They Won’t Back Down: CADs at RX 931 Rhythm Street

It was extremely humid at Tiendesitas on the afternoon of December 3, and it was made even more humid by the mass of people converged around a stage in the middle of the food court.  Add to that the nearby stalls cooking their fare for the hungry people around Tiendesitas.  People were standing elbow-to-elbow and sitting on the floor, bags were strewn everywhere and placards, jackets, brushes and make-up kits littered the tables.  “Are you ready?” boomed RX 93.1 DJ Rico Robles and a deafening cheer erupted from the congregation, excitement vibrating throughout the cramped area.  It was RX 931 Rhythm Street Year 10, a street dance competition held by the Monster Radio station every year and the Company of Ateneo Dancers was one of the teams vying for the top prize.

CADs had a pretty rough start to the year.  Their much-coveted Skechers champion title taken away before they could defend it; and so it was indeed poetic justice to prove to the dance world that they hadn’t lost their touch with this competition.  For weeks and weeks, they worked until the late hours to show not that they were back, but that they were never gone.  The pressure was on to get back on their feet and make known that they are still a force to be reckoned with.

Around sixteen teams competed from different schools, all of them showcasing their best moves and their best stunts.  The competition was a show in itself, what with the costumes and the lights and the music, and the audience cheering and dancing along.  Cameras were clicking away and the energy was on such a high that the humidity was more or less forgotten.  CADs was one of the first to perform.  They entered the stage in their maroon-colored jackets, blue shirts and black pants and a huge chunk of the audience roared in support.  The sound of a gun being cocked as introduction to their music and all else was organized chaos.  They started strong and they finished strong and exited the stage, faces beaming.

There were breaks in between dances, where the station gave prizes to people who volunteered for games.  A small dance battle commenced at the end, to keep everyone distracted and to up the suspense for eventual release of results.  The judges were Chelo Aestrid and Sheena Vera Cruz, both formerly of the Philippine All-Stars, Bong Tan of The Maneuvers, and RX 93.1 DJ Jinri Park.  They enjoyed every performance, but of course, in the end, they had to choose the winners.  UP Manila’s Indayog bagged 2^nd Runner-Up while our very own Company of Ateneo Dancers won 1^st Runner-Up.  UP Diliman’s UPeepz were crowned the RX 931 Rhythm Street Year 10 champions.

The second place finish was more than enough of a redeeming victory for CADs to get their momentum back, proving that no matter what gets thrown their way, they’re not backing down.