Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Carinosa Cariosa is a flirtatious Philippine group dance in the Maria Clara suite of Philippine folk dances where the fan or handkerchief plays an instrumental roll as it places the couple in a hard-to-get romance scenario. Despite popular belief, Cariosa has always been the national dance of the Philippines, whereas the Tinikling is just a worldwide favorite. Kalapati The dance Kalapati originated from from Cabugao, Ilocos Sur province. It symbolizes peace and is represented by imitating the movements of a graceful dove. It portrays the typical traits of the Ilokanos: simplicity, naturalness, and shyness. La Jota Manilea This is a dance named after Manila, the old capital of the Philippines. The dance is an adaptation of the Castilian Jota where dancers where where dancers use bamboo castanets and clack them to provide music. The costumes are inspired by Spanish culture. Maglalatik This a mock war dance between the Muslims and the Christians that originated from Binan, Laguna, Philippines. The dance is about a fight for the latik or coconut meat during the Spanish era. Today, this dance is performed in honor of the town's patron saint, San Isidro Labrador. All dancers are male and are naked to the waist except for the coconut shells attached to their chests, backs and hips. The Muslim dancers wear red trousers while the Christian dancers wear blue. There are also coconut shells on their thighs and knees. As they dance, they touch these shells with their coconut shells on their hands. Palu-palo A war dance that shows how the community joins forces as one to defend themselves. It is a dance showing how the Ivatans defended themselves against the Christian intruders and how they learned to accept Christianity and live a virtuous life. The dance was a simple one performed by men who wore simple flesh-colored garments. The tapping of wooden sticks as background music to the dance produced an echoing sound as the Ivatans reenacted their battle with the Christian invaders. Chotis Chotis (or "Shotis") was one of the ballroom dances introduced by early European settlers. This dance, from Camarines Sur, has been adapted by the Bicolano people and is characterized by a brush-step-hop movement. Aray A dance whose words are sung in "Chabacanoermitense," a hybrid of Spanish that was only spoken in the Ermita district before the turn of the century and today is extinct. The dance itself is a flirtatious one that involves graceful use of the pauelo, or shawl, and tambourines. Aray means "ouch" in Tagalog. Bindian The Ibaloy who inhabit the southernmost mountain regions in Northern Luzon perform victory dances to extol the bravery of the warriors of yesterday. In this
version from the barrio of Kabayan, hand movements are downward, suggesting the people's affinity with the earth. The basic step consists of a stamp by the left foot and a light, forward movement by the right. Instrumentalists lead the line, followed by male dancers, while the female dancers bring in the rear. Sayaw Sa Bangko This dance is native to the barrio of Pangapisan, Lingayen, Pangasinan, and demands skill from its performers who must dance on top of a bench roughly six inches wide Sublian This is a ritual dance that originated from Bauan, Batangas in Luzon, Philippines. The word sublian comes from the word subsub which means falling head on and bali which means broken. The word describes the dancers who pretend to be lame and crooked throughout the dance as a sign of worship to the town's Church icon, the Holy Cross during its fiesta celebration.
VISAYAS
Kuratsa This is a dance that originated from Bohol, Visayas but it is also popular at Ilokano festivals. This dance commands a sense of improvisation which mimics a young playful couple's attempt to get each other's attention. It is performed in a moderate waltz style. Tinikling The dance originated in Leyte as an imitation of the legendarily fast and graceful movements of the tikling birds as they dodged bamboo traps set by rice farmers. The dance consists of at least one team of two people hitting two parallel bamboo poles on the ground, raising them slightly, then clapping the poles against each other near the ground with a rhythm. Meanwhile, at least one dancer hops over and around the clashing poles in a manner not entirely unlike jump roping. Usually the dancers use certain rhythms or steps. Pandanggo Sa Ilaw and Oasiwas Pandanggo sa ilaw originated from Lubang Island, Mindoro The term pandanggo comes from the Spanish word fandango, which is a dance characterized by lively steps and clapping that varies in rhythm in 3/4 time. This particular pandanggo involves the presence of three tinggoy, or oil lamps, balanced on the head and the back of each hand. Another version of this is called Oasiwas from Lingayen, Pangasinan. After a good catch, fishermen would celebrate by drinking wine and by dancing, swinging and circling a lighted lamp. Hence, the name "Oasiwas" which in the Pangasinan dialect means "swinging." This unique and colorful dance calls for skill in balancing an oil lamp on the head while circling in each hand a lighted lamp wrapped in a porous cloth or fishnet. The waltz-style music is similar to that of Pandanggo sa Ilaw.
