The UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe has enlisted the aid of new coaches and support staff in preparation for their BLACKPINK-themed routine in the UAAP Season 86 cheerdance competition.
Following a bronze-medal finish in Season 85, Salinggawi, seeking to break a 17-year title drought, added more “minds and hands,” coach Mark Chaiwalla said.
“This year, not much is new when it comes to the elemental preparations compared to past seasons,” he told the Varsitarian. “But I brought in more minds and hands. In fact, I have a main assistant for cheer and a sports scientist who handles the kids, especially those who have injuries.”
Chaiwalla said in addition to dealing with injuries, managing the members’ schedules posed a challenge for the team this year.
“We have some members who are working and in graduate school, whose classes end at nine in the evening,” he said.
“But of course, these challenges are there for a reason, so we really work it out, and I’m really happy with what we’ve come up with this year.”
Salinggawi regards its BLACKPINK-themed routine this year as a continuation of the Lady Gaga-inspired theme that earned the team its first podium finish in five years last year.”
“It’s a very timely theme for pop culture, not just locally but especially globally, because the Blackpink fanbase is so huge,” he said. “Many would truly enjoy and relate to the fun concert vibes. Everybody could dance to it as this year’s theme.”
Similar to how he characterized Salinggawi’s “challenging” routine the previous year, Chaiwalla noted that the team has elevated the difficulty level of its performance for this year.
“There are some skills which will be performed for the first time in this routine, and it’s really going to add up to that difficulty score,” he said. “That’s why I said it’s really going to be the most difficult routine of Salinggawi ever.”
In Season 85, UST secured the third spot in the dance category with a total of 348 points. It also claimed the third spot in tosses, tumbling and stunts, earning 64.5, 82.5 and 75 points, respectively.
UST shares the record for the most number of UAAP cheerdance titles with the University of the Philippines, both boasting eight titles each. National University, the defending champion, is just one championship away from creating a three-way tie for the most crowns in UAAP cheerdance history.
Salinggawi is the lone team in the UAAP to win five consecutive titles. Similar to the cheerdance competition in Season 84, UST is scheduled to be the final team to perform in Season 86.
This year’s cheerdance competition is set to take place on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 2 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena. with reports from John Peter L. Cajayon
