The History of Filipino Folk Dance

Philippine folk dance has a long and diverse history. Philippine folk dance has a long and diverse history. Each region in the Philippines features its own folk dances, originating from the precolonial era to the time of the Spanish occupation from the 1500s until the late 1800s. Most of these Filipino folk dances tell stories about historical happenings, ways of life, cultural influences and religious customs. 1. Pre-Hispanic Times Long before the Spaniards came to the Philippines, the indigenous people who mostly lived in the mountainous regions used folk dances in cultural celebrations, worships and rituals. They used music and dance to connect with the gods, appease their ancestors, pray for bountiful harvests and favorable weather, ask for healing, seek guidance during wars and ward off bad luck and natural calamities. They also danced to socialize and to express their feelings. Most of the mountain tribes from the northern part of the Philippines have carefully preserved their folk dances. The "Dinuyya" of the Ifugaos is a dance originating from the Cordilleras. It is regularly staged during festivals in Lagawe, Mountain Province. The Ibaloi also perform the popular regional dance called the "Bendiyan," which involves hundreds of male and female dancers performing in rituals. 2. Northern Luzon

Luzon is the northern island of the Philippines, mainly composed of the Ilocos region in the north and the Tagalog region in the south. The people in Ilocos are called Ilocanos and the provinces within the region include Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Abra, Ifugao, La Union and Pangasinan. Most of the folk dances here are mixtures of indigenous and Spanish elements and are usually performed during special occasions such as weddings and fiestas. The "Sakuting" dance from Abra interprets a mock fight between Christians and non-Christians using fighting sticks. The "Binasuan" dance of Pangasinan involves dancers displaying impressive balance, graceful movements and unusual dance skills as each dancer uses three glasses each half-filled with water or rice wine and placed on top of the head and on the palm of each hand. They execute fast turns, sitting and rolling on the floor without spilling the contents in each "baso," or "glass."

3.

Southern Tagalog

The Tagalogs form the southern part of the Luzon island, which is also home to the country's capital, Manila. Even during the Spanish times, the major government centers have been located here. So most of the dances in the region reflect Spanish and European influences. Originating from Lubang Island, Mindoro, the "Pandango Sa Ilaw" comes from the Spanish dance "fandango" and is characterized by lively steps while balancing three oil lamps each on the head and on the back of each hand. Performed by men wearing coconut shells attached on their chests, backs, thighs and hips, the "Maglalatik" of Binan, Laguna is a mock war dance demonstrating the fight between the "Moros" and the Christians over a prized coconut meat called "latik." The "Bulaklakan" dance comes from the word "bulaklak," which means "flower." It is performed every May; dancing girls each hold an arched garland of leaves and flowers attached to a wire, bamboo or rattan.

4.

Visayan Dances

Visayas is the central part of the Philippine archipelago. Visayan dances mostly tell stories of people's lives and frequently draw inspirations from animal movements. The Philippines' national dance is the "Tinikling," from the province of Leyte. This dance originates from the word "Tikling," a native bird with long legs and long neck. The dance imitates the bird's movements as it walks between grass stems or runs over tree branches. Dancers perform between a series of bamboo poles while keeping their feet from being caught between the opening and closing movements of the bamboos. Performed using a moderate waltz style, the "Kuratsa" from Bohol tells the story of a young playful couple's attempts to get each other's attention. The "Itik-itik" tells the story of a young woman in Surigao del Norte who begins to improvise her dance steps by imitating the movements of an "itik" which means "duck." Her unusual steps and fascinating interpretation becomes famous in her hometown. The "Inalimanggo" in Panay and Capiz portrays the mud crab's movements translated into dance form.

5.

