by pna
MassKara Festival kicked off Monday with a grand ceremonies at the Bacolod public plaza and carnival rides at SM City Bacolod, a festival co-presenter capped by display of fireworks.
The elimination round of the 2nd GMA DanssKara: The MassKara Dance Showdown, featuring 20 dance groups highlighted the opening, Festival director Eli F. J. Tajanlangit said.
DanssKara aimed to highlight another breed of dancers who wore low-tech masks.
Now on its 33rd year,this year's theme “Life’s Good in Bacolod,†the event will run from Oct. 1 - 22.
Among the highlights of the celebration are the street dancing competitions on Oct. 20 and 21, Electric MassKara on Oct. 19 to 21, MassKara Art Weekend on Oct. 5 to 7, MassKara Queen coronation night on Oct. 18, Majica MassKara on Oct. 5, DanssKara on Oct. 1 and 22, and Tanda! Sing na, Dance Pa! The Inter-Barangay Talent Competition on Oct. 1 to 22.
For the first time, this year’s Electric MassKara will be held for three nights — Oct. 19, 20, and 21, at the Tourism Strip along Lacson Street that will be converted into one giant street party to encourage revelers to dance, instead of just watching people dance or sing, Tajanlangit said.
On Oct. 5, the ninth installation of Majica MassKara dubbed “Ang Bukid kag Baybay sa Bacolod (The Mountain and The Sea in Bacolod) will be unveiled at the public plaza at 7 p.m.
Two lighted floats carrying figures and forms, creatures and characters from the seas on the one hand and the mountains on the other will meet at the plaza.
The artworks were done by Charlotte Rodriguez and Neil Benevante and their team of artists, under the direction of Charlie Co, from the concept of Peque Gallaga.
This year’s festival will highlight the rich artistic culture of Bacolod, Tajanlangit said, and will be showcased during the MassKara Art Weekend on Oct. 5 to 7.
Likewise, other activities lined-up at the public plaza include Living Rosary every 6 p.m. from Oct. 7 to 11, Nights of Mardi Gras every 8:30 p.m. from Oct. 9 to 11, MassKara Preview on Oct. 16 at 6 p.m., Parade of Masks and Drumbeaters every night at 8:30, and SMB Music Night every night starting 7:30.
Ordinary folks from 61 Bacolod barangays will get a chance to participate in the festival through a contest dubbed “Tandáº! Sing Na, Dance Pa!The MassKara Inter-Barangay Talent Competition.â€
The first-ever inter-barangay competition in partnership with the Liga ng mga Barangay will be conducted in two categories — vocal solo and solo dance, to be held every night from Oct. 2 to 22 at the plaza.
From October 2 to 19, five contestants will compete in the vocal solo and five contestants for solo dance at San Juan, Gonzaga, and Gatuslao Sts. starting at 7 p.m. nightly. Weekly semi-finals will be on Oct. 7, 13, 19, while the grand finals is on Oct. 22 at the streets around the plaza: San Juan, Gonzaga, Gatuslao.
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