THE UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe (SDT) recorded its best finish in seven years, placing second to defending champion National University (NU) Pep Squad in the 2015 UAAP Cheerdance Competition at the Mall of Asia Arena last Oct. 3.
Performing before a record crowd of 25,388, Salinggawi and its African-inspired routine got 651.5 points behind NU’s 668 points.
With an inarguably perfect routine, SDT led the competition in the dance criteria with 354 points with a deduction only three points. But NU’s caveman-themed routine was still good points for its third straight cheerdance crown.
This was SDT’s fifth silver in cheerdance history. Salinggawi still shares the most number of cheerdance titles with University of the Philippines Pep Squad at eight.
Despite having the best dance routine, SDT was just second in the tumbling and tosses criteria behind NU.
Team captain Gladys Eunice Cruz said the SDT’s main goal was perfecting the routine.
“Sobrang saya naming lahat kasi before kami magperform, [iniisip lang namin na] basta lang ma-hit ng maayos ‘yung routine and maging malinis lang ‘yung execution. [N]ag-focus lang talaga kami and hindi kami nagpakain sa pagod. Nagtulungan lang ‘yung buong team, lumaban hanggang huli nang magkakasama,” Cruz told the Varsitarian.
SDT also bagged gold in this year’s group stunts category with 239.5 points, topping NU and FEU, which settled for silver and bronze, respectively.
Last year’s silver medalists UP Pep Squad finished third with 610.5 points while the Far Eastern University Cheering Squad placed fourth after garnering 583.5 points.
At fifth spot was the University of the East Pep Squad with 583 points, followed by the De La Salle University Animo Squad which registered 538.5 points for sixth place.
Adamson University Pep Squad finished at seventh placewith 513.5 points while the Ateneo De Manila University Blue Babble Battalion was dead last with 412 points. Carlo A. Casingcasing
