Origin of dance in the Philippines Countries in the world have their own cultures made more colorful, beautiful and vibrant because of Folk Dances that are reflection of who they are. In the east, the Chinese have their symbolic Dragon Dance, the Japanese have the ancestral dance Bon dori. In the west the !mericans have their "#uare Dance. n the other hand, the $hilippines will not be left behind. %&he $earl of &he rient% boast of a varitey of Filipino Folk Dances.
&he $hilippines consist of '()' islands, and is broken down in three groups of islands. &he *u+on, indano, and -isayas. ach of these regions contain different languages,history, regligon, and traditions. /ith each region having different influence in thier arts, crafts, and ancestorical dances. *ets take a trip through each region and e0plore the different styles, costumes, Dances and &alents from ach 1egion.... !s we e0plore each of the regions and styles, please remember alot of these Cultural and Folk dances represents hardships and daily back breaking tasks, that has turned into a art form. any of the dances you will read about here were actuall activities or chores that the Filipino endured to survive the poor economy and state of the nation
The History of Dance in the Philippines Dance is an integral part of Filipino culture that dates to the period before Ferdinand agellan stepped foot in the $hilippines. &he traditional dances of the Filipinos are vibrant and colorful, capturing the history of the archipelago.
Before the Spanish -arious tribes were scattered across the more than ',))) islands, each with its own uni#ue traditions and dances. &he Igorot tribes lived in the mountains of *u+on2 a handful of these tribes still reside in the mountains, having successfully resisted "panish coloni+ation. any of the dances have been handed down through the generations. Dance e0presses this tribe3s love of nature and gratitude to the gods. &o
imitate the wonders of nature, dancers often swoop their arms like birds and stomp their feet to represent the rumbling of the arth. 4owever, many other tribes in other regions are disappearing, and only a few of their dances survive. &hanksgiving, worship and prayers for a bountiful harvest mark the style of these dances.
Voyage to Mindanao In the (5th century, traders and seafarers came to the $hilippines long before the "panish, bringing the Islamic faith with them. &he inhabitants of the southern region converted to Islam, incorporating their new religion into the fabric of their e0isting culture. &he dances of the uslims, known as oros, are alluring and colorful. Female dancers wear costumes studded with 6ewels, while male dancers brandish swords and shields. &he oros use languid arm movements to imitate the world around them such as the wind, the sea and the fish. ach dance is punctuated by the haunting sounds of the kulintangan, a set of small gongs. *ike the Igorots, the oros were able to resist "panish rule, which is why many of their dances continue to flourish.
Maria Clara In (75(, Ferdinand agellan came to the archipelago, signaling the start of "panish coloni+ation. 4owever, the "panish didn3t get a foothold in the $hilippines until (787. &hree centuries of "panish rule left an imprint on the Filipinos. any of them were converted to Catholicism and forced to take "panish surnames. During this period, /estern culture spread through the islands, including such /estern dances as the walt+, fandango and polka. /ith a little Filipino flare, they #uickly became part of the culture. &his %new% style of dance was named aria Clara after the tragic character in Jose 1i+al3s novel %9oli e &angere.%
Barrio Fiesta !fter toiling in the rice paddies, countryside farmers would gather to sing and dance. &hese dances revolve around everyday items, such as glasses, candles, benches, hats and bamboo poles. Because the dances are a celebration, they are often referred to as %a barrio fiesta.% ne of the more complicated dances is pandanggo sa ilaw, meaning %dance of lights,% which imitates wandering fireflies. &o accomplish the illusion, women delicately balance three %tinghoy,% or oil lamps, on their heads and palms.
The National Dance &inikling, the national dance, is considered the oldest of the $hilippine folk dances. &he dance, which comes from the countryside, takes its name and movements from the %tinikling% bird as it roams between grass steams, crushes tree branches and avoids traps set by rice farmers. Dancers skip gracefully back and forth while trying to avoid getting their feet caught by two bamboo poles. &here are many tall tales about the dance3s origins. !ccording to one story, Filipino farm workers who displeased their "panish masters had their feet smashed by two bamboo poles. /hen the poles were apart, the workers would 6ump to avoid getting hurt. &hus, this dance was born.
