La Castellana, the hardest hit local government unit by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Occidental, is celebrating the victory of its own Tribu Bailes de Luces, which was declared champion of the 2025 Dinagyang Festival’s Ilomination during closing rites Jan. 26.
The performers took home P500,000 in grand prize, as well as special awards for Best in Choreography, Best in Lighted Costume, Best in Lighted Production, Best in Light Design, Bingo Plus Best in Costume, and PowerMac Center’s Choice.
The Bailes de Luces dancers use LED (light-emitting diode) lights as main props, with their colorful costumes lighting up while performing.
Iloilo City’s Ilomination streetdance competition featured visiting competing groups in electrifying costumes and performances Saturday night before the final day of the festival.
“Thank you, Lord, for another feather in our cap. Our pride, the Bailes de Luces dancers. Congratulations, La Castelleños,” Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan said in a Facebook post.
In July last year, the Bailes de Luces dancers were named the Senior Champion-Dance Group in the 2024 World Champions of Performing Arts, held in California, USA.
They received the Best Foreign Performer Excellence Award at the 2022 Chungjang Recollection Festival in Dong-gu, Gwangju City and, in 2019, won in the foreign category of the Wonju Dynamic Dancing Carnival in Wonju City, both in South Korea.
Municipal information officer Remuel Seladan Lajo said in an interview Jan. 27 that the town’s achievement shows the resilience of the people of La Castellana amid the trials and uncertainties they are facing due to the unrest of Mt. Kanlaon.
“We will continue to showcase the Bailes de Luces Festival not only in the province but also in other parts of the country. We hope it will also serve as a venue to let other people and LGUs, as well as private groups, know that we need help for our affected constituents,” he added.
The annual Bailes de Luces (Dances of Lights) Festival, set between the last week of December and the first week of January, was canceled as La Castellana copes with the effects of the volcanic eruption Dec. 9.
Thousands of its residents have been displaced, with about 4,000 still staying in evacuation centers while Mt. Kanlaon remains under Alert Level 3. | PNA
