MANILA, Philippines – It was old, but gold for UST. 

Transforming into an elderly crew for an old-school-themed routine, the University of Santo Tomas Prime ruled the UAAP Season 86 street dance competition for the second straight year on Wednesday, May 29, at the Mall of Asia Arena. 

The street dance title capped off a fruitful season for UST after capturing its seventh straight general championship in the collegiate ranks and its 23rd overall title in the high school division. 

UST ruled 10 events this season to amass 332 points in the senior ranks, ruling women’s basketball, men’s and women’s beach volleyball, men’s table tennis, women’s taekwondo, poomsae, men’s chess, women’s 3×3 basketball, men’s tennis, and the street dance competition. 

“This is the culmination and the fruit of our hard work sacrifices and dedication of our coaches and student-athletes,” said UST Institute of Physical Education and Athletics director Fr. Rodel Cancancio, OP. 

In street dance, UST tallied an average of 90.50 points, topping the execution department at 45.20, while tallying an artistic score of 45.10. 

“We wanted to do something different and very light here,” said UST Prime coach Chip Beltran, who pitched for the old-school theme.  

“I am in the age where I get invited to weddings frequently. And then in those events, it was the oldies who usually dance, so I was inspired there,” he said. 

UST wore barong tagalogs, and Filipinianas, coupled by dyed gray hair to complete the old look.  

According to Beltran, it was their way of paying respect to the seniors. 

“It was also an homage to our elderly, lolo (grandfather) and lola (grandmother),” the coach said, as UST also used the songs of classic OPM groups VST & Company and Apo Hiking Society. “We wanted to get into that vibe, and [get] into that era.”

Their high school counterparts, UST Galvanize, also topped the juniors street dance division, finishing with an average of 86.17, nearly 2 points above the Adamson University Dance Company, which scored 84.50. 

Far Eastern University took the first runner-up honor in the collegiate street dance event, recording an average of 89.17 after outscoring UST in the artistic tally with 45.30 points.

FEU Street Alliance displayed a Mexican-themed performance, complete with bullfighting props and costumes. 

The University of the Philippines Streetdance Club finished second runner-up with a final tally of 86.33 after impressing in a jeepney-themed routine that highlighted the jeepney drivers of the university’s famed UP Ikot routes. 

The Company of Ateneo dancers just missed out on the podium by 0.16 points (86.17), followed by the National University (84.59), the Adamson Dance Company (83.17), and De La Salle University (82.33). – Rappler.com