The Sayaw sa Bangko The Sayaw sa Bangko is performed on top of a narrow bench. Dancers need good balance as they go through a series of movements that include some impressive acrobatics. This dance traces its roots back to the areas of Pangapisan, Lingayen and Pangasinan.
The Binasuan The Binasuan is an entertaining dance that is usually performed at festive social occasions like weddings and birthdays. Dancers carefully balance three half-filled glasses of rice wine on their heads and hands as they gracefully spin and roll on the ground. The dance originated in Bayambang in the Pangasinan province, and though it's usually performed alone, it can also become a competition between several dancers.
The Pandanggo sa Ilaw The Pandanggo sa Ilaw is similar to a Spanish Fandango, but the Pandanggo is performed while balancing three oil lamps - one on the head, and one in each hand. It's a lively dance that originated on Lubang Island. The music is in 3/4 time and is usually accompanied by castanets. Two of the most popular versions of Pandanggo, as a performing art, are the Pandanggo sa Ilaw from Mindoro Mindoro,, and Oasioas
The Maglalatik The Maglalatik is a mock war dance that depicts a fight over coconut meat, a highly-prized food. The dance is broken into four parts: two devoted to the battle and two devoted to reconciling. The men of the dance wear coconut shells as part of their costumes, and they slap them in rhythm with the music. The Maglalatik is danced in the religious procession during the fiesta of Biñan as an offering to San Isidro de Labrador, the patron saint of farmers. Originally from the Binan, Laguna province, it is now one of the most common dances in Philippine folk dance performances.
Subli Subli is the dance portion of a devotion performed in honor of the Mahal na Poong Santa Cruz, a large crucifix of anubing wood with the face of the sun in silver at the center. The icon was discovered in the early decades of Spanish rule in what is now the town of Alitagtag, Batangas. It is the patron of many towns in the area, notably the ancient town of Bauan, Batangas.
The Kuratsa The Kuratsa is described as a dance of courtship and is often performed at weddings and other social occasions. The dance has three parts. The couple first performs a waltz. In the second part, the music sets a faster pace as the man pursues the woman around the dance floor in a chase. To finish, the music becomes even faster as the man wins over the woman with his mating dance.
The Habanera Botolena
The Habanera Botolena is a strongly flamenco-influenced dance that c omes from Botolan, Zambales. It combines Filipino and Spanish steps, and is a popular dance at weddings. It is also considered a courting dance in some situations.
The Cariñosa The Cariñosa is a dance made for flirting! Dancers make a number of flirtatious movements as they hide behind fans or handkerchiefs and peek out at one another. The essence of the dance is the courtship between two sweethearts. The dance was originated in the Panay Islands on the Visayan Islands and it was introduced by the Spaniards during their colonization of thePhilippines. It is related to some of the Spanish dances like the bolero and the Mexican dance Jarabe Tapatio or the Mexican Hat Dance.
Bicolano Cariñosa According to the book of Francisca Reyes-Aquino, Philippine Folk Dances, Volume 2, there is a different version of the dance in the region of Bicol. In the Bicol Region Carinosa, hide and seek movement is different. In the original version, the dancers used the Fan and handkerchief as the way to do the hide and seek movement, in Bicol they used two handkerchiefs holding the two corners of the handkerchief and doing the hide and seek movement as they point their foot forward and their hands go upward together with their handkerchiefs following the movement. It is a complicated step however it is still used in Bicol Region region during festivals and social gatherings.
The Singkil The Singkil is a dance traditionally performed by single women to attract the attention of potential suitors. Dancers perform a series of graceful movements as they step in and out from between bamboo poles which are rhythmically clapped together. Fans and scarves are often used to enhance the dancers' movements. The Singkíl originated from the Maranao people who inhabit the shores of Lake Lanao. It is derived from a story in the Darangen, the Maranao interpretation of the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana.
The Polkabal The Polkabal shows some European influence in its steps. The dance is composed of nine different steps which include various movements such as fluttering, stepping heel-to-toe, a reenactment of a bull fight, and even a leisurely walk.
APAYAO This is classified under Mountain and Igorot Dances. It comes from the northernmost section of the Mountain provinces. The couple raise and wave their arms and hands like the wings of a bird in flight, and the ceremonial blanket worn by the woman is lightly wrapped around her. The man's movements resemble those of a fighting cock in the preening, strutting, and flying-off-the-ground gestures.
Ragragsakan This is classified under Mountain-Igorot Dances. It is an adaptation of a tradition in which Kalinga women gather and prepare for a budong, or peace pact. The Kalingga borrowed the beautiful word ragragsakan from the Ilocano, which means "merriment." The two biggest occassions for a ragragsakan in a Kalinga village are for the homecoming of successful head takers and the culmination of peace-pact between warring tribes. In this dance, Kalinga maidens balance labba baskets on thier heads, wave colorful tribal blankets, and sing short salidumay songs as they snake through the terrace dikes and skip through breaks i n the path.
Itik-itik Itik-itik is a mimetic folk dance in The Philippines. It originated in the province of Surigao in Mindanao. In Itik-itik (from the Tagalog word for "duck"), the dance steps imitate the movements of ducks among rice paddies and swamplands, such as wading, flying, and short, choppy steps. Itik-itik's current form originated in the Philippine towns of Carrascal, Cantilan, Lanuza, and Carmen, all in Surigao del Sur . Other versions of the dance do exist, although the Itik-itik Surigaonon remains the most pipular. These alternate versions are found inVisayas, Samar , Sibonga, Cebu, and Tibiao.
Tinikling The dance originated in Leyte among the Visayan islands in the central Philippines as an imitation of the tikling bird dodging bamboo traps set by rice farmers. The dance imitates the movement of the tikling birds as they walk between grass stems, run over tree branches, or dodge bamboo traps set by rice farmers. Dancers imitate the tikling bird's legendary grace a nd speed by skillfully maneuvering between large bamboo poles.
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.[1] 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.[2]