Muslim and Moro Dances

Unlike the northern and central parts of the Philippines, which are mainly occupied by Christians, the Mindanao region in the southern part of the Philippines is a Muslim region never conquered by the Spaniards. Islam was introduced in this area during the 12th century. The Muslims in Mindanao are also known as "Moros." These dances are of both pre-Muslim and Muslim origins. Dancers typically wear alluring and colorful costumes decorated with jewels, swords and shields. The "Ipat" dance is used to appease the ancestral spirits. The "Baluang" creates the illusion of an angry monkey as performed by male dancers. The "Singkil" is a royal dance telling the story of a Muslim princess who got caught in the middle of a forest during an earthquake caused by the "diwatas," meaning "fairies."

The history of Philippine folk dancing incorporates influences from immigrants and conquerors while at the same time maintaining distinctly Filipino roots. Philippine folk dancing is a true reflection of daily life in past centuries while enchanting modern audiences at the same time. Folk Dance History in the Philippines It is impossible to know when exactly dancing became a part of life in the Philippines. Many traditional dances were designed to thank the gods for natural and agricultural events, such as rain and harvests. The dances were performed during festivals and remembrances of past military victories, and still are performed at celebrations of births and weddings in modern times. Many modern folk dance festivals still feature ancient dances performed in costume of the tribal period of the Philippines. Some dances such as the Palok and the Lumagen are performed with traditional percussion instruments such as the gangsa (a small copper gong), a tobtob (brass gong) or a hibat (a gong played with a soft wooden stick). For many tribal dances there are no external musicians; the dancers generate their own accompaniment with stomping and hand clapping. Later Dances in Philippine History More recent dances done in the Philippines derive from historical events such as the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century and the conflicts with the Moors. While certain words and movements from those cultures have been integrated into the dances, the Filipino dance genre remains true to its ancient tradition and roots. Courtship Dances Several dances, especially those influenced by Spanish dance forms, re-enact the courtship of a man and a woman in all its many aspects from the sublime to the ridiculous. For example, the Maria Clara is named after the main female character in Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere. Epitomizing virtue and nobility in a Filipina, the dancers wear traditional Spanish-style gowns and flirt coquettishly behind fans. The addition of bamboo castanets lend a distinctly Philippine feel. Idudu: A Snapshot of Ancient Culture From the area of Abra, Cordillera comes the Idudu, which is a celebration of the family as the fundamental building block of Philippine culture. Depicting a typical day in the life of a family, the father is shown working in the fields while the mother cares for the children. As soon as the father is done, the mother goes into the fields to continue the work while the father goes back to the house to put the baby to sleep. A singer usually provides a well-known lullaby during this part of the dance, and it emphasizes the necessity of cooperation and mutual support in the Tingulan family structure. Maglalatik: The Dance of War A dance from before the conversion of the Philippines to Christianity is called the Maglalatik. It represents a fierce battle between the Moro tribesmen (wearing red trousers) and the Christian soldiers from Spain (wearing blue). Both groups wear harnesses with coconut shells attached tightly to their bodies which are struck repeatedly with other shells held in the hands. Originally from the Binan, Laguna province, it is now one of the most common dances in Philippine folk dance performances. Pandanggo sa Ilaw: Grace and Balance Derived from the Spanish word fandango, this dance is one of several designed to show off the grace, balance, and dexterity of the performers. Three glasses of wine (or, in modern times, water) are held in hands and on top of the dancers' heads as they move, never spilling a drop. This is similar to the Binasuan dance from the Pangasinan Province which is done with drinking glasses.

