{"id":9180,"date":"2019-05-31T23:29:48","date_gmt":"2019-05-31T23:29:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/queencitycebu.com\/?p=9180"},"modified":"2019-05-31T23:39:14","modified_gmt":"2019-05-31T23:39:14","slug":"cebu-dancing-inmates-what-happened-to-them-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/queencitycebu.com\/cebu-dancing-inmates-what-happened-to-them-now\/","title":{"rendered":"UPDATE: So what happened to the \u2018Dancing Inmates\u2019?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before Black Pink sensationalized the \u201cKill this Love\u201d dance craze, a rather unique group of individuals hit the top spot in Youtube and received worldwide attention for their rendition of Michael Jackson\u2019s hit \u201cThriller\u201d \u2013 the dancing inmates of Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.<\/strong> Such video went viral in 2007 and ranked fifth on the Time Magazine\u2019s \u201cTop 10 Most Popular Viral Videos\u201d of the year. Because of this, the prisoners began to hold public performances which include their performances of the renowned music of Black Eyed Peas, Queen, and even K-Pop songs such of Wonder Girls, Super Junior, 2NE1, and Psy. Twelve years, after, what happened to the dancing inmates?<\/p>\n

\"Cebu<\/a>

Photo: Bullit Marquez\/Associated Press<\/p><\/div>\n

How the Dancing Inmates began?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2004, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia became deeply troubled with issues involving the 2,000 inmates contained in the regional prison of Cebu. Cases such of corruption, smuggling, and other illegal activities have become so rampant, that most of the time these prisoners were caught in riot. This then prompted a new disciplinary culture that aimed to strengthen the correction system that would promote reformation and renewal of offenders through a responsive rehabilitation \u2013 the implementation of fitness routines that involved marching to music.<\/strong> This new disciplinary management was spearheaded by the governor\u2019s brother, Byron Garcia<\/strong>. From then on, the inmates began their dance routines to the sounds of \u201cAnother Brick in the Wall\u201d, \u201cIn the Navy\u201d, and \u201cYMCA. Byron Garcia started posting clips of these dancing inmates which unbelievably became a total internet sensation. Their \u201cThriller\u201d video received over ten million hits on Youtube in 2008 and 58 million as of this year.<\/strong> \u00a0In an instant, these prisoners in Cebu gained the attention not only on national media but of the internationals as well. In fact, in 2008 Anderson Cooper of CNN broadcasted an episode of these Dancing Prisoners<\/strong> while in 2016, the Pope\u2019s envoy, <\/strong>Myanmar Cardinal Charles Maung Bo paid a special visit to the dancing inmates during the IEC Congress. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Sadly, the public presentations were then put to halt by the Cebu governor in March 2012 when some inmates were almost involved in a riot triggered by an inmate who\u2019s mobbed by another inmate caught branding an improvised ice pick. Nonetheless, in September of the same month, the dancing routine was restored by the governor as per suggestion by the consultant on planning and development and jail matters, Atty. Jose Ma. Gastardo. The choreographer then began preparing modern dances for their regular presentation every last Saturday of the month.<\/p>\n