Written By Marie Leen Obal and Researched by Bianca Ysabel M. Lapid | April 28, 2026
SAYAW HATAW XVIII: Passion in Motion
IT takes a village to raise a child, and in Sayaw Hataw, that same sense of community is what builds every crew on stage. Now in its 18th year, the competition returned with a bigger, bolder, one-day street dance battle. Organized by Bedanz Dance Troupe Alabang (BDTA), the annual inter-school competition gathered seasoned high school and college dance crews onto a single stage.
Each crew stepped onto the floor carrying months of rehearsals and the effort of everyone behind them. Sayaw Hataw took place on April 18 at Town Plaza, Alabang Town Center. The event was hosted by Gab Campos, with judges John Alvin of URBANLIFESTYLE, Gella Gonzales of Dancehall Manila and Power Impact Dancers, and Lema Diaz (Lemabee) of Philippine AllStars and StreetQueens.
Starting Point
The High School Division opened with remarks from Prof. Michael Dela Cruz, Dean of Student Affairs, setting the tone before 14 crews representing different schools across the South took the stage.
From Monlimar Development Academy Inc. (Monlimar Prime), Far Eastern University Cavite (Tams Dance Company), University of Perpetual Help System DALTA – Molino (ALTAS In Motion), Lyceum of Alabang (ALTA Dance Troupe), Schola De Vita (SDV FUSION JRS.), Far Eastern University Alabang (FEUSED), Divine Light Academy (DLDC), Holy Rosary College (HRC Dance Company), Las Piñas City National Science High School (Bayle Lapisciano), University of Perpetual Help System DALTA – Las Piñas (Perpetual Dance Company), Treston International College (LStreet), FAITH Fidelis Senior High School (FCDC Rooks), Mater Dei Academy (Mater Dei Dance Company), and University of Perpetual Help System DALTA – Calamba (AFK), each crew stepped forward carrying its own rhythm, discipline, and identity.
An opening number from Cherifer, one of Sayaw Hataw’s sponsors, marked the transition into performance, before the segment closed with remarks from Bedanz moderator Prof. Cynthia Manalo, concluding the High School Division. The College Division followed, with Bedanz opening the segment through an intermission number before 18 crews took the stage.
The lineup included STI College Calamba (The ALL Out 2.0), Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa (BLCKMVMNT), City College of Tagaytay (UPSKILLZ), Laguna State Polytechnic University – San Pablo City (Kunday Elites), Phima St. Jude College (Undefined Crew), National College of Science and Technology (Sanglaw Generation), University of Perpetual Help System DALTA campuses in Las Piñas, Calamba, and Molino, Manila Tytana Colleges (Tytana Bailadores), National University Dasmariñas (NU-Dasma Vibin'), De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute (Animovement), Lyceum of Alabang (ALTA Dance Troupe), Dr. Filemon C. Aguilar Memorial College of Las Piñas Main (DFCampany), Polytechnic University of the Philippines – San Pedro (Hiyas Dance Troupe), Far Eastern University Alabang (Phenom Dance Crew), University of the Philippines Los Baños (WYRE Underground of UPLB), and Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna (Malayan Dance Crew).
It Takes A Village
Beyond what is seen on stage, it takes a village to build a crew. For Sayaw Hataw project lead and BDTA president Zoe Sua-an (IV-BACMS), this year felt different; more crews than expected, reaching from the north to the south, and a level of attention they had not anticipated. That growing recognition, she shared, has given them the confidence to aim bigger, reach more partners, and push further than any previous edition of Sayaw Hataw.
For a mother watching her child perform, it becomes a moment filled with anticipation, where pride and pressure quietly exist side by side. A mother of a performer from ALTA Dance Troupe shared her confidence in the group, saying, “Just continue your passion for dancing, and I will continue to support you.”
For some, it marked their first time stepping into Sayaw Hataw, while others returned to a stage they had grown familiar with. A member of DLDC, a graduating Grade 12 student, described the experience as one of presence rather than pressure, choosing to stay grounded in the moment as it unfolded.
NU-Dasma Vibin' president, King Sean Drick Bellen, shared that the crew arrived from World of Dance Philippines 2026 with only two weeks to prepare and 12 members who volunteered to join. Their piece, rooted in grief and letting go, moved through loss — of old versions of oneself, of passions, of people who once felt like home, and toward whatever comes next.
After the Final Beat
Before the winners were announced, a freestyle battle took place — CJ of Undefined Crew took the win. Guest performances from Creative Collective and Vibes on Vibes followed, with the judges also taking the stage for a showcase of their own.
Sayaw Hataw Vol. XVIII closed with recognition across both divisions. In the High School Division, Divine Light Dance Company took the championship, with Altas In Motion as first runner-up and Perpetual Dance Company second. Altas In Motion, last year's champion, returned and secured a first runner-up finish. The College Division saw Undefined Crew claim the top spot, followed by NU-Dasma Vibin' as first runner-up, and Altas In Motion as second. Coming off back-to-back championships in Sayaw Hataw XVI and XVII, Altas In Motion entered this year as returning champions — a reign that the competition brought to a close.
Two days later, on April 20, BDTA released an official statement acknowledging a scoring discrepancy in the College Division. Altas In Motion had been announced as 2nd Runner-Up with an average score of 88.333, but a review revealed Malayan Dance Crew had posted a higher score of 88.733. The correction moved Malayan Dance Crew to 2nd Runner-Up and Altas In Motion to 3rd. Bedanz attributed the error to a fault in the tabulation tool and took full responsibility, extending their apologies to the affected crews.
DLDC's coach expressed pride in his team regardless of the outcome, saying, “It will not define their artistry as dancers.” Perhaps that sentiment was the whole point. Each dancer stepped into the spotlight carrying discipline, time, and commitment shaped long before the competition itself — Sayaw Hataw becoming less about defining who they are, and more about revealing what they had already built.
By the end of it, Sayaw Hataw Vol. XVIII had done what Sua-an hoped to do—bring crews from across the South onto one stage, share their love for dancing, and let their movement speak for itself. What remained did not stay in the rankings but returned with them to the communities, rehearsals, and spaces that shaped their every performance. Maybe that's enough — to have danced, to have been seen, and to have meant it.
Volume 31 | Issue 10
