Philippine Dance








Languages
o Tagalog (native), Filipino National, Spanish, English
Religions
o Islam, Christianity (notably Catholicism), and some tribal religions that predate
both
Location
o Southeast Asia, between Philippine Sea and South China Sea
o The Archipelago – over 7,000 islands
Brief History
o Early tribal culture; each tribe has unique traditions and dances believed to have
begun 40,000 years ago
o Barangays – settlements, later ruled by larger nations
o Colonization by other countries, notably Spain
o Formed as an independent commonwealth in 1935
Representative Regional Dances
o Rural/Bario Dances (Christian lowlands)
 Malalatik
 Pandanggo sa Ilaw
 Oasiwas
 Pateado
 Tinikling
 Itik-Itik (Imitates ducks by women, panama hats)
o Maria Clara Dances (Spanish-influenced)
 La Jota Manilena
o Southern Mindanao (Muslim Dance
 Singkil and Asik
 Tahing Balia (fishing dance)
Music
o Often performed with dancers generating their own accompaniment
 Castanets
 Bamboo sticks
 Traditional percussion instruments
 Gangsa – small copper gong
 Tobiob – brass gong
 Hibai – gong played with a soft wooden stick
o Example: In the Bayka dance, the dancers use their sandals as percussion
instruments by holding them in their hands and clapping/stomping etc.
Maglalatik
o Originally performed as a mock-war dance between the Moros (Muslims) and
Christians over the prized latik or coconut meat during the Spanish regime
o 4-part performance
 1. Palipasan and Baligtaran show the intense battle
 2. The Paseo and Excaramusa, the reconciliation
Pandanggo sa Ilaw
o Dancers balance 3 tinggoy or oil lamps on their head and palms






o Typical attire is the tapis or rectangular apron
o In another “fandango” dance, the Pateado men bend backwards to pick up a hat
from the floor only using their head
Oasiwas
o Alternate from of the Pandango sa Ilaw
o The Oasiwas celebrated a good fish catch by swinging and circling a lighted lamp
o Oasiwas means “swinging” in the Pangasian dialect
Maria Clara
o Set of regional dances brought over by the Spanish
o Encompasses many forms, including ballroom dance forms seen today as the Waltz
(Balse), Paso Doble, and Polka
La Jota Manilena
o Named after Manila (Philippines capital)
o Unstrung castanets made of bamboo are held loosely as props
o Many use fans called abanicos or tambourines
Tinikling
o Popular and oldest dance
o Considered the “national dance”
o Tinikling means “bamboo dance”
o Imitates movement of the tikling birds as they avoid bamboo traps set by rice
farmers
Tahing Baila
o Often called the “Fishermen’s Supplication dance”
o Dance imitates the movements of fish and implores the goodwill of “household
gods” to ensure a good catch
o The dancers are fish
Singkil
o Bamboo poles the dancer must step through
o Often uses an umbrella carried by the slave attendant and fans called apir
o Asik is a solo danced by Sultan’s slave and often precedes Singkil