Legacy any of these dances survive today, thanks to dance troupes in the $hilippines and abroad. Filipino student organi+ations at many :.". universities and colleges put on a yearly celebration of cultural dances.
Dances in the Philippines
Insert pic here &inikling involves two people hitting bamboo poles on the ground and against each other in coordination with one or more dancers who step over and in between the poles in a dance. It originated in *eyte among the -isayan islands in central $hilippines as an imitation of the tikling bird. nce taught simply as a folk dance from the $hilippines, it has recently become popular in the sports curricula of elementary schools as it involves skills similar to 6umping rope. It;s now a new, fun form of aerobic e0ercise that also improves spatial awareness, rhythm, foot and leg speed, agility, and coordination. "ayaw sa Bangko <=dance on a bench>? is a folk dance from the $angasinan province of the $hilippines. $erformers dance on top of a bench that is normally si0 inches wide. ! slightly more well@known $hilippine dance with similarities to "ayaw sa Bangko is the tinikling, which employs bamboo poles. &he cariAosa is a $hilippine folk dance of 4ispanic origin. It is closely associated with the island of $anay and the -isayas region in general. &he wordcariAosa is from the "panish cariAosa meaning the affectionate one. ost Filipina women can be described as karinyosa. &his is a courtship dance that portrays acts of flirtation between a man and a woman. &he dancers perform steps resembling hide@and@seek movements. &he woman holds a handkerchief or sometimes a fan. &he itik@itik is a dance from "urigao, in which the movements of a duck are imitated. !n itik is a species of duck.
Coconut shell halves are attached to the chest, back and knees of male dancers who hit those shells with shell halves attached to their hands. &he maglalatik dance is said to have originated in *aguna province. $andanggo sa Ilaw is a very popular folk dance in the $hilippines. It is said to have originated from indoro, the seventh@largest island in the $hilippines. &his dance of lights simulates fireflies at dusk and at night. a+urka Boholana a+urka Boholana is a "panish@inspired ballroom dance from the Bohol province of the $hilippines. &he country was under the rule of "pain for more than three hundred years, during which time local culture was markedly influenced. !lthough the ma+urka is the $olish national dance, it was wildly popular throughout urope in the (th century and even in coloni+ed lands overseas. &he $hilippine dance is ordinarily performed by men and women partners.
*a studiantina is a "panish@inspired dance of the $hilippines. &he country was under the rule of "pain for more than three hundred years, during which time local culture was markedly influenced.
Binasuan is a colorful and lively dance from $angasinan, a province on the island of *u+on. It is often danced at weddings and fiestas. &he word binasuan means =with the use of drinking glasses> and it refers to how the performers balance glasses on their heads and hands while gracefully dancing. &his is especially tricky because the glasses are filled with rice wine or some other form of li#uid. !lkamfor is a couples dance from *eyte, a province of the $hilippines located in the -isayas group of islands. In this dance, the girl holds a handkerchief laced with
camphor, a substance that is locally thought to induce romance. "he flirts with the man by waving her scented handkerchief in front of his face. &he "panish@influenced uratsa or Curacha was once a very popular dance in different parts of the $hilippines, particularly in the -isayas region.
Signicance of dance in the Philippine history &he modern Filipino is often described as having an identity crisis, and the $hilippines as a beautiful country lacking its own culture. But a closer look at Filipino art, dance and traditional music may surprise you. &he colourful cultural heritage of the country is actually very evident in the works of prominent Filipino authors, performers and artists. ! rich blend of diverse traditions alay, "panish and !merican @ defines the Filipino culture. &he country;s multifaceted history, years of colonisation and strategic location that allowed barter trade not only of goods and products but the e0change of cultural influences all made $hilippine culture the uni#ue hodgepodge that it is today. "tay a bit longer if you want to truly see how this distinctive medley of traditional alay, "panish and /estern heritage has adapted to modernity. &he more you look, the more interesting it becomes.
