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.

Rural dances include such favorites as the high-stepping Tinikling, which mimics a bird, and the Gaway-
Gaway, which features the movements of children pulling the stalks of the gaway roots during a
bountiful harvest. The pagan tribes, the Higaonon, Subanon, Bagogo, and others who have inhabited the
Philippines for thousands of years, preserved their customs and symbolic dances. Partly through
isolation, they kept their culture free from the influence of the waves of immigrants who settled the
archipelago over the centuries. Today, tribal dances like Dugso (a dance of gratitude for a good harvest
or a male heir, danced with ankle bells), Sohten(an all-male war dance) and Lawin-Lawin(another male
dance which mimics a swooping, soaring eagle) are carefully documented and kept alive in performance
by Filipino folk dance troupes and cultural institutions, such as the Parangal Dance Company.

The Pagdiwata is a trance dance, featuring women dancers who enact a thanksgiving ritual at the time
of the harvest moon. The shamanic figures mime the spirits who possess them and enact a drama that
can last for hours.

Muslim Merchants
Muslim traders from the Malay Archipelago reached the Philippines in the 14th century, well ahead of
the Europeans. Thier conversion of the populace was a modest affair; they were more interested in
commerce than colonization, although they did establish strongholds and convert the local populace to
Islam. They also created their own folk dances in the areas where they settled. Singkil is one of the most
famous. It depicts the plight of a princess caught in a magical earthquake in a forest. Her faithful servant
tries to shield her with a parasol as the princess gracefully dodges falling trees, and is eventually saved
by a prince.

Spanish Colonization

Folk dances survived the European invasion, and the dancers adapted imposed Christian belief and
culture to their own dances, borrowing court choreography but imbuing it with Philippine spirit.
The Maria Clara dances merged Spanish court style (and its stylized courtship conventions) with
Philippine exuberance. Maria Clara is the pure and noble heroine of a novel who represents the finest
qualities of Filipino womanhood. The dancers wear European 16th-century dress but move to the
sounds of bamboo castanets.
Folkloric Fusion
The revered folk dances from the lowlands and the hill tribes persist in their traditional form and in
contemporary choreography for Philippine ballet companies. Dance is still the theater of identity for
the Filipino people, a vibrant and cherished way to tell their story forward with all the rich history of
their past.

The Beat Goes On

Traditional dance is still performed at celebrations of births and weddings. Modern folk dance festivals
still feature ancient dances performed in costumes of the tribal period of the Philippines. If you are
fortunate enough to attend a performance, you will hear percussion instruments such as the gangsa (a
small copper gong), a tobtob (brass gong) or a hibat (a gong played with a soft wooden stick),
accompanying dances such as the Palok and the Lumagen. Many tribal dances use no external
musicians; the dancers generate their own accompaniment with stomping and hand clapping.

Idudu: A Snapshot of Ancient Culture

From the area of Abra, Cordillera comes the Idudu, which is a celebration of the family as the
fundamental building block of Philippine culture. Depicting a typical day in the life of a family, the father
is shown working in the fields while the mother cares for the children. As soon as the father is done, the
mother goes into the fields to continue the work while the father goes back to the house to put the baby
to sleep.

A singer usually provides a well-known lullaby during this part of the dance, and it emphasizes the
necessity of cooperation and mutual support in the Tingulan family structure.

Maglalatik: The Dance of War

A dance from before the conversion of the Philippines to Christianity is called the Maglalatik. It
represents a fierce battle between the Moro tribesmen (wearing red trousers) and the Christian soldiers
from Spain (wearing blue). Both groups wear harnesses with coconut shells attached tightly to their
bodies which are struck repeatedly with other shells held in the hands.

Originally from the Binan, Laguna province, it is now one of the most common dances in Philippine folk
dance performances.

Pandanggo sa Ilaw: Grace and Balance

Derived from the Spanish word fandango, this dance is one of several designed to show off the grace,
balance, and dexterity of the performers. Three glasses of wine (or, in modern times, water) are held in
hands and on top of the dancers' heads as they move, never spilling a drop.

