BENDIAN
(Benguet) Bendian is performed for many reasons. Some of which are to heal a prolong illness, relieve natural calamities such as famine and drought, and to celebrate a bountiful harvest. However, the biggest Bendian is to celebrate a victory in war and a successful headhunt. The arrival of succesful head takers, called "ulul" is met with great festivities by the entire village. The Bendian festival celebrated by the Benguet, Ibaloy, and Kankanay is always big and extraordinary. It involves the village circling and dancing around the ulul leader while executing various arm movements. Lasting until the wee hours of the night, the bedian ritual ends on the sound of the loudest oway or war cry. This version of Bendian centers around the maiden's part of the circle.
BLIT B'LAAN
. A courtship dance of the Bilaan of Davao del Sur imitating forest birds during the mating season.
BUMAYAH
Thanksgiving festivals are one of many occasions for tribal celebrations. The movements in this dance of the Ifugao tribe, imitating those of a rooster scratching the ground, symbolize a thanksgiving prayer to the god Kabunian for a bountiful harvest of rice. Both men and women express their joy in this thanksgiving.
IDUDU
Idudu- Abra, Cordillera A tribal dance. This dance stages a common family life in the Itneg or Tinguian society. It illustrates the family as the main foundation of the tribe’s community. Several traits of an ordinary family are shown. It depicts a father plowing the field while the mother caring for the children. But as soon as the father finishes work, the mother takes over on planting, sowing and all the remaining chores to do in the field. At this time the father is left to take care of the kids. During the dance a Local singer breaks into an Idudu or lullaby to put the baby to sleep. Idudu, a dance taken from Idudu lullaby, obviously portrays the different roles in a Tinguian family.
http://www.camperspoint.com/
http://www.camperspoint.com/
KASANDUAYAN
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Maranao women living near the shores of Lake Lanao walk nobly with their distinctive movements, most particularly their graceful sway. Beaded and multi-colored umbrellas purposely made for wedding parades are displayed in this dance.
Girl wears tight long-sleeved blouse in royal colors such as golden yellow, green, pink , violet and velvet red. The skirt is a malong or a tubular skirt tied either on waist or in left shoulders or sometimes attached at the back of the head.
Boys wear a loose skirt of Indian karta blouse usually white and a lanket malong usually yellow or maroon in color green and maroon combinations. The headress called pis or fez is used, usually in black color.
http://dancepinoy.com/
Girl wears tight long-sleeved blouse in royal colors such as golden yellow, green, pink , violet and velvet red. The skirt is a malong or a tubular skirt tied either on waist or in left shoulders or sometimes attached at the back of the head.
Boys wear a loose skirt of Indian karta blouse usually white and a lanket malong usually yellow or maroon in color green and maroon combinations. The headress called pis or fez is used, usually in black color.
http://dancepinoy.com/
KAPPA MALONG MALONG
Also called Sambi sa Malong, this Maranao dance shows the many ways of wearing a malong, a simple tubular yet highly functional piece of cloth. The traditional women’s version shows this cloth of countless colorful designs; used mostly as a skirt, woven in many different ways, depending on the purpose of the wearer. Other ways the women wear malong is as a shawl, a mantle, or a head-piece.
During more recent dance documentation, a men’s version was derived. This version shows in masculine rendition, how men don the malong—displaying its use as a sash or waist-band, shorts or bahag, and a head-gear that can be either functional while working in the fields, or decorative as a turban.
thanks to Aquarius Records and http://www.seasite.niu.edu/
thanks to Aquarius Records and http://www.seasite.niu.edu/
HABANERA BOTOLENA
Friday, May 28, 2010
A colorful couple dance from Botolan, Zambales performed during weddings, baptisms and village fiestas.
PANTOMINA
Pantomina (Spanish for pantomime) was originally a wedding dance from the towns of Bicol's Estandarte and Sorsogon subregions. This dance is tradionally performed during wedding festivities by the couple and their visitors. The dance is still popular in the Bicol Region even up to this time.
