Six festival champions in the Visayas and Mindanao will lead the 41 groups to showcase the 2006 Sandugo Streetdancing which is conceded as the biggest and most colorful episode during the past 18 years.

The parade will kick-off at 9:30 this morning with lead contingents starting off at J.A. Clarin St. corner Janssen Heights. The parade assembly goes all the way back to the Central Market-Island City Mall area.

This year's streetdancing is a non-competition performance, giving the participating groups free interpretation in portraying Boholano heritage, culture and art and the message of the Blood Compact, the treaty of friendship sealed between Boholano chieftain Datu Sikatuna and Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.

City Mayor Dan Lim, Bohol Sandugo Foundation, Inc. chairman, invited world-class performances of the country's famous festivals like "Ati-atihan" of Aklan, "Masskara" of Bacolod City, "Sinanduloy" of Misamis Occidental, "Dinagyang" of Iloilo City, "Hambabalud" of Negros Oriental, "Basaknon" of Cebu City will be this year's top crowd drawers together with former local champs Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School (formerly BNHS) and the Panglao Cultural Group.

The groups will perform progressive dance steps from the starting point (J.A. Clarin St.) turning at CPG Avenue (beside PNB) through Tablot St. and making an entry into the CPG Sports Complex via Torralba St. entrance, where the participants will render full performances, according to Carmen Gatal, streetdancing chairperson.

Other local street dance performers are Holy Trinity School Foundation, St. Therese "Bulalakaw Group", Holy Infant School, Tagbilaran City Central Elementary School, and the elementary schools of Dampas, Mansasa, Bool, City East, Tiptip, Manga, Taloto, Booy, Booy South, Cogon, Eastern Cogon, Ubujan, Cabawan, San Isidro, and Dao.

Local high schools include City Science High School, Cogon Night High School, Manga High School, San Isidro High School, Mansasa High School and Holy Spirit School which will perform together with selected school alumni.

Participating college groups include Bohol Institute of Technology, University of Bohol and CVSCAFT - Tagbilaran Campus.

TBTK groups such as the Bohol-Philippines International Association of Hongkong, SK/TBTK Youth, Boholano Association of Washington (BOGWAS) as well as socio-civic and business groups will join the parade with floats of the Bohol Association of Hotels Resorts and Restaurants (BAHRR), Bohol Quality, Bohol Bankers Association, Ebusiness Services, Inc., M. Lhuiller and Island City Mall.

The candidates of Miss Bohol International and Mrs. Bohol Int'l will also be joining the parade.

Special awards will be given to the participants, such as Best in Choreography, Most Creative/Unique Group, Best in Production Design, Best in Costume, Most Authentic Group, Best Instrumentation, among others.

Selected Boholano talents trained and choreographed by Gardi Labad will do a re-enactment of the Blood Compact after the performance of all participating contingents.
The guest performers are expected to showcase indigenous and acrobatic dance steps.

A fireworks display will follow right after the re-enactment while the finals of the "Battle of the Bands" conclude the day's activities.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

The search for Miss Bohol International will take center stage on Friday, 7 pm at the Holy Name University gym.

Meanwhile, the Bohol International Youth Forum will be held at the Meridian Hotel on the same day.

The activity is expected to be participated by youth leaders coming from here and abroad.

Related youth events are the river-cruising on the Abatan River and Biodeversity Challenge at Rajah Sikatuna Nature Park in Bilar town on Tuesday.

The recognition and awarding of the Ten Outstanding Boholanos Around the World (TOBAW) will be on Saturday.