SEVERAL dancers from different dance crews joined forces in hopes of giving UST its first UAAP street dance competition title.
Prime, formerly known as UST Hype, started as a fusion of Flux and Project Pax, the winner and first runner-up teams, respectively, in the intercollegiate dance contest “Hype.”
Now, it was more diverse with members from various college dance troupes around UST such as Watah, Arki Dancetroupe, Casa Footwork and Archetypes and professional street dance groups UPeepz, A-Team, Alliance and Legit Status.
“We recruited some Thomasian dancers who are still enrolled in the University to formally put up the team for UAAP,” Prime team captain Meeko Evangelista said. “I think it is an advantage that we are experienced dancers individually.”
Prime will benefit from the international championship experiences of A-Team and UPeepz that both won gold in the Hip Hop International MegaCrew Division in 2014 and 2016, respectively.
Heading into the UAAP street dance championships, the group is looking to sustain the momentum from its first-place-finish in the NCR qualifiers of the National Dance Competition last Jan. 28 that propelled them to the national finals on March 10.
Prime in limbo
Despite winning third in the UAAP street dance last year, UST’s first podium-finish since the event started in 2011, the dance troupe is still unsure of representing the University this season.
Evangelista said they still have not received word from the Institute of Physical Education and Athletics on donning the University colors.
“The decision on who will represent UST is out of our hands but we really wish it would be us since we want to improve from last year’s performance,” Evangelista added.
Prime was advised to join IPEA’s “Step-Up” dance contest last November, wherein the winner gains an opportunity to represent the University in the UAAP. The group won gold in the said contest.
“To be recognized as the University’s official street dance team is our main goal. As for becoming an organization, we might need some advice on that.”
