Cebu prisoners dancing to rehabilitation
By: Wesley Keller
Issue date: 11/23/09 Section: News
What do orange prison jumpsuits, Chuck Taylors, and Michael Jackson have in common? Normally nothing, but in Cebu, Philippines' it's everything. Behind the thick stone walls topped by electrified razor wire lies the location of one of YouTube's most popular hits. At Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation center,1500 inmates march and clap in unison as they perform precision dance routines from popular songs such as Michael Jackson's "Thriller", or "I will follow him" from the Sister Act movies. These "smooth criminals" even dance to Soulja Boy. Many other routines have been posted on YouTube, but the reenactment of the classic video "Thriller" has been the most popular with over 4 million hits, and yes they are all sporting orange jump suits and a fresh pair of Chuck Taylors.
This all started when prison director Byron Garcia took over. "I wanted a program where everyone would exercise an hour a day," Garcia said in a Sun Star publication. "One day, I saw these waves of orange people (in the exercise yard). I thought it looked very nice." What started out as simple marching and motions to simple beats shortly turned into full on dance performances to major pop songs orchestrated by inmates. Garcia uploaded their first performance of "Thriller" on YouTube in 2007; since then 10 other videos have popped up on YouTube over the last few years. "While the goal is to keep the body fit in order to keep the mind fit, such may not happen if it is done in a manner deemed unpleasurable," Garcia told Filipino's Sun Star publication. "Music being the language of the soul is added to that regiment."
It may seem funny to think that big burly tatted up killers enjoy dancing, but spectators to the prison say they really seem like they enjoy what they are doing, and although there is a core group that do the more sophisticated routines everyone is involved. Inmate Crisanto Nierre, who plays Michael Jackson's role in "Thriller", finds his new fame bittersweet. He said it's great that relatives and others get to see him on YouTube, but he can't escape the fact that he is in prison. Another prisoner was quoted saying "if I was not in prison I would not be famous."
This all started when prison director Byron Garcia took over. "I wanted a program where everyone would exercise an hour a day," Garcia said in a Sun Star publication. "One day, I saw these waves of orange people (in the exercise yard). I thought it looked very nice." What started out as simple marching and motions to simple beats shortly turned into full on dance performances to major pop songs orchestrated by inmates. Garcia uploaded their first performance of "Thriller" on YouTube in 2007; since then 10 other videos have popped up on YouTube over the last few years. "While the goal is to keep the body fit in order to keep the mind fit, such may not happen if it is done in a manner deemed unpleasurable," Garcia told Filipino's Sun Star publication. "Music being the language of the soul is added to that regiment."
It may seem funny to think that big burly tatted up killers enjoy dancing, but spectators to the prison say they really seem like they enjoy what they are doing, and although there is a core group that do the more sophisticated routines everyone is involved. Inmate Crisanto Nierre, who plays Michael Jackson's role in "Thriller", finds his new fame bittersweet. He said it's great that relatives and others get to see him on YouTube, but he can't escape the fact that he is in prison. Another prisoner was quoted saying "if I was not in prison I would not be famous."