It’s 7:45 in the morning, Eminem is blaring on the speakers throughout the plaza and nearby streets, there are hundreds of school children and parents walking around while other people pass through on their way to work. It turns out Baguio isn’t the only place that loves street dancing. It seems to be popular among all ages across the Philippines.
The day started at 5:00 when McTery woke me up, a half hour before my alarm was set to go off, to be sure we would get downtown on time. He and Alzera would be dancing in the streets of the city with their classes and we had to be there by 7:00 for them to prepare.
After breakfast, we headed to our usual waiting spot for any kind of transportation to take us the 20 minutes down the mountain to town. Most of the jeepneys were full or not stopping, but eventually we did get a ride on a fast jeepney with a loud radio.
The first stop was the makeup station. Whenever there is street dancing, the performers wear makeup, even the boys. All morning long, I saw boys walking around town with bright red lipstick on. There are usually elaborate costumes as well, but this performance was less formal and was not a competition. In fact, it was billed as a flash mob, to celebrate San Fernando, its schools and its teachers. It was a Tuesday and would also be a day off from school for everyone.
It was nice to see so many familiar faces since I had visited the school the week before. Students greeted me all morning long and almost everyone wanted their picture taken
I’ve realized that taking pictures of dancers is a really difficult thing to do. I usually capture an awkward moment that makes you wonder if the subjects are even dancing. Still, here are some glimpses of what I saw, plus a few videos. It was another spirited event where the schools and community came together to celebrate their love of San Fernando and their pride in their schools.
And last Saturday, there was an actual competition, complete with judges and costumes. McTery and Alzera were not dancing, but we did watch a few of the performances.
Lori Liguori
March 16, 2017 at 22:47
Love it, Tim!!!!! Looks like a ton of fun!!!! I’ve been dancing all week with our Drama Club getting ready for our performance of Shrek next week! Sorry you will miss it! I will share the video of the performance upon your return – You will LOVE seeing our kids!!!!!
Tim Flanagan
March 18, 2017 at 09:32
I was actually thinking of you and your choreography/dance talents as I was watching the street dancing. That’s hard work!! Best of luck with the play. Tell the students I’ll be thinking of them and know they’ll put on an amazing show.
anne
March 17, 2017 at 07:12
Really beautiful Tim thru the pictures and video clips you really captured that enthusiasm and the spirit of the community.
Tim Flanagan
March 18, 2017 at 09:33
Thanks for taking a look at them!
anne
March 17, 2017 at 07:32
I forgot to mention I noticed McTery wearing plaid Tim is your style starting to rub off on him?
Tim Flanagan
March 18, 2017 at 09:33
What can I say? He has great taste. Too bad we’re not the same size!
Vicky Ann Deledda
March 17, 2017 at 20:51
So nice to see young boys dancing and jazzing up as much as the girls. Everyone looks so happy as they celebrate their school! How exciting! And a little different from my vacation, if McTery has you waking up at 5am. I can tell how proud he must be to show you his school.
Tim Flanagan
March 18, 2017 at 09:35
I agree – it’s nice to see the boys dancing with costumes and makeup without fear of judgment.
LInda A Wight
March 19, 2017 at 19:58
great pictures of the kids dancing. Our grandkids were up early and Kelly sometimes goes running early but 5 a m does me in. NIce you were able to see the students having fun. We’re back home in Maine, missed the storm that left 18″ of snow. We had great weather in CA. Happy travels Tim.
Tim Flanagan
March 24, 2017 at 00:44
Glad you had a nice trip. Now you can start a blog!
Deidre Toole
March 21, 2017 at 16:59
I can’t get over all the experiences you are having. It makes our lives seem so dull in some ways! The colors and smiles are always so vivid! You must be constantly amazed! After reading each post I am!
Tim Flanagan
March 24, 2017 at 00:53
I am amazed, especially by the people I’m meeting. There’s so much to write about, I can’t keep up with it all. And then there are days like today when I’m just staying in bed and catching up on tasks.
Julie Aquilizan
March 26, 2017 at 18:44
Thanks for sharing! Great pictures and it sounds like you are making the most of your time away! Dale and I are heading to Sayulita, Mexico for spring break and then I’m going to Morocco this summer!
Take care!
Julie
Tim Flanagan
March 26, 2017 at 23:22
So great to hear from you, Julie, and maybe it’s a good sign since I just applied to attend a conference in Portland! I’ll keep you posted on if I make it there. You’ll love Morocco!
Monica Schnee
April 20, 2017 at 17:39
Love the faces!
Tim Flanagan
April 21, 2017 at 04:38
Me, too!