Sinulog Festival 2008 Guidelines

I got this post from Leylander. The Cebu Sinulog Foundation has already released the Official Guidelines for the upcoming Sinulog Festival 2008.

Sinulog Festival is a celebration on honor of the Child Jesus also known as the Santo Niño. The event is held every 3rd Sunday of January in the City of Cebu. Sinulog is actually a prayer dance ritual characterized by the movement of two steps forward, and one step backward, immitating the flow of the river or the Sulog.

? General Guidelines

1.? ? The competition is open to all and shall highlight again the theme “One Beat,? One Dance, One Vision”.

2. Registation starts on December 3, 2007 and shall end on January 5, 2008.

3. In order to qualify as a valid contest category, the total entry shall reach ten (10) competitors. Should there be less than ten registered competitors, the contest category shall be deemed “No Contest”. Cash prizes and trophies shall revert back to the Foundation.

4. The composition of the contingest shall be within the minimun of sixty (60) and a maximum of One Hundred (100) dancers. An excess of one or two dancers shall merit a 3-point deduction from the total score.

5. A minimun of twenty (20) and a maximum of thirty five (35) instrumentalists shall accompany the dancers. They must be in proper attire consistent to their theme.

6. One support vehicle shall be allowed per contingent/float. Support staff for each contingent/float shall be limited to twenty (20).

7. All hand props shall be carried by the dancers all throughout the parade route.

8. Backdrops shall be within the 10-12 feet height and 35-40 meters width. These shall be allowed on stage however, no contingent shall leave props, backdrops, etc. at the back of the stage and premises of the Cebu City Sports Center. Violation of this guideline will merit twenty (20) points deduction from the total score.

9. The use of wheels in the street and stage shall be allowed however, guideline No. 8 will? still be followed.

10. Appropriate footwear consistent to the theme/motif shall be used by all the participants.

11. Contingents shall be accommodated at designated public schools. Accommodation starts on Thursday, January 17, 2008. Contingents? shall bring their own sleeping gears. For reservation, kindly? contact the Sinulog? Office at 2545010/2533700.

12. Local transportation shall be provided. However, boat/bus fare and meals shall be shouldered by the contingent.

13. All major prize winners in the Grand Parade contest categories are obliged as a condition precedent to perform during the awarding ceremonies on Monday, January 21, 2008 at 2:00 PM, at the Cebu Sports Center.

14. The decision of the Sinulog Board of Judges in any contest categories shall be final and unappealable. Questions or clarifications will not be entertained after the announcement of winners.

15. Absolutely, no participant or contingents’ representative shall contact in any way or manner any judge before or after the competition.

16. In order to preserve the non-political, democratic, and ecumenical objectives of Sinulog, participants are prohibited from exhibiting or manifesting acts or gestures offensive to any aggrupation or groups and movements. In the event of any violation of this rule, the Committee reserves the right to disallow the offending contingent to continue further its pratticipation in the parade.

17. To avoid public disturbance during the parade, spectators are urged from indulging in excession drinking or alcoholic drinks that may cause them to molest parade participants and spectators. Violators shall be dealt with by the members of the Cebu Police Department and Baranggay Tanods in the parade route.

18. Merry-makers during the parade are prohibited from smudging and wiping with facial make-up or black substance or the like. This act will cause fights and/or street brawls that may scare our devotees as well as local and foreign tourists. Violators shall be dealt with by the Cebu Police Department and Baranggay Tanods in the parade route.

19. As host, the Cebu City Government will perform as guest contingent and will head the parade. Other guest contingents will follow thereafter. However, they must have approval of the committee for their participation. To ensure their places in the parade route, they must register and follow strictly set guidelines.

20. Head of the contingents shall submit the lists of dancers, instrumentalists, and support staff to the Secretariat Office for insurance requirements.