Sinayaw: Dancing the rhythm of life
Divided into five segments, each part started off with a narration about the importance of life linked to dancing. The first part presents our life’s kickoff which is Pagsilang or birth; it showcased the dance rituals performed by Filipino tribes from the process of having a child, from dedicating them to the gods to singing chants of maternal hopes of child’s birth to the world, including the sayaw sa palayok which has 12 overlapping pots balanced on a woman’s head.
The second part was about the Pagkabata or childhood; this gave the audience a nostalgic memory—with the playing tune of Leron Leron Sinta—as seen on their faces, all while talking with each other about the fiesta-themed dances. Childhood is also a euphoria and energetic part of our lives which has been shown on binusuan, maglalatik, and tinikling.
In the third part, Pagmamahal or love was presented with the touch of Spanish-culture. Iris Gonzales from DLSU-D Chorale sang a kundiman followed by the sequence of being a maiden to courtship, amour relationship, and marriage.
The fourth part tackled Pamumuhay or living; dances of war, offering for good harvest, and harvesting provided the viewers insight about our fellows from the tribes in Cordillera region and Mindanao.
Lastly, Paghimlay or death was made up of the Yakan’s (indigenous people from Sulu) burial dance. They performed a short skit of a dying Yakan where they performed their ritual before covering the deceased with a white blanket and mat, an ode to their tradition of funeral rites that is simple yet preserves their identity as Filipinos.
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“Ang buhay ay isang siklo na hindi matatapos—mamamatay tayo pero muli tayong isisilang,” said Alduñar regarding the message they wanted to leave the audience.
Indeed, after watching the highlights of the show, patriotism can be seen not only in the performers but also in the audience as our cultural spirit blazed thanks to the unexplored wonders of Filipino culture.
Closing the show with an epic finale, they left an important interpretation of our life cycle: “Ang pagsasayaw ay buhay at ang buhay ay isang pagsasayaw.”
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