said that one of his biggest challenges was giving “rigid training” for the new dancers who were “very raw and beginners”.
After three months of rehearsal, the cast of 100 dancers and 250 props men delivered.
They’ll be back next year for the Sinulog to defend their title. Correspondent Rhea Ruth Rosell