The pantomina is very popular in the northern part of Samar especially in towns of Allen and Capul - both directly facing Bicolandia. Traditionally, musicians accompanying the dancers pause from playing the pantomina music to allow the dancers to wipe their perspiration. The wiping of perspiration has become a little flirty, with the male dancer--as expected--offering his own handkerchief for the woman to wipe herself. The delighted audience would, as expected, tease the couple (especially if the two are young and unmarried) as doing a "love pantomime" and the musicians would immediately resume playing the music. After the love pantomine has waned, the focus of the pantomina returns to the dance itself.
Pantomina was among the first folk dances to have its dance steps notated. The pantomina was featured in Francisca Reyes Aquino's first-ever folk dance book, Philippine Folk Dances and Games, published in February 1926. The dance, according to Aquino, was also called Salampati during the Spanish occupation.
special thanks to:
Aquarius Records and http://en.wikipilipinas.org/
SURTIDO
The Surtido Cebuano is a square dance said to have originated in Bantayan, Cebu. It is a cobbling together of Spanish, Mexican, and French influences along with indigenous elements. Surtido (literally, assortment) is performed by several pairs of dancers, with the head pair called cabeceras and the side pairs, costados, guiding the other dancers in varied quadrille formations. It used to be a dance of long duration performed by a big group to the tune of beautiful Visayan folk airs. The modern arrangement is more lively and suitable for dancing by small groups.
special thanks to:
Aquarius Records
and
http://www.seasite.niu.edu/
special thanks to:
Aquarius Records
and
http://www.seasite.niu.edu/
SINGKIL
Singkil (or Sayaw sa Kasingkil) is a famous dance of the Maranao people of Lake Lanao, which was popularized by the Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company.
(Maranao, Mindanao) Coming from the Lake Lanao region, the Singkil is a popular dance performed during celebrations and other festive entertainment. Performed as a female only dance, the Singkil serves as either a conscious or unconscious advertisement to would-be suitors for her future marriage. The ladies graciously step in and out of clashing bamboos poles arranged in either a parallel, rectangular, or criss-cross fashion while manipulating either apir (fans), mosala(scarves), or even just their bare hands. Singkil means to entangle the feet with disturbing objects such as vines or anything in your path. It takes its name from the epic tale that the Maranaw people trace the origin of their culture.
Singkil is originally originated from the Maranaw of Lake Lanao (Ranaw). It is derived in a story from the Darangen epic of the Maranaw.
As with many other Southeast Asian and South Asian bamboo dances, the dance now popularly known as Singkil has its roots as a communal dance in which women show their grace in manipulating a fan or at times a scarf and precision skills of interweaving into the clapping bamboos. While the woman dances, an ensemble of kulintang musicians play for the dance. While the dance is often referred to as a Muslim dance, it is, however, a secular dance performed by the Ummah communities of the Maranao and Magindanao. Performed at celebrations and festivals, traditionally the dance was performed by a girl of royal blood intent on advertising herself to would-be-suitors for her future marriage. Traditionally, Singkil was performed by only women, inclusive of the clappers and the individual in the role of Putri Gandingan. Initially, the dance was perform with just one pair-set of bamboos. Then, it grew to two criss-crossing pair-sets of bamboos.
special thanks to: http://en.wikipedia.org/
and to: Aquarius Records
SINGKIL, a dance originating from Lanao del Sur, Mindanao is said to be a dance of Muslim royalty.
To the rythmic clapping of bamboo poles, the dancers weave expertly through crisscrossed bamboos, the ladies dressed in elegant Muslim costumes waving great big fans, the men flipping brightly colored handkerchiefs right and left.
The dancers wearing solemn faces and maintaining a dignified pose being dancing at a slow pace which soon progresses to a faster tempo.
Legend has it that SINGKIL originated from the day the diwatas(some from of nymph or fairy)played a joke on Princess Gandingan as she was taking a walk in the woods. The diwatas caused an eathquake that made the trees tremble and the rocks to roll and knock against each other. Nothing daunted, Princess Gandingan skipped nimbly from place to place and no tree or rock ever touched her tiny feet.
