ILOILO City – Next year’s digital staging of Dinagyang Festival will feature seven tribes.
Representing the seven districts of this southern city, their performances will be pre-filmed, according to Atty. Jobert Peñaflorida, president of the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI).
Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the total number of the performers will only be limited to 50, composed of 20 female dancers and 30 male warriors aged between 20 to 50 years old.
The 50 will be divided into two groups of 25 – the first group would represent the three tribes and the second group the four tribes.
“Sila lang gihapon. For example, Tribu La Paz, Tribu Molo and Tribu Jaro pero sila man na gihapon ang warriors. Kay gina-record man, indi man kinanglan magpadamo-damo warm bodies kay delikado subong,” Peñaflorida explained.
The IFFI president also emphasized that next year’s tribes performances is not a competition but a collaboration with the Iloilo Artist Festivals Association (IAFA), choreographers and directors.
“The 50 tribe dancers and warriors will be the best of the best, daw all-star cast,” said Peñaflorida.
Overall, the performances will be under the direction of Eric Divinagracia, the festival’s artistic director.
Peñaflorida also stressed that Tribu Paghidaet is still the reigning ati-ati tribes champion.
The actual tribes competition will resume in the next staging of the Dinagyang (2022) when COVID-19 would hopefully be no longer a threat.
“Hulaton naton…That will make Tribu Paghidaet still our defending champion in 2022,” he added.
While there is no competition, special awards will be given to the contingents, Peñaflorida said.
The “pre-filmed” performances would be streamed on social media accessible to spectators all over the world.
Dinagyang Festival started in 1967. A replica of the Santo Niño de Cebu was brought from Cebu to the San Jose de Placer Church here. The image was enthusiastically received by the Ilonggos who danced on the streets of Iloilo City.
Peñaflorida said the pandemic is challenging the IFFI – which is handling the festival only for the second time next year – to think out of the box. It is taking to a higher level the “Dinagyang 360 Degrees” performance concept it introduced in the 2020 edition of the festival. Contesting tribes were required to choreograph their presentations in such a way that the dancers faced the spectators from all angles during their performances.
Through new technologies and social media, IFFI will be showcasing Dinagyang in new and exciting perspectives, said Peñaflorida.
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 the Hiligaynon word for revelry or merrymaking./PN
