Ilocanos to converge for 3rd ‘Tan-ok’

By Grazielle Mae A. Sales

PGIN-CMO

The countdown starts today in the Province of Ilocos Norte as December 6 marks the most anticipated third installment of the biggest dance festival showdown up north.

Dubbed as “Tan-ok ni Ilocano” Festival of Festivals (Greatness of Ilocano), the event is created to unite all the provinces’ 21 municipalities and two cities by giving them a venue to showcase their respective festival dances.

Dancers from Laoag City's "Pamulinawen Festival" onstage at the Tan-ok ni Ilocano: the Festival of Festivals 2012 wherein they became Champions, having “been defeated by Batac City in the first "Tan-ok" the previous year. (PGIN-CMO)

These dances reflect their unique culture whether in products, livelihood, history, religion, tradition, natural heritage or the combination of all. The showdown will be held in the Ferdinand E. Marcos Stadium, Laoag City.

According to Ianree Raquel, the provincial tourism officer, preparations like stage design and rehearsals are now ongoing.

“We’re mounting a bigger show…The representatives of every municipality are really working hard to prepare for the event and we owe it to them,” Raquel said.

Since its debut last 2011, Tan-ok has been gathering thousands of spectators, with an estimated 20,000 recorded last year.

The crowd usually includes visitors from neighboring provinces, tourists as well as television celebrities and respected personalities from the world of culture and the arts. Among them were international visual artist and fashion designer Leeroy New, model and host Georgina Wilson, and Filipino dance icon and ballet guru Nonoy Froilan.

All the towns and cities in the province are expected to come up with their own dance interpretations of their respective festivals. Original songs or jingles are also encouraged during the competition.

Performing groups are usually made up of young talented Ilocanos who are in a battle of astounding choreography and concept though winners usually add some fun twists which maybe in the form of spectacular props or surprise acts.

“A big effort is being exerted by the youth, the school teachers, tourism officers and several local government unit officials. We will have the best representation of the municipalities,” Raquel added.

Dancers from Batac City's "Empanada Festival" onstage at the Tan-ok ni Ilocano: the Festival of Festivals 2012 wherein they won 2nd place. (PGIN-CMO)

Batac City’s Empanada Festival which was the champion during the first year of Tan-ok displayed some astonishing pirouettes as performers reenact the creation of giant ‘empanadas’, the famous Ilocano orange-colored Ilocano snack.

Besting them during the second year of Tan-ok is Laoag City’s Pamulinawen Festival whose performers nailed the folk-ballet plus acrobatic interpretation of the traditional Ilocano courtship, wowing the audience with colossal props and a giant mechanical ‘kalesa’.

Other remarkable presentations were by the municipality of Banna which paraded its ant mascots to showcase the townsfolk’s art of harvesting ‘abuos’ or ant eggs to be served as an exotic delicacy; the gateway town of Badoc for its artistic interpretation of the legendary arrival of image of the province’s patroness, La Virgen Milagrosa; and the coastal town of Bangui which brought life-sized replicas of its highly-admired windmills.

According to Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos, this “festival of masses” aims to boost the Ilocano “sense of pride, unity and greatness” and to promote the province’s bounty and potential in tourism.

Major cash prizes await top performing groups which in turn can be utilized for livelihoods, services and other projects for the people.

Other new activities which are pegged to complement this year’s Tan-ok Festival of Festivals are the launching of Sirib Express (November 20-22), a program which aims to empower the Ilocano youth; the inauguration of the Sirib Heroes Walk (December 4) at Rizal Park, Sirib Mile, Laoag City; the Sarita ni Ilokano Inter-High School Debates 2013 and the awarding of the winners of the Tan-ok Graphic Novel Contest (both on December 4-5).

Dancers from Pinili's "Bawang Festival" onstage at the Tan-ok ni Ilocano: the Festival of Festivals 2012 wherein they won third place. (PGIN-CMO)