MANILA – After two years of not winning the UAAP Cheerdance title, how can the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Salinggawi Dance Troupe (SDT) prove that it is worthy of the crown again?

SDT president Sky Bautista admitted that their group lacked in the technical aspect last year, the main reason why they had a runner-up finish to back-to-back champion University of the Philippines (UP) Pep Squad.

“Sa criteria noong nakaraang taon, mas binigyang diin ang technical aspect kaysa dance set. At nasa dance ang kalakasan ng Salinggawi,” said Bautista. “Kaya ngayon, pinag-iigihan namin ang aming mga kahinaan.”

SDT, the eight-time UAAP cheerdance champion, has been preparing very hard for a shot at reclaiming the title.

From 5 p.m. until the UST campus closes at 10 p.m., the SDT tirelessly works on its routine.

According to Bautista, they have also added gymnastics and weightlifting (for the boys) in their practice regimen.

Emerging from the shadows

Another edge for Salinggawi is having a coach that belonged to the group.

SDT choreographer Ryan Silva, who is a former member, is the architect of the group’s five straight championships in this decade.

For Silva, it is not enough that SDT sticks to only one genre that is why the group is also getting into jazz, hip-hop, ballet and gymnastics in their practices.

With the competition bar being raised every year, Bautista is not assuring the Thomasian community and the SDT fans that they can finally emerge from the shadows of arch-rival UP Pep Squad.

He was quick to add, though, that they have a great chance of making it to the top three.

With this modest prediction comes the belief that “winning is not everything.” For them, it is more important to give their best in their performance to make the UST crowd proud. Winning would only be a “bonus”.

“(Ang pagkakapanalo) ay nasa kamay ng mga judges,” said Bautista. “Ang importante ay may matutunan kami sa isa’t isa sa pagdaan ng panahon kasi ang pagsayaw ay isang learning process.”

The discipline and tireless effort they put in practice is what makes the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe members ready for the annual spectacle on Sept.13 at the Araneta Coliseum. -- Mary Athena D. De Paz, UST Correspondent, www.varsitarian.net; with a report from Charizze L. Abulencia, UST Correspondent

(This story was originally published by Varsitarian.net in Filipino last August)

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