There are many versions of SINGKIL. When performed by ladies of the royalty of Lanao, the dancer is usually accompanied by a waiting lady, who holds a beautifully decorated umbrella over the Princess' head wherever she goes.
The dance has no definite number of steps or figures.Even the arm movements are improvised and executed according to the mood and skill of the dancers.
Quoted from FOLK DANCES volume 5, Francisca Reyes Aquino, 1983 PANDANGGO OASIWAS
There is another version of this dance, and the dance resembles the steps that are performed by the dancers of the 'pandanggo'. This other version of the dance is called the 'Oasiwas' and this dance has its origins in Lingayen in Pangasinan. This town in the province is known for its fishing industry and their version of the 'pandanggo' is related to the fishing industry. Right after their good catch, the fishermen in this town will usually celebrate by drinking wine and by dancing, and by swinging and circling with the lighted lamps on the hands of the dancers. The swinging and the circling moves of the dancers gave the name 'Oasiwas' which in the local dialect is known as 'swinging'.
special thanks to: http://www.philippine-travel-guide.com
and to Aquarius Records
Read more...
KURATSA
Kuratsa is a popular and lively dance that is very common among the old folks of Visayas and Ilocos regions. It has many different versions.
The Kuratsa is highly favored by the Visayan people especially the Waray people of the Eastern Visayan region in the Philippines. Strictly speaking, The Kuratsa must be done the amenudo-way; that is, only one couple dances it at a time. Believed to be a Mexican import (supposedly from La Cucaracha dance typical to Monterrey region of Mexico)- the Kuratsa is however, very different in the manner of execution to the Mexican counterpart. Even the "basic" Kuratsa music is not based on Mexican or even Spanish melodies but just bolero-inspired lilting music. A very interesting dance caught up the eyes of the beholder.
Philippine dance researchers, however, point either to the Kigal and the Bikal as the 'ascendant' of the Kuratsa. The Kigal (spelled "Quigal" in early Spanish writings on Samar culture and lifeways) is a sort battle-of-sexes couple dance that imitate mating birds. The Kigal is in fact called by another name: Binanug or Kiglun (Kigalun?) according to a 17th century Samarnon dictionary by Jesuit missionary to Samar, Fr. Alcazar. It is interesting that banug is the Waray word for the 'hawk'.
thanks to: http://en.wikipilipinas.org/
Cariñosa
Cariñosa (Spanish pronunciation: [kaɾiˈɲosa], meaning the loving or affectionate one) is a Philippine dance of Hispanic origin from the Maria Clara suite of Philippine folk dances, where the fan or handkerchief plays an instrumental role as it places the couple in romance scenario.The dance was originated in the Panay Islands on the Visayan Islands and it was introduced by the Spaniards during their colonization of the Philippines. It is related to some of the Spanish dances like the bolero and the Mexican dance Jarabe Tapatio or the Mexican Hat Dance that resembles the courtship through the interpretation of the dancers in the process of dancing. The dance before was a Maria Clara dance but because of its popularity it has so many versions around the Philippines. During the Marcos regime, it was nominated as the next national dance in the country, but according to Philippine Information Agency which is the official information arm of the Philippine Government (pia.gov.ph), the tinikling is still the national dance but through textbooks in elementary in the Philippines, this dance is noted as a national dance of the country. It is also a national dance for it resembles the shy and modesty of a Filipina.
thanks to : http://en.wikipedia.org
PANDANGGO SA ILAW
Pandanggo sa Ilaw is a very popular folk dance in the Philippines. It is said to have originated from Mindoro, the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. This dance of lights simulates fireflies at dusk and at night.
The word pandanggo is from the Spanish fandango, a dance in 3/4 time. The phrase sa ilaw is Tagalog for "in light" and it refers to the three oil lamps that a dancer has to balance — one on the head and one on the back each hand. The oil lamp is called tinghoy. Sometimes, candles in glasses are used instead of an oil lamp.
