Philippine Folk Dance History

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

Folkloric dance is the history of the people in movement. In some cultures, pale fragments of it survive
centuries of invasions and diasporas. In the Philippines, folk dance is a strong and enduring indigenous
expression.

Pre-Colonial

Before the recorded history of the Philippines, before the Spanish conquistadors conquered and
Christianized the populace, from the earliest occupation of this volcanic archipelago, the people danced.
They danced to appease the gods, to curry favor from powerful spirits, to celebrate a hunt or harvest, to
mimic the exotic life forms around them. They danced their stories and their shamanic rituals, their rites
of passage and their remembered legends and history.

The Itik-Itik

The best description of the Itik-Itik is that the steps mimic the way a duck walks, as well as the way it
splashes water on its back to attract a mate. According to popular tradition, the dance was created by a
lady named Kanang who choreographed the steps while dancing at a baptismal party. The other guests
copied her movements, and everyone liked the dance so much that it has been passed along ever since.

The Tinikling

The Tinikling is considered by many to be the Philippines' national dance. The dance's movements
imitate the movement of the tikling bird as it walks around through tall grass and between tree
branches. People perform the dance using bamboo poles. The dance is composed of three basic steps
which include singles, doubles and hops. It looks similar to playing jump rope, except that the dancers
perform the steps around and between the bamboo poles, and the dance becomes faster until someone
makes a mistake and the next set of dancers takes a turn.

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.

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 ask an offering to San
Isidro de Labrador, the patron saint of farmers.

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 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 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 Magkasuyo

The Magkasuyo is a variation of the balse - the one-two-three graceful triple meter that Filipino
traditional dance borrowed from the Spanish waltz. It is a formal series of close-step-close movements
with a couple facing each other in a courtship configuration. Balse incorporates German and Spanish
influence, but the Magkasuyo is the specific invention of Quezon province, a large farming and fishing
region southeast of Manila with a rich tradition of outside influences,