2013 Mardi Gras Street Dancing Competition in San Pablo City, Laguna

* San Pableños in dancing craze

Finally, I was able to watch again the annual Mardi Gras (pronounced as mar-di-gra or ma-di-gra) here in San Pablo City, Laguna. This street dancing competition is part of the yearly Coconut Festival in the city held usually a week before the Feast of Saint Paul the First Hermit on January 15. As I recall, the last time I saw this event was when I was in high school.

The foreboding afternoon was not a deterrent; I went to the city plaza to witness the dances. All the participants started along Mabini Street in the general area of San Pablo Central School. There seemed to be a station (or was it stations?) where every participating group will have to show their prepared dance numbers. The music was not a problem since different mobiles are set up along the city plaza, all synchronized to play the same music for the contestants.

 * the dance presentation of the students from

the Dalubhasaan ng Lunsod ng San Pablo or DLSP

* all smiles: perhaps this is the most compelling

captured scene I have of the 2013 Mardi Gras

One little snag I observed during the competition was the frequent interruptions to the music as there seemed to be interview portions somewhere in the main stage involving politicians and candidates for the upcoming election. But who am I to judge? The whole festival itself is political in nature anyway. It’s just it was awkward to hear the groans of the participants waiting under the heat and the audience obviously suppressing the creeping boredom.

 * float of the Scout Royal Brotherhood or SRB

 

 * float of Tau Gamma Phi Fraternity

   

 * float of the Triskelion Alumni Organization

But generally the mood was festive, with different groups busy with picture taking while some groups opted to start dancing for the pleasure of those around them.

 

 

 * now we have a fine young lady here

As in the previous years, the event was not confined to dance numbers only. There were floats prepared by different schools, groups, and local establishments. Once again, the streets of the city proper were literally decorated with coconut-derived designs, from its leaves down to its trunk areas.