It ser!es as artistic e"pression in Manila &he Filipino culture is as multifaceted as its history. Filipinos are a very artistic and creative people, thriving in industries ranging from performing to visual arts, and creating the most iconic of masterpieces that command top dollar abroad. Cultural e0pression is not confined to the many museums that dot anila. If you really want to see culture, check out the country;s parade of festivities, food, tribes, native
dresses, religion, native languages and dialects, as well as its creative literature and traditional amusements and pastimes. !rt is a natural form of e0pression for Filipinos. During years of peril under foreign rule, many iconic masterpieces have surfaced, among which is Juan *una;s "poliarium, which symbolically depicts the harsh rule of the "panish over the $hilippines. -isual art provides a channel for e0pression for most Filipinos, whether it be through painting, sculpture, weaving or religious works. !rt has been used to make political statements, portray reality, showcase other facets of culture and boast about the rich nature surrounding the country. ngravings, etchings and sculptures are also among the earliest forms of folk art in the $hilippines. 9ational monuments which were sculpted and crafted by early artists date back from as early as the ('th Century. &hese sculptures either commemorate different nobilities, Christian icons, heroic personalities or depict various monumental events in the country;s history. 1eligious art was also at boom in the early centuries, adorning gothic and baro#ue churches throughout the archipelago.
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co$rtship &inikling is a tradition Filipino dance form *egends and myths that were passed on through orations also take the form of folk literature, while literature from the 5)th and 5(st Centuries e0udes modernismo or odernism. &he $hilippine theatre scene is as rich as its other art forms. Just among the age old dramatic art forms still practiced in the country are the cenaculo, which depicts Christ;s passion, moro-moro
and singing. &he Cultural Centre of the $hilippines is 6ust one of the main theatre institutions and platforms where Filipinos; theatrical skills are on display. Balagtasan is an interesting form of spontaneous poetic debate, performed by E makatas;
or poets who contest opposing views by reciting impromptu verses to establish points of argument. !fter the debate, the mediator or E lakandiwa; bestows 6udgment by soliciting applause from the audience. &he makata with the loudest applause wins the debate.
It tell a lot about the history of the Philippines Folk dances also tell a lot about the history and the culture of the $hilippines. !lmost like role playing, folk dances like Singkil tells of interesting stories of tribal prince and princesses and other royalties. raceful moves, flicks of the finger, pulsating beats, colourful costumes, life si+e head dresses and lifelike props are 6ust some aspects synonymous with $hilippine folk dances. ther forms of folk dance also serve as celebration for good harvest and sometimes a prayer for the same, while some serve as a rite of passage. &he different regions of the country also have different forms of folk dances often showcased during festivities and special events. Common e0amples include Tinikling , which mimics movements of birds called Etikling; hopping over bamboo traps that are set up by farmers. Ragsakan is also one of the most famous and most colourful dances. *iterally translated as Emerriment,; Ragsakan is a form of gratitude for a successful headhunt, and is also performed as a peace pact for warring tribes. any dances are accompanied by indigenous instruments, including agungs and kulintangs, which create mellow to fast beats that add life to the dance. usic is also a big part of the Filipino culture. Folk music and vocal chanting were among the earliest forms of music contributed by tribal and ethnic groups. Panghaharana or serenading is an age old way of wooing Filipinas, often done by hopeful E binatas;
ensemble of acoustic instruments, including bandurria, guitar and other mandolin instruments. /hile different genres of music like rock, hiphop, pop, and rhythm and blues seem to rule over the radio waves nowadays, classic riginal $ilipino usic or $ never dies. riginal compositions by local artists are among the most beautiful musical poetries one can hear. &he 5)th Century also saw the birth of different $ bands who offer modern twists to the $hilippine music scene. Filipino music is also one of the strongest facets of the country;s culture.
