The History of Filipino Folk Dance

Philippine folk dance has a long and diverse history.

Philippine folk dance has a long and diverse history. Each region in the Philippines features its own folk dances, originating from the precolonial era to the time of the Spanish occupation from the 1500s until the late 1800s. Most of these Filipino folk dances tell stories about historical happenings, ways of life, cultural influences and religious customs.

Pre-Hispanic Times

Long before the Spaniards came to the Philippines, the indigenous people who mostly lived in the mountainous regions used folk dances in cultural celebrations, worships and rituals. They used music and dance to connect with the gods, appease their ancestors, pray for bountiful harvests and favorable weather, ask for healing, seek guidance during wars and ward off bad luck and natural calamities. They also danced to socialize and to express their feelings. Most of the mountain tribes from the northern part of the Philippines have carefully preserved their folk dances.

The "Dinuyya" of the Ifugaos is a dance originating from the Cordilleras. It is regularly staged during festivals in Lagawe, Mountain Province. The Ibaloi also perform the popular regional dance called the "Bendiyan," which involves hundreds of male and female dancers performing in rituals.

Northern Luzon

Luzon is the northern island of the Philippines, mainly composed of the Ilocos region in the north and the Tagalog region in the south. The people in Ilocos are called Ilocanos and the provinces within the region include Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Abra, Ifugao, La Union and Pangasinan. Most of the folk dances here are mixtures of indigenous and Spanish elements and are usually performed during special occasions such as weddings and fiestas.

The "Sakuting" dance from Abra interprets a mock fight between Christians and non-Christians using fighting sticks. The "Binasuan" dance of Pangasinan involves dancers displaying impressive balance, graceful movements and unusual dance skills as each dancer uses three glasses each half-filled with water or rice wine and placed on top of the head and on the palm of each hand. They execute fast turns, sitting and rolling on the floor without spilling the contents in each "baso," or "glass."

Southern Tagalog

The Tagalogs form the southern part of the Luzon island, which is also home to the country's capital, Manila. Even during the Spanish times, the major government centers have been located here. So most of the dances in the region reflect Spanish and European influences.

Originating from Lubang Island, Mindoro, the "Pandango Sa Ilaw" comes from the Spanish dance "fandango" and is characterized by lively steps while balancing three oil lamps each on the head and on the back of each hand. Performed by men wearing coconut shells attached on their chests, backs, thighs and hips, the "Maglalatik" of Binan, Laguna is a mock war dance demonstrating the fight between the "Moros" and the Christians over a prized coconut meat called "latik." The "Bulaklakan" dance comes from the word "bulaklak," which means "flower." It is performed every May; dancing girls each hold an arched garland of leaves and flowers attached to a wire, bamboo or rattan.

Visayan Dances

Visayas is the central part of the Philippine archipelago. Visayan dances mostly tell stories of people's lives and frequently draw inspirations from animal movements.

The Philippines' national dance is the "Tinikling," from the province of Leyte. This dance originates from the word "Tikling," a native bird with long legs and long neck. The dance imitates the bird's movements as it walks between grass stems or runs over tree branches. Dancers perform between a series of bamboo poles while keeping their feet from being caught between the opening and closing movements of the bamboos.

Performed using a moderate waltz style, the "Kuratsa" from Bohol tells the story of a young playful couple's attempts to get each other's attention. The "Itik-itik" tells the story of a young woman in Surigao del Norte who begins to improvise her dance steps by imitating the movements of an "itik" which means "duck." Her unusual steps and fascinating interpretation becomes famous in her hometown. The "Inalimanggo" in Panay and Capiz portrays the mud crab's movements translated into dance form.

Muslim and Moro Dances

Unlike the northern and central parts of the Philippines, which are mainly occupied by Christians, the Mindanao region in the southern part of the Philippines is a Muslim region never conquered by the Spaniards. Islam was introduced in this area during the 12th century. The Muslims in Mindanao are also known as "Moros." These dances are of both pre-Muslim and Muslim origins. Dancers typically wear alluring and colorful costumes decorated with jewels, swords and shields.

The "Ipat" dance is used to appease the ancestral spirits. The "Baluang" creates the illusion of an angry monkey as performed by male dancers. The "Singkil" is a royal dance telling the story of a Muslim princess who got caught in the middle of a forest during an earthquake caused by the "diwatas," meaning "fairies."

References

• Hiyas Philippine Folk Dance Company: Barrio Fiesta Suite
• Filipino Songs Atbp.: Philippine Folk Dance History
• Gian Cruz: Tinikling History
• Campers Point: Philippine Dance