A group of out-of-school youths from Bais City, Negros Oriental, who formed themselves as the Slim Shadow Crew 16 years ago is now vying for honors and pride in the biggest hip-hop dance festival 2017 World Supremacy Battlegrounds at the Bankstown Sports Club in Sydney Australia scheduled on October 5-8.
The group’s founder and choreographer Marijun Vidal said on Tuesday many of its original members had finished high school and college out of prizes they won in competitions in and outside the province because their guiding principle is “no school, no dancing.”
Their latest feat was when they made it to the top five in the south leg elimination in Davao in April this year and had the chance to represent the country in the world competition of hip-hop dancers.
SSC manager Joseph Ceriales and road manager Dennis Caballero said their visas and passports including accommodation had been taken care of, but their biggest problem right now is their fare which is P33,000 for a round trip ticket for each of the 15 members of the dance crew.
Bais City Mayor Mercy Teves Goñi, a Bayanihan dancer herself during her younger years, is going all out to support the dance crew but she can only do so much as she appealed for help so the amount needed for their fare and accidental expenses can be shouldered to give them the opportunity to show their skills and talents.
She said representing the country in itself is already a pride for Bais City and the province of Negros Oriental.
Mayor Goñi said she watched these young boys perform and are very professional and she finds them very promising.
The Slim Shadow Crew is not just into dancing as they were chosen as one of the awardees for the Negros Oriental Young Heroes award dubbed “Gawad Parangal ng Kabataan” in March this year for their community work in Negros Oriental and in other parts of the country as Gawad Kalinga ambassadors.
The have conducted dance workshops in Tatalon, a squatters area in Quezon City, in Lanao del Norte and in other places.
The dance crew is expected to fly to Australia by the end of this month if they will be able to raise the needed amount for their fare. In seeking for help, Mayor Goni said no matter how small a contribution would be especially if it comes from the heart, the group will graciously accept the same, in saying God loves a cheerful giver. (Juancho Gallarde/PNA)
