By Nanette Guadalquiver/Philippine News Agency
BACOLOD CITY — The MassKara Dance Team was declared Best Foreign Group in the 2019 Daegu Colorful Festival in Daegu City, South Korea on Sunday night.
The performers from Bacolod bested 21 other groups in the foreign category, which was one of the festival’s five categories during the two-day event.
The MassKara Festival contingent mentored by choreographer Segundo Jesus Cabalcar made it to Top 10 after the elimination round held on Saturday. They edged out teams from other Asian countries such as Japan, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
Councilor Em Ang, chairperson of the City Council’s committee on tourism and action officer of the MassKara Festival, led the 23-member delegation to Daegu City.
She said the MassKara dancers received the champion’s prize money of 7 million Korean won equivalent to about PHP312,000.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia lauded the MassKara Dance Team for bringing pride and honor to the city.
“This enhances further the attraction and image of our very own MassKara Festival. We are truly proud of our MassKara Festival,” he said.
The Daegu Colorful Festival awarded the champion in each of the five categories: General, Foreign, Youth, Family/Multicultural/Senior, and Organization/Corporate.
The event was participated in by 86 groups, with 4,600 performers, 73 competing teams, 13 non-competing groups, and 22 foreign teams.
In February this year, Leonardia, together with Councilors Ang and Cindy Rojas, met with Mayor Kwon Youngjin in Daegu City to discuss opportunities and cooperation between the two cities, including the participation of Bacolod in the 2019 Daegu Colorful Festival.
This year’s performance art festival, themed “Colorful Shouts of Freedom”, included various street art performances, and the biggest street parade in South Korea.
The event kicked off on May 3 with parade performances, and the main festival was held on May 4 to 5, featuring a colorful parade, street performances, art market, food trucks and more.
In October last year, the MassKara Festival dancers also won the bronze medal at the 2018 World Mask Dance Competition, one of the highlights of the Andong Mask Dance Festival, held in Andong City, South Korea.
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