ILOILO City – Six dance groups are ready to take the center stage and turn up the heat with their sizzling dance moves as they compete for this year’s face-to-face comeback of the Sinamba sa Paraw Regatta.
Formerly called Samba de Regatta, the Sinamba sa Paraw Regatta is one of the highlights of the 50th Iloilo-Guimaras Paraw Regatta Festival.
The anticipated music-and-dance competition is on March 18 starting at 4 p.m. at the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand.
Prior to the competition proper, the participating groups will have a street dance performance in their Rio de Janeiro mardi gras-inspired exotic costumes from the Iloilo Provincial Capitol to the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand via Sunburst Park in the City Proper district.
There will be four stops: front of the capitol, Solis Street (front of BPI), JM Basa (front of RCBC), and Sunburst Park.
According to the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Iloilo Inc., committee head of the Sinamba sa Regatta, the competing groups are the following:
* Grupo Fuerte Baile of Fort San Pedro National High School,
* Grupo Batucada of Iloilo Dance Sports Club,
* Grupo Del Oeste of West Visayas State University,
* Grupo Ilonggo de Saltatores headed by Errol Jave Villabos,
* Grupo na Sidlangan headed by Linane Soncio, and
* Grupo Phinma UI Os Melhores Bailarinos of University of Iloilo-PHINMA.
“Ang kinalain subong kay live performance gid ang aton music… Ang kinalain pa gid subong nga tuig is we are encouraging them to do their own composition. Tanan nga kanta nga mabatian niyo will be already their composition and after the competition, ang tanan nga composition nila i-compile sang JCI through the office sang IFFI (Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc.) para every year may ara kita mga compilation sang mga music nga pwede naton ipabugal nga ini are made by Ilonggos,” said June Sia of JCI-Iloilo.
There will be a temporary road closure and rerouting for the Sinamba sa Regatta especially in areas where the street dancing will be held.
The road closure will start at 3 p.m. until the parade for street dancing is over, but only one lane (left side if coming from the capitol) will be closed.
Public Safety and Transportation Management Office head Jeck Conlu said they are waiting for the approval from the city council regarding the road closure and rerouting./PN
