Pinoy group wins int'l hiphop contest
MARK J. UBALDE, GMANews.TV
08/06/2007 | 08:09 PM
Another Filipino dance team has gained recognition abroad after winning in one of the biggest international Hip-Hop competitions in Malaysia.
Vibe Dance topped 11 countries from all over the region in the Asia Pacific Dance Competition last July 17 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The team won gold in the Hip-Hop Open Category (no age limit) while Joemar Nebres, 24, a member of the same dance group bagged first in the Hip-Hop Solo competition.
“Sobra nuong run pa lang namin, lahat nagpuntahan at kinrongatulate na kami (Even in our first run everyone came and congratulated us)," said Melvin Jansen Ang, choreographer and dancer of Vibe Dance, referring to their practice routine at the event venue in Malaysia.
Ang recalled the difficulties they had to face in raising money for the trip. Through solicitations from friends, family members, relatives abroad and through gigs, they were able to generate the P80,000 that their seven-member team needed to fly abroad.
All of it paid off in the end with their team winning two top prizes in the 3rd annual dance competition.
“Nagpa-autograph pa sa amin 'yung kasali doon sa ‘So You Think You can Dance-Malaysia’ (Those from ‘So You Think You can Dance- Malaysia even took our autographs),“said Ang, referring to the local version of the hit Fox-TV dance reality show, “Sila 'yung hinihingan ng autograph doon pero kami 'yung hinihingian nila ng autograph (They are usually giving autographs but now they are asking it from us)."
Ang attributes this to the fact that Filipino hip hop dancers have gained enough recognition in the international scene.
Last year, the dance group All Stars won in the World Hip Hop competition, beating even teams from the United States, where the dance originated and evolved.
Vibe Dance competed against 11 Asia Pacific countries. About 600 participants slugged it out in other dance disciplines such as Belly dancing, line dancing and hip hop.
There were three categories for Hip-hop: Junior Division, Open Division and Solo Division. Vibe Dance won the last two divisions.
The event started at 8:00 a.m. and ended at 1 a.m. The Asia Pacific Dance Competition worked similarly to the popular Dancesport of ballroom dancing where dancers had to pass the rigorous quarterfinals and semifinals before entering the finals.
In the solo category, Nebres was dancing in the same floor with 30 other hip-hop dancers from different countries. All of them didn’t know the music that will be used until the competition began.
“Korean 'yung music, nagulat nga kami kasi ‘di namin naintindihan (They used a Korean music, we were surprised since we didn’t understand it)," said Ang.
Right now, according to Ang, the team is gearing up for another competition in Singapore where they hope to have a repeat of their victory. - GMANews.TV
Vibe Dance topped 11 countries from all over the region in the Asia Pacific Dance Competition last July 17 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The team won gold in the Hip-Hop Open Category (no age limit) while Joemar Nebres, 24, a member of the same dance group bagged first in the Hip-Hop Solo competition.
“Sobra nuong run pa lang namin, lahat nagpuntahan at kinrongatulate na kami (Even in our first run everyone came and congratulated us)," said Melvin Jansen Ang, choreographer and dancer of Vibe Dance, referring to their practice routine at the event venue in Malaysia.
Ang recalled the difficulties they had to face in raising money for the trip. Through solicitations from friends, family members, relatives abroad and through gigs, they were able to generate the P80,000 that their seven-member team needed to fly abroad.
All of it paid off in the end with their team winning two top prizes in the 3rd annual dance competition.
“Nagpa-autograph pa sa amin 'yung kasali doon sa ‘So You Think You can Dance-Malaysia’ (Those from ‘So You Think You can Dance- Malaysia even took our autographs),“said Ang, referring to the local version of the hit Fox-TV dance reality show, “Sila 'yung hinihingan ng autograph doon pero kami 'yung hinihingian nila ng autograph (They are usually giving autographs but now they are asking it from us)."
Ang attributes this to the fact that Filipino hip hop dancers have gained enough recognition in the international scene.
Last year, the dance group All Stars won in the World Hip Hop competition, beating even teams from the United States, where the dance originated and evolved.
Vibe Dance competed against 11 Asia Pacific countries. About 600 participants slugged it out in other dance disciplines such as Belly dancing, line dancing and hip hop.
There were three categories for Hip-hop: Junior Division, Open Division and Solo Division. Vibe Dance won the last two divisions.
The event started at 8:00 a.m. and ended at 1 a.m. The Asia Pacific Dance Competition worked similarly to the popular Dancesport of ballroom dancing where dancers had to pass the rigorous quarterfinals and semifinals before entering the finals.
In the solo category, Nebres was dancing in the same floor with 30 other hip-hop dancers from different countries. All of them didn’t know the music that will be used until the competition began.
“Korean 'yung music, nagulat nga kami kasi ‘di namin naintindihan (They used a Korean music, we were surprised since we didn’t understand it)," said Ang.
Right now, according to Ang, the team is gearing up for another competition in Singapore where they hope to have a repeat of their victory. - GMANews.TV