The music to which the pandanggo sa ilaw is now commonly danced was composed by Col. Antonio R. Buenaventura, a National Artist for Music and a native of Bulacan. He wrote the music sometime in the early 1930's while teaching at the Conservatory of Music at the University of the Philippines.
Filipino students practice this dance by balancing books on their head.
thanks to: http://tagaloglang.com/
BINASUAN
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Binasuan is a colorful and lively dance from Pangasinan, a province on the island of Luzon. It is often danced at weddings and fiestas.The word binasuan means "with the use of drinking glasses" and it refers to how the performers balance glasses on their heads and hands while gracefully dancing. This is especially tricky because the glasses are filled with rice wine or some other form of liquid.
thanks to: http://tagaloglang.com/ Read more...
ITIK-ITIK
The Itik-Itik dance is popular among the Visayan settlers of the province of Surigao del Norte. It has many variations of steps from which the dancers choose and combine. Its steps are similar to the movements of a duck (itik, in Filipino), as it walks with short, choppy steps and splashes water on its back while attracting its mate.
The dance is believed to have originated from the dance Sibay danced to the Dejado music. The Sibay is a bird dance that came from neighboring Visayan Islands. Philippine dance authority Reynaldo Gamboa Alejandro identified that Visayan Island to be Samar. True enough, since a 1668 book written by Fr. Ignacio Alzina (a Jesuit missionary to Samar) described a 'bird imitating dance' popular in Samar then, the Sabay. According to Fr. Alcina the dance imitates flying birds. An illustration in that same book had a caption: "su danza para hombre y mujer" (dance for man and woman); very appropriate for the characteristic Waray amenudo dances.
The present form of the Itik-itik is from Carmen, Lanuza, Cantillan, and Carrascal towns of the present-day Surigao del Norte province in the Caraga Region. A tale says that a lady named Kanang came up with the popular version. Dancing in one baptismal party, Kanang grew so spirited that when ducks from nearby pond caught her eye, she imitated their movements. The spectators found her dance so interesting that they themselves imitated her. The rest is history.
Despite the popularity of the Itik-itik Surigaonon, there are also other versions of the dance found mainly in Visayas. One version from Samar is danced to the same music. Two other versions came from Sibonga, Cebu, and Tibiao, Antique. The Samar version goes with a song that says:
ITIK-ITIK
Itik-itik diin ka guikan?
Itik-itik dit' ha Borongan
Itik-itik ano t'im dara?
Waray ini, bu-ong nga daba.
Itik-itik ug patu-pato
Nagbubunay tagwalo-walo
Itik-itik ug patu-pato
Nagbubunay tagwalo-walo
Duck-duck, where are you from
Duck-duck from Borongan
Duck-duck what is that with you?
That's nothing, just (broken) potshards
Ducks and geese
Lay eggs by eight at a time
Ducks and geese
Lay eggs eight at a time
thanks to: http://en.wikipilipinas.org/
TINIKLING
The Tinikling is the National Dance of the Philippines, according to the Philippine Government. (Philippine Information Agency pia.gov.ph). The tinikling is an indigenous dance from the Philippines that involves two people beating, tapping, and sliding bamboo poles on the ground and against each other in coordination with one or more dancers who step over and in between the poles in a dance. The name is a reference to birds locally known as tikling, which can be any of a number of Rail species; the term tinikling literally means "tikling-like".
Tinikling involves five steps; during the first four steps, the dancers dance opposite each other, and during the last step, they start from the same side of the poles. 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 bamboo is also used as a percussive instrument as it is banged against the ground (or a piece of wood to make it easier to hold) and each other in a pattern. The bamboo has to be closed hard enough to make a sound, and the dancers must be quick enough to not get their foot (or feet) caught. As the dance continues, the banging of the bamboo becomes faster and harder, the sound of the clashing bamboo and the quickness of feet demonstrated by the dancers thrilling and awing the crowd. In the United States, this dance had been altered into a four-beat rhythm to adjust to popular music. In some cases, it has been used in conjunction with traditional Filipino martial arts to demonstrate fleetness of foot and flow of movement.
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