Filipinos dance to the beat of Sinulog in Dubai

Dubai - Sinulog is one of the grandest festivals in the Philippines held in January ever year.

Dressed in bright-coloured costumes, Filipino expats danced to the rhythm of drums, trumpets and native gongs as they celebrated 'Sinulog sa UAE 2016' at Al Safa Stadium on Friday.
Sinulog is one of the grandest festivals in the Philippines held in January ever year, attracting more than a million local and international visitors to watch a Mardi Gras-style parade on the streets of Cebu City in central Philippines. This was the fourth year the Filipino community celebrated it in Dubai.
"It's our collective pride that we were able to celebrate it (Sinulog) in the UAE," Paul Raymond Cortes, Philippine Consul-General to Dubai and the Northern Emirates, told Khaleej Times. "History and culture are part of our persona and even as we try to become global citizens, this celebration is a proof that we always bring the Filipino identity with us wherever we are."

Sinulog, from the Visayan word sulog which roughly means 'river current', is a free-interpretation of street dancing. The movement is basically two steps forward and one step backward as dancers numbering to around 50 per group sway to a distinct rhythm of drums.
One of the performers, Sunshine Taboada, said: "each group had a particular theme for their performance. For us, it was about family."
Dubai resident Laila May Oquindo, who watched Sinulog for the first time, said: "the dance performance was visually enriching and the music was vibrant."
Even five-year old Gabrielle Bautista said she "felt happy after she danced." Her mother Lesly added: "Gabrielle was born here but I'm very happy that she got introduced to Filipino culture at an early age."
Siblings Nardz and Agnes Maghamil, who used to participate in Sinulog in the Philippines, added: "back in Cebu, we close the city streets for the grand parade. Although we had a limited place here, it did not lessen the celebration and we felt like we were transported back to our homeland." Paolo Alforte, head of marketing and promotion of 'Sinulog sa UAE', said "the event was a big success and we're all satisfied that we brought joy to our kababayans."
angel@khaleejtimes.com

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