ILOILO City – Some 150 stakeholders gathered for a one-day conference on rhythm and vibes to look into the direction and identity of the Dinagyang Festival.
The 51st edition of Dinagyang would be staged on Jan. 25 to 27, 2019.
“We are all challenged to make sure that the Iloilo Dinagyang Festival remains true to its core as an Ilonggo way of thanksgiving through merry-making. We have a good template of producing a world-class festival and it has given us all the blessing of unity through respect, trust and cooperation,” said Ramon Cua Locsin, president of the Iloilo Dinagyang Festival Inc. (IDFI).
Prof. Eric Divinagracia, advisory council member for the Alliance of Dinagyang Tribes in Iloilo, said the recent “Iloilo Dinagyang Rhythm and Vibes Conference” was an aesthetic conference aimed to come up with a “vocabulary of design, music, movement and direction of the festival that will form the Dinagyang identity.”
“What is important is we define what our festival is,” he said, adding that it had to be rooted, with truthfulness of the culture, acceptance of its past and vision for its future.
Divinagracia added that talks were rife that an academy would be put up to train not just dancers but musicians, designers and directors.
Reverend Father Raymund Edsel Alcayaga, O.S.A., of the Parish of San Jose Placer which is one of the partners of the IDFI in running the festival, said he found the conference “very valuable” to further look into points that should be integrated in the festival presentation.
Annie D. Sartorio, executive committee member of the national committee on dance of the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) and member of the IDFI, said the workshop on Sept. 26 was the second of a two-part conference organized by the IDFI for school principals, tribe managers, artistic directors, dance masters, music arrangers, costumes and props designers.
The first part from Sept. 9 to 12 was focused on choreography.
“We guided them on the transition and exploration of movement,” said Sartorio.
“Anywhere, you can see Dinagyang steps so we wanted to have our own identity, our own Dinagyang steps,” she added.
During the workshop, they invited some 14 members of the Ati tribe from Anilao, Iloilo and asked them to perform with their own music and explained the meaning of their movements.
The conference was held at Diamond Jubilee Hall here. (PNA)