MINDANAO
Dugso The dance must have originated from Bukidnon, northeastern Mindanao since they are performed as an entertainment for the deities in fiestas organized for them.It was originally thought that this dance was performed only during harvest time or upon the birth of a male heir. Women would wear colorful feathered head dresses, plaid costumes and anklets. They would step rhythmically around a bamboo arch decorated with newly-gathered palay (rice stalks) and corn, and their movements are emphasized by the tinkling sounds from the anklets. Itik-itik The dance originated from Surigao del Norte, Mindanao, Philippines. According to the story, a young woman named Kanang (short for Cayetana) was the best dancer in that province. At one baptismal celebration, she introduced new steps which were improvisations of the dance Sibay. She imitated the movements of the ducks or itik. Because of its unusual steps and fascinating interpretation, the audience began imitating her. Sagayan SAGAYAN is a Philippine war dance performed by both the Maguindanao and Maranao depicting in dramatic fashion the steps their hero, Prince Bantugan, took upon wearing his armaments, the war he fought in and his subsequent victory afterwards. Performers, depicting fierce warriors would carry shield with shell noisemakers in one hand and double-bladed sword in the other attempting rolling movements to defend their master. Singkil Also known as the Princess Dance or the Royal Maranao Fan Dance, the dance is based on the Maranao interpretation of the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana: the Darangen. The Singkil narrates a scene in which Sita (Putri Gandingan) escapes her abductor, the demon king Ravana and is lost in the forests of Alangka, thereupon being found by her husband, Prince Rama. Interesting to note is that in the original Ramayana epic, Rama selects Hanuman, the Hindu monkey-god, to find Sita on his behalf; the fact that in the Singkil it is Rama (Rajah Bantugan) who finds her suggests a modification of the original Hindu narration in order to agree with monotheistic Islamic ideology. Kasingkil refers to the art of moving ones feet in and out of two clicking bamboo poles in imitation of Putri Gandingan who gracefully avoided the falling trees brought about by an earthquake. Performers would therefore gracefully step in and out of bamboo poles, arranged in crisscross fashion while manipulating either fans or simply their bare hands.Played at celebrations and festivals, traditionally the dance was performed by a girl of royal blood intend on advertising herself to would-be-suitors for her future marriage. The dance is said to have been named after either the leg bracelets or anklets of silver, nickel or brass with chiming bells of the same name or the act of voluntarily
or accidentally entangling on ones feet in either vines or tall grass. Karasaguyon The dance is classified under Tribal dance. it originated from Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. "Karasaguyon" of the T'boli portrays a polygamous male in the process of picking his next wife from among four sisters vying for his attention. The jingling of beads and brass bells around their waists and ankles provide musical accompaniment. Asik A solo slave dance performed by the umbrella-bearing attendant to win the favor of her sultan master. Asik usually precedes a performance of Singkil. Udol Dance This dance is classified under Tribal dances. It originated from the Tagakaulo tribe of southern Davao.This is a ceremonial dance which portrays death and revenge. It opens with three women walking in with votive candles, mourning the loss of a relative. They are followed by men playing the udol, a long wooden musical instrument. The woman make eloquent gestures of tenderness and despair such as wielding a spear and pounding the udol in anger, countering the steady rhythms of the musicians. A male priest then dances, begging the spirits to guide the soul of the deceased. Finally, two warriors enter, spears in hand, performing a frenzied dance in a circle, then disappearing off stage "to the woods," apparently to secure the heads of their enemies. Maglangka This dance which originated from Jolo, Sulu is classified under Muslim Dance. Literally meaning "to dance," the maglangka is used to mold the adolescent girls into ladies of good breeding and accomplished dancing skills. The girls are strictly taught to gracefully execute movements imitating birds in flight, fish swimming in the sea, or branches swaying in the air while remaining in the confines of a square cloth. these movements require intense concentration and innate style as the ladies express emotions and entertain guests. Pangalay This dance is classified under Muslim/Moro dance. It is a popular festival dance in Sulu, during wedding celebrations among the affluent families. They may last for several days or even weeks depending on the financial status and agreement of both families. Dancers perform this dance to the music of the kulintangan, gabbang, and agongs during the wedding feast.