BASIC FUNDAMENTAL POSITIONS IN FOLK DANCE Hand PositionFeet Position Perform the fundamental positions of the arms and feet without music first. Then, select anymusic in 2/4 time and repeat performing the said fundamental positions one at a time. In responding to2/4 time rhythm, take 2 measures for each position then rest for 4 measures. Repeat the samefundamental position but alternate moving the R and the L arm/foot on the 3rd position,after 16measures. Other positions and movements of the arms:

FUNDAMENTAL DANCE STEPS IN PHILIPPINE FOLK DANCE In 2/4 TimeSTEP EXECUTION Touch step touch R (ct. 1); close R (ct. 2) 1 MStep point step R (ct. 1); close L (ct. 2) 1 MClose step step R (ct. 1); close L (ct. 2) 1 MSlide step slide R (ct. 1); close L (ct. 2) 1 MStep swing step R (ct. 1); swing L (ct. 2) 1 MStep hop step R (ct. 1); hop on R (ct. 2) 1 MGallop step step R (ct. 1); cut L (ct. ah); step R (ct. 2); cut L (ct. ah) 1 MChange step step R (ct. 1); close L (ct. and); step R (ct. 2) 1 MCut step cut or displace R with L (ct. 1) 1 countHeel and toe polka Polka place R heel (ct. 1); point R toe (ct. 2); step R (ct. 1); close L (ct. and); step R(ct. 2); pause (ct. and) 2 MPolka step R (ct. 1); close L (ct. and); step R (ct. 2); pause (ct. and) 1m In 3/4 Time (Some dance steps done in 2/4 time rhythm can also be done in time. Review the step patterns of thefollowing basic dance steps which are done in time and identify which dance step can be done in 2/4and time signature.) STEP EXECUTION Touch step touch R (cts. 1,2); close R (ct. 3) or touch R (ct. 1); close R (cts. 2,3) 1 MStep point step R (cts. 1,2); point L (ct. 3) or step R (ct. 1); point L (cts. 2,3) 1 MStep swing step R (cts. 1,2); swing L (ct. 3) or step R (ct. 1); swing L (cts. 2,3)Step hop step R (cts. 1,2); hop R (ct. 3) 1 MClose step step R (cts. 1,2); close L to R (ct. 3); step R (ct. 1); close L to R (cts. 2,3) 1 MSlide step slide R (cts. 1,2); close L to R (ct. 3) or slide R (ct. 1);close L to R (cts. 2,3) 1 MBleaking step place R heel (cts. 1,2); close R to L (ct. 3) or place R heel (ct. 1); close R to L (cts. 2,3)

1 MWaltz step R (ct. 1); close L to R (ct. 2); step R again (ct. 3) 1 MThree-step turn step R (ct. 1) turn and step L (ct. 2); turn and step R (ct. 3); close L to R (ct. 1); pause(cts. 2,3) 2 MNote: These steps can be done in place or while moving. It can also be done starting with the L foot. Sway Balance The first step is usually done obliquely forward, cts. 1,2, the cross-step is done sideward(ct. 3). The succeeding step is done obliquely backward (ct. 2) and the last two counts are done in front,in place. Arms open from the first position to the fourth position R or L arms high. Kumintang R (L) handwhen pointing with L (R) foot on cts. 2, 3 of the second measure.

Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of atomic matter (that made of chemical elements), its properties, structure, composition and its changes during interactions and chemical reactions.

During chemical reactions, bonds between atoms break and form, resulting in different substances with different properties. In a blast furnace, iron oxide, a compound, reacts with carbon monoxide to form iron, one of the chemical elements, and carbon dioxide. Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties.[1][2] Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds. Chemistry is sometimes called "the central science" because it connects physics with other natural sciences such as geology and biology.[3][4] Chemistry is a branch of physical science but distinct from physics.[5] The etymology of the word chemistry has been much disputed.[6] The genesis of chemistry can be traced to certain practices, known as alchemy, which had been practiced for several millennia in various parts of the world, particularly the Middle East.[7]

Theory

Traditional chemistry starts with the study of elementary particles, atoms, molecules,[8] substances, metals, crystals and other aggregates of matter. in solid, liquid, and gas states, whether in isolation or combination. The interactions, reactions and transformations that are studied in chemistry are a result of interaction either between different chemical substances or between matter and energy. Such behaviors are studied in a chemistry laboratory using various forms of laboratory glassware.