This is similar to the Binasuan dance from the Pangasinan Province which is done with drinking glasses.

Tinikling: Birds Dancing Over Bamboo

Perhaps the best-known dance in Philippine folk dance history, the Tinikling mimics the high-stepping
strut of birds in the Philippine jungles over the bamboo traps the hunters would set for them. Two
dancers, usually male and female, gracefully step in and out of crossed sets of bamboo poles being
moved together and apart to the music.
The dance gets faster and faster as it goes on, and it has been an audience favorite for Philippine dance
companies touring the world. Tinikling illustrates the complexity and rhythmic challenge of expressive
and intricate Filipino folk dance forms.

More on Cultural Dances

A recent rebirth in interest for all folk and cultural dances has spurred many resources to appear online.
You can watch these folk dances on YouTube, read about the cultural history on informational sites, and
even learn some of the dances through instructional videos. Check out some of these resources to
further develop your knowledge of Philippine folk dancing:

 Sayam Pilipinas: Plenty of information is available through this informational website, where the
dances are divided into categories and then explained with the help of pictures.
 Cultural Center of the Philippines: This government-run site showcases Philippine arts and features
folk dance companies such as Bayanihan, the National Dance Company of the Philippines, with
performance dates and ticket prices.
 Parangal: A Filipino dance company based out of San Francisco which brings the art of the
Philippines to American audiences.
 ArtsBridge America: The way that dance and culture intertwine all around the world is explored in
this performance curriculum designed to teach about cultural dances of the world.
 Ritwal: A DVD featuring several different types of Philippine folk dancing, this is a visual feast for
anyone interested in the genre.

Ancient to Modern Dance History

The history of dancing in the Philippines is a long and rich story that shows how intertwined the dances
are with daily life and important events. Learn a few of the dances in order to really increase your
understanding and appreciation of this dance genre; while the choreography may seem difficult at first,
a little focused study can go a long way.

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 Pandanggo Oasiwas

The Pandanggo Oasiwas is similar to the Pandanggo sa Ilaw, and is typically performed by fishermen to
celebrate a good catch. In this version, the lamps are placed in cloths or nets and swung around as the
dancers circle and sway.

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 as 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.

La Jota Moncadeña
The La Jota Moncadeña is adapted by the Filipinos from an old Spanish dance. It's a combination of
Spanish and Ilocano dance steps set to Spanish music and castanets. A more solemn version of this
dance is sometimes used to accompany a funeral procession, but it is also performed at celebrations.

The Kappa Malong-Malong

The Kappa Malong-Malong is a Muslim-influenced dance. The malong is a tubular garment, and the
dance essentially shows the many ways it can be worn. There are men's and women's versions of the
dance since they wear malongs in different ways.

The Habanera Botolena

The Habanera Botolena is a strongly flamenco-influenced dance that comes from Botolan, Zambales. It
combines Filipino and Spanish steps, and is a popular dance at weddings. It is also considered a courting
dance in some situations.
The Pantomina
Also known as the Dance of the Doves, the Pantomina mimics the courtship between doves and is often
also a courtship dance between the couples that perform it. This dance is an important part of the
Sorsogon Kasanggayahan Festival held each October, where it is mainly performed by the elders of the
community.

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 Surtido
Surtido literally means "assortment," and this square dance combines influences of French, Spanish and
Mexican dance. Traditionally the Surtido is performed by a head couple accompanied by two other
couples who lead all the dancers through various formations that resemble an old-fashioned quadrille.

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 Polkabal
The Polkabal shows some European influence in its steps. The dance is composed of nine different steps
which include various movements such as fluttering, stepping heel-to-toe, a reenactment of a bull fight,
and even a leisurely walk.

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, including Spanish, Malay, and
Muslim. A popular song Magkasuyo Buong Gabi (Lovers for the Night) expands on the romantic nature
of the dance.

History Through Dance

Dancing plays an important role in Filipino culture, telling their history and preserving traditions through
folk dances and music. These dances are entertaining to observe, and even more fun to learn and
perform yourself.