JEDDAH, 9 September 2007 — A team of workers from Kudo Restaurant fastfood chain, who said they just wanted to dance, got more than what they expected on Friday when they won in one of two categories in a dance competition at Jeddah’s La Parilla Restaurant.

Kudo’s six-member “The Ground Breakers” team, led by Gerald Ofemia, emerged as champion in hip-hop, one of two contests organized by the newly formed community group Hawak Kamay Gabay Organization headed by Mel Bargamento.

Clad in a Mang Kepweng costumes, the group wowed the audience with their fast-track steps and energetic dance movements in an elaborately well-choreographed dance number to the tune of the late Yoyoy Villame’s Mag-exercise Tayo and Vhong Navarro’s Don Romantiko.

A love song titled Somebody paved the way for the much faster song Paradox that transformed the dancers into a military like contingent and earned them a resounding applause.

“Suwerte lang. Sumali kami hindi para manalo, kundi para makapag-bigay-saya sa mga tao at ipakita ang aming kakayahan at hilig sa pagsayaw (It’s only by mere luck that we won. We joined the contest simply to give joy and to show our talent and our love for dancing,” said Ofemia, whose group includes Charlie, Randy, Jojo, and Rowel from Kudo and Cleford Obligado.

In addition to the top trophy, the group won a cash prize and gift certificates from Sky Freight Forwarders.

Taking first runner-up place was the KAMC Movers. G-Pop Dancers from the Fuddrockers was named 2nd runner-up.

KAMC Movers presented a stunning dance performance to the tune of techno-dance music Amokk. The group composed of hospital workers from King Abdulaziz Medical City included Cesar Ramirez, Sandie Leonen, Randy Dangel, Winston Arca, and Arman Mina.

Meanne Aninon, the team’s manager, said she was double happy that her group also won the “best in costume” award.

For the Ballroom King and Queen contest, Corazon Pajarillaga and Ed Viray won the top trophy, plus a cash prize and a gift certificate.

In addition to the dance contestants, the four-hour program also featured songs and dances to the tune of jive, mambo, tango, cotillion, ballroom, presented by the HK Dancers. “Our objective is to promote camaraderie through songs and dances,” said Hawak Kamay president Mel Bargamento.

During the same event, Assistant Labor Attache Wesley Gacutan administered the oath of office to the Hawak Kamay officers. Adding spice to the event were Fesscor singing talents Sonny Austria, Art Cruz and Mary Grace Icasiano, who helped entertain the audience.

Erwin Reyes and Malou dela Merced hosted the program.

The other sponsors were the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers (PSME), the United Filipino Organization (Unifil), and The Filipino Channel.