Laboratory, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne A chemical reaction is a transformation of some substances into one or more other substances.[9] It can be symbolically depicted through a chemical equation. The number of atoms on the left and the right in the equation for a chemical transformation is most often equal. The nature of chemical reactions a substance may undergo and the energy changes that may accompany it are constrained by certain basic rules, known as chemical laws. Energy and entropy considerations are invariably important in almost all chemical studies. Chemical substances are classified in terms of their structure, phase as well as their chemical compositions. They can be analyzed using the tools of chemical analysis, e.g. spectroscopy and chromatography. Scientists engaged in chemical research are known as chemists.[10] Most chemists specialize in one or more sub-disciplines. History Ancient Egyptians pioneered the art of synthetic "wet" chemistry up to 4,000 years ago.[11] By 1000 BC ancient civilizations were using technologies that formed the basis of the various branches of chemistry such as; extracting metal from their ores, making pottery and glazes, fermenting beer and wine, making pigments for cosmetics and painting, extracting chemicals from plants for medicine and perfume, making cheese, dying cloth, tanning leather, rendering fat into soap, making glass, and making alloys like bronze.

Democritus' atomist philosophy was later adopted by Epicurus (341270 BCE). The genesis of chemistry can be traced to the widely observed phenomenon of burning that led to metallurgythe art and science of processing ores to get metals (e.g. metallurgy in ancient India). The greed for gold led to the discovery of the process for its purification, even though the underlying principles were not well understoodit was thought to be a transformation rather than purification. Many scholars in those days thought it reasonable to believe that there exist means for transforming cheaper (base) metals into gold. This gave way to alchemy and the search for the Philosopher's Stone which was believed to bring about such a transformation by mere touch.[12] Greek atomism dates back to 440 BC, as what might be indicated by the book De Rerum Natura (The Nature of Things)[13] written by the Roman Lucretius in 50 BC.[14] Much of the early development of purification methods is described by Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia. A tentative outline is as follows:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Egyptian alchemy [3,000 BCE 400 BCE], formulate early "element" theories such as the Ogdoad. Greek alchemy [332 BCE 642 CE], the Macedonian king Alexander the Great conquers Egypt and founds Alexandria, having the world's largest library, where scholars and wise men gather to study. Islamic alchemy [642 CE 1200], the Muslim conquest of Egypt; development of alchemy by Jbir ibn Hayyn, al-Razi and others; Jbir modifies Aristotle's theories; advances in processes and apparatus.[15] European alchemy [1300 present], Pseudo-Geber builds on Arabic chemistry.[citation needed] From the 12th century, major advances in the chemical arts shifted from Arab lands to western Europe.[15] Chemistry [1661], Boyle writes his classic chemistry text The Sceptical Chymist. Chemistry [1787], Lavoisier writes his classic Elements of Chemistry. Chemistry [1803], Dalton publishes his Atomic Theory. Chemistry [1869], Dmitri Mendeleev presented his Periodic table being the framework of the modern chemistry

The earliest pioneers of Chemistry, and inventors of the modern scientific method,[16] were medieval Arab and Persian scholars. They introduced precise observation and controlled experimentation into the field and discovered numerous Chemical substances.[17][verification needed] "Chemistry as a science was almost created by the Muslims; for in this field, where the Greeks (so far as we know) were confined to industrial experience and vague hypothesis, the Saracens introduced precise observation, controlled experiment, and careful records. They invented and named the alembic (al-anbiq), chemically analyzed innumerable substances, composed lapidaries, distinguished alkalis and acids, investigated their affinities, studied and manufactured hundreds of drugs. Alchemy, which the Muslims inherited from Egypt, contributed to chemistry by a thousand incidental discoveries, and by its method, which was the most scientific of all medieval operations." The most influential Muslim chemists were Jbir ibn Hayyn (Razi al-Biruni and Alhazen .The works of Jbir became more widely known in Europe through Latin translations by a pseudo-Geber in 14th century Spain, who also wrote some of his own books under the pen name "Geber". The contribution of Indian alchemists and metallurgists in the development of chemistry was also quite significant.[19] The emergence of chemistry in Europe was primarily due to the recurrent incidence of the plague and blights there during the so called Dark Ages.[citation needed] This gave rise to a need for medicines. It was thought that there exists a universal medicine called the Elixir of Life that can cure all diseases[citation needed], but like the Philosopher's Stone, it was never found.

Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier is considered the "Father of Modern Chemistry". For some practitioners, alchemy was an intellectual pursuit, over time, they got better at it. Paracelsus (14931541), for example, rejected the 4elemental theory and with only a vague understanding of his chemicals and medicines, formed a hybrid of alchemy and science in what was to be called iatrochemistry. Similarly, the influences of philosophers such as Sir Francis Bacon (15611626) and Ren Descartes (15961650), who demanded more rigor in mathematics and in removing bias from scientific observations, led to a scientific revolution. In chemistry, this began with Robert Boyle (16271691), who came up with an equation known as Boyle's Law about the characteristics of gaseous state. Chemistry indeed came of age when Antoine Lavoisier (17431794), developed the theory of Conservation of mass in 1783; and the development of the Atomic Theory by John Dalton around 1800. The Law of Conservation of Mass resulted in the reformulation of chemistry based on this law[citation needed] and the oxygen theory of combustion, which was largely based on the work of Lavoisier. Lavoisier's fundamental contributions to chemistry were a result of a conscious effort[citation needed] to fit all experiments into the framework of a single theory. He established the consistent use of the chemical balance, used oxygen to overthrow the phlogiston theory, and developed a new system of chemical nomenclature and made contribution to the modern metric system. Lavoisier also worked to translate the archaic and technical language of chemistry into something that could be easily understood by the largely uneducated masses, leading to an increased public interest in chemistry. All these advances in chemistry led to what is usually called the chemical revolution. The contributions of Lavoisier led to what is now called modern chemistrythe chemistry that is studied in educational institutions all over the world. It is because of these and other contributions that Antoine Lavoisier is often celebrated as the "Father of Modern Chemistry".[22] The later discovery of Friedrich Whler that many natural substances, organic compounds, can indeed be synthesized in a chemistry laboratory also helped the modern chemistry to mature from its infancy.[23] The discovery of the chemical elements has a long history from the days of alchemy and culminating in the discovery of the periodic table of the chemical elements by Dmitri Mendeleev (18341907)and later discoveries of some synthetic elements.

History of chemistry
By 1000 BC, ancient civilizations used technologies that would eventually form the basis of the various branches of chemistry. Examples include extracting metals from ores, making pottery and glazes, fermenting beer and wine, making pigments for cosmetics and painting, extracting chemicals from plants for medicine and perfume, making cheese, dying cloth, tanning leather, rendering fat into soap, making glass, and making alloys like bronze. Early attempts to explain the nature of matter and its transformations failed. The protoscience of chemistry, Alchemy, was also unsuccessful in explaining the nature of matter. However, by performing experiments and recording the results the alchemist set the stage for modern chemistry. This distinction begins to emerge when a clear differentiation was made between chemistry and alchemy by Robert Boyle in his work The Sceptical Chymist (1661). Chemistry then becomes a full-fledged science when Antoine Lavoisier develops his law of conservation of mass, which demands careful measurements and quantitative observations of chemical phenomena. So, while both alchemy and chemistry are concerned with the nature of matter and its transformations, it is only the chemists who apply the scientific method. The history of chemistry is intertwined with the history of thermodynamics, especially through the work of Willard Gibbs.

