UST KEPT its UAAP streetdance championships as Prime and Galvanize, the University’s senior and junior division dance groups, respectively, won gold in the Season 86 competition at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, May 29.
Both teams incorporated Filipino-inspired themes into their choreography: UST Prime with a routine centered around “homecoming,” and UST Galvanize with an OPM-themed performance, leading to their gold medal-winning victories.
“Aside from getting our first back-to-back titles, we wanted to do something different and, at the same time, something light.” UST head coach Chips Beltran said.
Beltran said it took the teams about three months to finalize their performances.
In the collegiate event, UST Prime placed second in the artistic category with 45.10 points and topped the execution category for 45.20 points, good for a total of 90.30 markers.
The FEU Street Alliance, which performed a Mexican-inspired theme, bagged silver for the second time in three seasons with 89.17 points. UP Street Club, which paid tribute to jeepney drivers, settled for bronze with 86.33 points.
The Company of Ateneo Dancers improved to fourth place (86.17 points) with a “neutral” inspired theme, while the NU Dance Company (84.50 points) placed fifth with a routine inspired by outer space and futuristic elements.
The Adamson University Dance Company-Street with a futuristic theme (83.17 points) and the La Salle Dance Company (82.33 points) finished in sixth and seventh places.
“All of the teams stepped up this year. Most definitely, talagang i-raise ‘yong bar sa rehearsals, sa planning, sa training, sa program, sa recruitment to defend the title,” Beltran said.
In the high school competition, UST Galvanize scored 85.3 points, with 43.40 points from the artistic category and 41.90 points from the execution category.
Adamson secured silver for the second consecutive year with their futuristic-inspired routine, earning 84.50 points, while NU’s Bruno Mars-themed performance landed them a bronze medal with 79.33 points.
De La Salle Zobel, which presented a K-Pop routine, completed the four-team competition with 71.50 points