History of Folk Dance in the Philippines

Many cultures express themselves through dance.

In most cultures there are folk traditions that are handed down from generation to generation. In the Philippines, folk dances have been handed down from generation to generation as a form of cultural expression that is unique to their peoples.

Origin and Styles

In the Philippines, dance is seen as a means to pay tribute to their culture and ancestry. Through this practice and tradition, many unique folk dances have been created, including Binasuan, Sublian, Itik-itik, Tinikling, and Maglalatik. Each of these dances roots itself in a story or lesson that is prominent in Filipino culture and has a direct influence on the evolution of each specific dance.

Binasuan

Binasuan is translated to mean "dancing with glasses," and is rooted to the Pangasinan province located in the Philippines. The purpose of this dance is to show balance and the joy associated with the countryside by placing glasses filled with rice wine on the head and the hands of the participant while he or she performs the dance. This dance is often done during weddings and other ceremonies.

Sublian

Sublian is connected to the native word "subsub," which means to fall with the head. During this dance the dancers move in a weak, twisting motion. The dance is traced to the Batangas province where it evolved from a ritual dance to a religious tradition performed during fiestas.

Itik-Itik

Itik-itik originates with a story about a maiden-dancer who was asked to dance for a special occasion. The dance was improvised and imitated the courting movements made by the local ducks called "itik." The spectators then followed her lead and now the dance is a part of the folk dance culture in the Philippines.

Tinikling

Tinikling, like the Itik-itik, imitates a different bird named "tikling." The steps in the dance imitate a tikling bird escaping a trap set by a hunter. During the dance, the dancers skip in between two bamboo poles that hit rhythmically against each other. This dance is rooted in the Leyte province of the Philippines.

Maglalatik

The Maglalatik dance is performed to remember a battle against the Christians and the Moros for coconut meat, also known as "latik." The battle occurred during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines and is also performed to pay tribute to the Saint of Bi'an. The dance has four parts: baligtaran, palipasan, paseo, and escaramusa, and is only performed by males, who wear blue pants for the Christians and red pants for the Moros. The dancers also wear coconut shells on their bodies.

References

• The Travel Guide: Philippine Folk Dance History