RIYADH, 1 December 2005 — If you haven’t seen a Masskara Dance Festival yet, today is your chance.
Just go to the Philippine Embassy before 6 p.m. and for only 10 riyals, you will see a representation of Bacolod’s most popular fiesta.
Organized by the Filipino Artist for Cultural Entertainment and Services (FACES), the festival highlights the presentation of candidates for “Miss Visayas 2005.” The title will be bestowed on the winner in the second canvassing of the Miss Fiesta Filipiniana 2005.
The candidates for the popularity contest are Sarah Bello, Fatimah Alimasan, Rizza de Guzman, Patricia Adrienne Umali, Rhona de Guzman, Alyssa Castro, Lemayel Lumalang, Kristine Anne Tiongson, Mary Lovely Ann Kun, Kristine Marie Liberato, Jofae Adefuin, Revelyn Carandang, Thahani Bajunaid and Stephanie Reyes.
The organizers also promised a fashion designing and modeling competition with candidates wearing a barong tagalog-inspired creation by designers and members of Riyadh Filipino Fashion Designers Association (RiFFDA) and a presentation from FACES Unlimited.
“We invite all dance groups to join in the revelry for a showdown with movements, costumes and choreography akin to the Masskara Festival, featuring Xtreme Impact Dancers, Artists League for Culture and Arts(ALCA), Riyadh Artists Guild International (RAGI), SPIS Flying Dragons and G-Com Dancers,” a statement by the organizers said.
Part of the proceeds of the FACES activity will go to Bahay Kalinga — a temporary shelter for distressed Filipino female workers in Riyadh, as well as the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), Bantay Bata 163 and Adopt-A-Hometown School Program of the Philippines’ TV network ABS-CBN.
FACES is organizing the show in cooperation by S4E, RAGI, ALCA, Xtreme Impact Dancers, G-Com Dancers, RiFFDA, and Arab National Bank (ANB) Telemoney as the show’s major sponsor. APM, or the Asosasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit, will present a prelude to the concert during the third canvassing on Dec. 29.
“Experience fiesta right in the heart of the desert,” a FACES invitation urged the public.