Day 1 – At first, I thought that the Sinulog parade is the “Sinulog de Kabankalan Mardi Gras 2014 “, but it was not! hahahaha. I was so worried that I left my external flash for my camera that evening and there are no other way to go back because some part of the road in the main town of Kabankalan are all blocked because the street dance parade for the Sinulog de Kabankalan Mardi Gras 2014 will start at around 7pm, the parade started first at the street of Gunazon St. going to the public plaza here in Kabankalan.
Our tour guide, Alfredo, showed to us how the street dance parade’s audio will be presented by various vehicles using their own FM radio and audio speaker set up. The sound and music of the street dance parade of the Sinulog de Kabankalan Mardi Gras 2014 will come from the starting point and then the citizen and various car club and audio tech club will provide the music to the other side of the street, that was an awesome collaboration with the town folks, from that way, they can save more time and money in installing a long wired speakers.
It was a challenge for me to cover the street dance at night, using my Olympus E-520 dslr with broken flash and my Olympus E-PL1 with its built in flash.
When the parade started, lots of people lined up at the sidewalk just to walk the street dance parade of Sinulog de Kabankalan Mardi Gras 2014, in order to avoid the people blocking the street, each parade float and dance group provided their own rope to courdon off the street, the rope walks with them as each street dancers walk and dance on the street. I have to go inside the rope perimeter just to get a good close up shots of the dancers, I’m glad that the rope handlers are okay with it but you have to give way when the dancers started their routine performance.
Here’s our arrival in Gunazon st.
Town folks prepared their own table and chairs and also food and alcohol infront of their house and stores. They will party with the street dance while they watch on the streets.
Here’s a group of audio and car clubs showing off their audio rig
Each cars display their audio rig and tech, all of them are tuned in to local radio station that plays the “Sinulog de Kabankalan Mardi Gras 2014 “ background music.
They also set up a good radio frequency just to avoid music delays during broadcast.
The streets are now cleared and blocked off. This street looks peaceful, but then at around 8pm and 9pm,it will be filled up with lots of people from Kabankalan.
Here’s a tricycle vehicle showing off the owner’s set up for the music sound off. That’s one big speaker!
At first I positioned myself here at the stage area, because the judges of the street dance are in here, I might get a good vantage point in covering this event at night time.
But as I wait.. I decided to move forward to photograph the rest of the street dancer and finish the coverage early.
Our team composed of online media were advised to meet up at a Mercury Drug store at the other side of the street.
Here’s the official float for the Sinulog de Kabankalan, it’s a face of a local guy wearing a black make up with face paint and head gear for the Sinulog.
First wave of the parade are composed of students, orgs, associations and frat groups.
2nd wave are our gay beauties….dress in Mardi Gras style.
The float starts to move
One of the street dance group muse
each muse carry a Sto. Nino image
Here’s a guy wearing an awesome and heavy head gear.
Lots of dancers on top of the float.
The guy in costume is dancing non stop.
Here’s a head gear with a shape of a horse.
Another wave of dance group starts to dance….jump…and then roll around the street.
All mardi gras dancers are doing the best of the best performance of the night!
I’m very joyful when I saw that these dancers perform non stop, and then the people around them cheer with them and dance along with them.
Streaks of light at the stage area
here’s the mardi gras dancers group muse….carrying the image of Sto. Nino.
Here’s another muse leader with wings on her costume.
Her costume is one big attraction that evening…photographers and the crowd never stops in taking her photo.
The most aggressive dance group of the evening..
arghhh that’s a fire dancer hahahahah
Some dance group perform their routine with stunts and exhibition.
this girl climbs up at the back of her partner.
One of the coolest and colorful costumed group
they danced the cha cha
that mascot guy is the mayor of Kabankalan City
hahahaha..just a mascot.. and not the real mayor inside
The muse of the group is dancing while carrying the image of Sto. Nino
The crowd around the public plaza
It’s a super fiesta celebration here in Kabankalan City. There are lots of street vendors, street food and ukay ukay, and souvenir store around the public plaza. The place is jam packed.
we ate our dinner at a nearby food joint. I will post a separate blog post about our food adventures here in Kabankalan City.
SINULOG DE KABANKALAN
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sinulogdekabankalan
KABANKALAN CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL
Kabankalan City provincial government website : http://www.negros-occ.gov.ph/about-negros-occidental/cities-and-municipalities/cities/kabankalan-city.html
Kabankalan City tourism page: http://tourism.negros-occ.gov.ph/places-to-go/cities/kabankalan-city/
Sinulog de Kabankalan Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sinulogdekabankalan
Thanks and credits
*** Many thanks to Mr. Tootsie and Pie Zayco for inviting us here in Kabankalan City. Thanks also to Mr. Alfredo Otea, Kabankalan City tourism officer, for touring us around the city, you may contact him at +63 946 2832510 if you want some info or tour around the city.
Thanks also to my travel blogger mates Raffy of www.pinoytravelblog.com and Ron of www.wahpinas.com for being the best company in every travel and gimmicks…and also nice to meet and thanks to Belle and Renz of www.choosephilippines.com and Nikka of www.loqal.ph . and last.. thanks to Mika, our PR contact for arranging and coordinating with us for this trip.
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ts nice to meet you Kabankalan City!!! see you in our next visit.
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For more Kabankalan City trave blog post, just click “kabankalan” tag in my blog - http://azraelsmerryland.blogspot.com/search/label/kabankalan
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f you love my photos and want to save a copy…or if you need a copy to be published in print, tv or online, don’t hesitate to ask me and email me at azrael@gmail.com
