Scenes on the street, seen from above.
Before the grand showdown at the Coastal Road, contingents of the Kadayawan Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan 2026 paraded on the downtown streets. While photographers capture the action on street level, it has become my tradition to catch the street dancing from a different point of view—from the top.
A bird's eye view captures another interesting facet of the performance, like synchronicity. Why it matters? The overhead view can reveal several factors, like spatial geometry and timing errors. If the choreography is executed to perfection, the bird (read: viewer from above) will chirp, flap its wings, bob its head, and hop in delight.
Prior to impressing the judges on the grand stage in the evening competition, they weaved through the streets of Davao with dance routines that wowed the festival-goers. It was a peek of what was to come in the main event set at sundown.
The Oriental Street Vibe. From Mati City, Davao Oriental, the Balangay City High Performing Arts bags the crown for the third time, achieving a three-peat win, and bagging the 2026 top prize of two million pesos as grand champion in the Open Category.
Synchronicity matters. In the Davao City School-Based Category, Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School's MANA Performing Arts Ensemble was named the 2026 grand champion, taking home the P1.7 million cash prize.
Enjoy!