Different Branches Of Chemistry

Chemistry is generally divided into two broad different branches of chemistry: organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry. Other types of chemistry include physical chemistry, biochemistry, and analytical chemistry, with each field branching off into several specific subfields. Heres a brief description of the most common:

Organic ChemistryOrganic Chemistry has to do with the study of compounds that contain carbon (and sometimes hydrogen). Even though carbon is only the fourteenth most common element on the planet, it produces the greatest number of different compounds on Earth. Not surprisingly then, much of the study of chemistry involves organic chemistry. The most studied groups of organic compounds are those that contain nitrogen. These organic compounds are important because they are often linked to the amino group. When the amino group combines with the carboxyl group, amino acids are born. Amino acids are important because they are as the building blocks of proteins.

Inorganic ChemistryInorganic chemistry involves the study the properties and reactions of compounds that do not contain carbon and which are not organic. Inorganic chemistry studies all non-living matter, such as minerals found in the Earths crust. There are many branches of inorganic chemistry, including geochemistry, nuclear science, coordination chemistry, and bioinorganic chemistry. There is much overlap between organic and inorganic chemistry. For instance, organometallic chemistry studies the use of compounds that are capable of creating a covalent bond between carbon and metal.

Physical ChemistryAs its name implies, physical chemistry has to do with the physical properties of materials. Physical properties that are studied may include the electrical and magnetic behavior of materials, as well as their interaction with electromagnetic fields.

There are several subcategories of physical chemistry. These include thermochemistry, electrochemistry, and chemical kinetics. Thermochemistry studies the changes of entropy and energy that naturally occur during chemical reactions. Electrochemistry is concerned with the study of interconversions of electric and chemical energy of matter, as well as the effects of electricity on chemical changes. Chemical kinetics involves the study of chemical reactions. Specifically, chemical kinetics studies the equilibrium it reached between products and their reactants.

BiochemistryBiochemistry is a branch of chemistry concerned with the composition and changes of living matter. Biochemists commonly focus on the physical properties and structures of biological molecules. Common biological molecules include carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Biochemistry is sometimes referred to as physiological chemistry and biological chemistry. Biophysics, molecular biology, and cell biology are research fields closely related to biochemistry. Analytical ChemistryUnlike the other main types of chemistry, analytical chemistry deal specifically with specific elements. Analytical chemistry is concerned mainly with the various techniques and laboratory methods used to determine the composition of materials. Qualitative and quantitative analysis are the two most basic methods used in analytical chemistry. Qualitative analysis has to do with identifying all the atoms and molecules in a sample of matter, with attention paid to trace elements. Quantitative analysis also involves determining the atomical and molecular structure of matter, but includes also measuring the exact weight of each chemical constituent.

Alamat ng rosas
Noong araw ay may isang magandang dalagang nagngangalang Rosa, na balita sa kanyang angking kagandahan, kayumian, at kabaitan. Maraming nangangayupapa sa kanyang kagandahan. Ngunit ni isa sa mga ito ay hindi niya mapusuan. Dahil ang gusto ni Rosa ay ang maglingkod sa Panginoon at sa pagtulong sa mga nangangailangan ng kanyang tulong. Ngunit si Cristobal, isang mahigpit niyang mangingibig, ay di makapapayag na di mapasakanya ang dalaga, at itoy nagtangkang agawin si Rosa at dinala ito sa hardin. Ngunit nananalangin si Rosa sa Panginoon at noon diy siyay naging bangkay. Sa takot ni Cristobal ay ibinaon niya ang dalaga sa bakuran nito at saka siya lumayo sa pook na iyon upang di na magbalik kailanman. Mula noon ay hindi na nakita ng mga taga roon si Rosa. Sa halip, sa bakuran nito ay may isang halamang tumubo na may bulaklak ngunit paghawak sa tangkay nito ay mapapasigaw ka dahil sa talas ng tinik ng halamang hinahawakan. Dahil niloob ito ng Panginoon na gawing bulaklak si Rosa na ang tangkay ay may mga tinik na tagapangalaga rito upang di-pagnasaang pupulin lamang ng sinuman.