 |
| 2012 UAAP Cheerdance Champions, UP Pep Squad (Photo by GMA News) |
I am very much clueless as to why I
watched the 2012 Samsung UAAP Cheerdance Competition today. All I know is that
my blogger friend, Clarrise E., wanted to see the event but was prevented by
her nursing duties from doing so. Hence, I decided to “live text” the
competition to her (Yes, my version of “live blog” for those who don’t have
WiFi access on their mobile devices) as I monitored events on TV.
I am a graduate of the Philippine
Normal University, and even when I was in college, all these collegiate basketball
thing didn’t get impressed on me even if my alma mater was a member of the
SCUAA and has its own long-standing tradition of cheerdancing through its PNU
Cheering Team (led by the eternal Dr. Minerva Atanacio). But my, oh my, I found
myself glued to the performances and having a great time. Perhaps, my tendency
to find meaning in everything and anything was incited once more, and had me staying tuned and analyzing each performance with clockwork precision.
It had started when I opened the tivo
and I’ve missed the performance of Adamson University and De La Salle
University. UAAP host school, National University, was performing a routine
that resembled “Be Our Guest” from Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” complete
with tin drummer boy costumes and makeshift drums. It was like watching Cirque du Soleil when they were still amateurs. The complex stunts, while executed
with ease weren’t delivered with much finesse.
Next performer, Far Eastern
University, did a better job of making an impression with its Tamaraw-inspired
costumes which changed throughout the performance. A Tamaraw emblazoned on
their chests was revealed after the performers removed their top. With complex
stunts and gracefully executed moves, they managed to steal the show. They
topped the routine with an act resembling “Circle of Life” from Disney’s “Liong
King”, with dancers donning tamaraw head hats on top of human pride rocks
instead of Mufasa.
What University of the East hasn’t
learned from previous UAAP Cheerdances is that you shouldn’t copy the defending
champion’s signature look from the previous year. Resembling UP Pep Squad’s
radical look in 2011, the UE Pep Squad bleached their hair and wore ridiculous
capes (Edna Mode from Disney’s “The Incredibles”: “No capes!"). They topped the
ridiculous look with a mess of stunts and erratic execution.
A lot expected UST Salinggawi Dance
Troupe to give UP Pep Squad a run for its money. But with a mardi gras-inspired
performance which desperately mimicked the film “Rio” and an obviously darkened
cheerdancer-come-samba queen, combined with execution flaws and stunt errors,
the performance went bursting its seams. Such was the disappointment for UST
that it even went trending on Twitter out of people’s utter disbelief for
failure to deliver.
Ateneo de Manila University’s Blue
Babble Battalion saved everyone from the boredom with a refreshing performance
evoking 80s rock and 90s anime themes. Who would’ve thought that the opening
theme from “Maskman” (“Humanda na kayo / kampon ng kadiliman / oras na ng
pagtutuos…”) would be a cool cheerdance beat? The execution was near flawless
and the transitions smooth and sauve. Closing the performance, they formed a
huge Voltes V robot made from cardboard boxes. It was generational—making
viewers from both the 80s and the 90s, as well as contemporary fans, relate to
their performance.
And then it was time for defending
champion, UP Pep Squad, to prove once more why they are indeed the Cheerdance
Competition champions for two years in a row. Had it not been for a spoiler on
Twitter, I would’ve been totally shocked at the sight of performers with shaved
heads. But damn, it still had me in disbelief! It was just radical, with the
theme music invoking images of Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” and “Batman”
trilogy. The performance was “UP” there with signature UP colors and moves (the
“Oblation” pose) all delivered with seamless coordination and delicate precision. This was the epitome of finesse that I was looking for since I
started watching and had escaped my consciousness for the past two years. By
the end of the performance, I was strongly in favor of them winning, with ADMU and
FEU as my 1st and 2nd runner up bets.
And “8” happened! To the judges and the viewing masses, there was no doubt that UP deserved the 3-peat champion
that was awarded to them and broke UST’s 8-win record. There was also no doubt
as to FEU’s 1st place win, while NU’s 2nd place award had
everyone in shock and crying foul over claims of lutong Macau and Henry Sy
magic. After all, NU is owned by the illustrious mall magnate and FEU alumnus.
I would’ve joined Pinoy Twitterverse in decrying the results and lobbied for
ADMU, but realizing that their performance was all too familiar to the crowd, I
was pretty much convinced of the outcome. After all, themes are not just the
criteria of the competition.
 |
| FEU Cheering Team, 1st Runner UP in the 2012 UAAP Cheerdance Competition (Photo by The Romeo-Garcia via Twitter) |
What made UP and FEU worthy of the
accolades is their flawless expression of school identity and pride. FEU
showcased the Tamaraw and its strong physique and brash temperament as part of
their attire and moves, which symbolized the school and its members’ audacity
and determination to achieve their academic goals as an institution. UP highlighted
and emphasized its tradition of academic freedom as well as the values upheld
by its members (i.e. gender equality). Hence, the shaved heads and the
passionate, radical, yet free-flowing routines and stunts that made them truly
deserving of UAAP Cheerdance Competition’s highest honors.
Congratulations to all the
participating teams of the 2012 Samsung UAAP Cheerdance Competition and most
especially to the winners: National University, Far Eastern University, and the
University of the Philippines!
