ILOILO City – Dinagyang Festival 2021’s religious sadsad (worship dance) in honor of the Santo Niño (Child Jesus) is going virtual.
Reverend Father Jose Gonzales, parish priest of the San Jose de Placer Church, said the dance worship will be pre-taped and would be streamed on social media accessible to Santo Niño devotees all over the world.
The virtual sadsad will be aired on Jan. 23 next year, assistant vicar Reverend Father Leomario Singco announced during Thursday’s press conference.
“Limited ang sadsad. Our priority is the safety of everyone. Rest assured that we will follow all the health protocols issued by the government,” said Singco.
Dinagyang Festival started in 1967. A replica of the Santo Niño de Cebu was brought from Cebu to the San Jose de Placer Church.
The image, accompanied by devotees from Cebu, was enthusiastically received by the Ilonggos who danced on the streets of Iloilo City to the tune of rumbling drums.
The Dinagyang sadsad has been patterned after Cebu’s Sinulog Festival sadsad also in honor of the Child Jesus and not after the sadsad of Kalibo, Aklan’s Ati-Atihan Festival.
In mounting the pre-taped sadsad, Singco said they will invite participants from “all walks of life.”
“We will invite nurses, doctors, policemen teacher, fishermen, farmer, children, and law enforcers because the idea of sadsad is a prayer dance. It’s a prayer or intention to God. I hope those who will be invited will cooperate,” said Singco.
The holy Mass prior to the sadsad will also go virtual with few local officials allowed inside the church.
Meanwhile, next year’s fluvial procession in honor of the Señor Santo Niño will not push through.
“Ma-motorcade na lang para maka-keep in touch man kita sa mga pumoluyo,” saidevent coordinator Robert Alor. The route of the motorcade will cover districts of Lapuz, La Paz, Jaro, Mandurriao, Molo, Arevalo, and City Proper.
Digital Dinagyang is slated from Jan. 15 to 24. There will be no live performances of participating tribes. These will be “pre-filmed ” and would be streamed on social media accessible to spectators the world over.
Digital Dinagyang 2021 will be featuring the indigenous people of Iloilo (the Ati and Panay Bukidnon), too, performances of Ilonggo artists, and even tributes to frontliners battling the coronavirus disease.
Dinagyang is known for its participants’ impressive choreography and striking costumes that reflect Ilonggo ingenuity, craftsmanship and artistry. It has been voted the “best tourism event” three times in a row – 2006, 2007 and 2008 – by the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines./PN
