Hiligaynon is set to dominate the Dinagyang Ilonggo Arts Festival this January. Only Hiligaynon words and lyrics will rise up during the first Ilonggo Arts Festival, Jan. 17-22, 2010 as a special event of the main Dinagyang Festival on the fourth week of January.

Festival artistic director Annie Divinagracia Sartorio said the festival would comprise competitions in Cheer Dance, Theatre Poetry in Motion, Folk Dance, Choral Singing, Dance Sports and On- the-Spot Painting contest.

“What is unique in this special event will be the use of Hiligaynon dialect in all poems, songs, paintings and dances depicting what is truly the Ilonggo language. It is also a perfect venue for the Ilonggo artists to show their talents and expertise in the field of arts and culture,” Sarotrio said.

The festival will also encourage artists to compose more Hiligaynon songs or the songs tune to be used might be copied from other foreign songs. But the lyrics must be in Hiligaynon, Sartorio said.

The first Ilonggo Arts Festival will be held on Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010 at the SM City Activity Center while the first competition will be on Jan. 18 at the SM City Car Park for the Cheer Dance at 10 a.m., with coordinator Momo Cablas, and the Theatre Poetry in Motion, with coordinator Edison Sicad at 5:30 p.m.

Folk Dance with coordinator Sartorio will be held on Jan. 19 at 5:30 p. m. and the Choral Competition with coordinator Arne Lubasan on Jan. 20 at 5:30 p.m..

On Jan. 21, a dance sports competition with coordinator Annie Sartorio will be held at the same venue starting at 5:30 p.m. while On-the-Spot Painting contest coordinated by Marzz Capanang will be held on Jan. 22 at the Museo Iloilo. (with reports from PNA)