THE UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe clinched a third-place finish in the UAAP Season 86 cheerdance competition at the Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday, Dec. 2.
This is UST’s second consecutive bronze title after a podium finish with last season’s Lady Gaga-inspired routine.
Salinggawi garnered 684 overall points for its Blackpink-themed performance.
“You know, throughout the entire Season 86 journey, we never had a perfect run… Their run earlier was actually their closest to perfect,” UST Salinggawi head coach Mark Chaiwalla told The Flame.
Salinggawi topped all teams in the dance category (374 points). It also ranked second in tosses (81.5 points), third in pyramids (83 points), and fourth in tumbling (81 points).
Despite getting on the podium, UST had the most deductions in the competition with 15 points, but Chaiwalla said they do not want to dwell on it further.
“You know those comments about the deductions, it’s already out of the window for me,” Chaiwalla said.
“I am very much happy with the results, and I’m also very grateful that we’re able to defend that back-to-back bronze medal.”
“We [Salinggawi] will continue to get stronger and work until the crown is returned to España for good,” Chaiwalla added.
The Far Eastern University Cheering Squad claimed this year’s UAAP cheerdance crown and swept the special awards, accumulating 702.5 points with a Super Mario-themed routine.
Although dethroned, the National University Pep Squad won second place with 697 points as they paid homage to the late King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley.
The Adamson Pep Squad’s routine inspired by the movie Trolls placed fourth with 665 points, while the University of the Philippines Pep Squad’s Eraserhead-inspired routine finished fifth with 602 points.
The University of the East Pep Squad’s 90s anime-themed routine placed sixth (559 points), while the De La Salle University Animo Squad (555.5 points) ranked seventh with its Latin-themed routine.
