Traditional Dances

Traditional dances are dances of

indigenous communities that show
cultural traits of people in specific time
and place. Customs and traditions through
dance steps and costumes are preserved in
traditional dance. Handed down from
generation to generation, with fixed sets
of pattern, these dances can be ethnic or
folk.
According to some literatures, ethnic
dances in the Philippines are classified
into two categories. One is that of the
dances of the non-Christians, referring to
the pre-Hispanic and the Muslim dances.
The other category is that of the
Christians. Performed mostly by the low
land Filipinos, dances under this category
have strong influence from the Western
culture, particularly Spain.
Folk dances are classified according to
geographical locations and the nature of the
dances. According to geographical location, folk
dances can be national (dances with common
basic movements, with slight variations) or
local/regional(dances that are unique to certain
localities only). According to the nature of the
dances, folk dances can be occupational dances,
religious or ceremonial dances, courtship dances,
wedding dances, festival dances, war dances,
comic dances.
Optimizing of Energy System
Energy is used up in physical activities,
like any physical activity, dance make use
a lot of energy. Health-Optimizing
Physical Education discusses how to
optimize energy system.
Optimization of Energy System
The body needs energy to function, even
during sleep and rest. During exercise,
energy must be produced at a faster rate as
compared to its resting state. With
different forms of activity, muscles are
used, and the heart compensates by
beating faster to deliver oxygen to the
whole body. For all these functions,
energy is needed.
Energy comes from what we eat which
are in the forms of:

1. Carbohydrates

2. Fat

3. Protein
Carbohyrdrates

Our muscles live and store carbohydrates

in what is known as glycogen. Glycogen
is used as fuel by the body when it is
broken down as glucose.
Fats
Fat is stored under our skin or adipose
tissue. It serves as insulation for the body
to prevent heart loss. Fat, or triglyceride,
serves as fuel as well it is broken down
into two types of molecules – glycerol and
fatty acids. Energy is released when these
are broken.
Protein
One of our fundamental building blocks is
protein. This is used for the repair and
growth of body tissue. It is not normally
stored in the body the way carbohydrates
and fat does. Only when in excess will
protein be stored and converted as fat.
Energy can also be produced when protein
is broken down, but this only happens with
prolonged endurance events such as
marathons.
The ATP (adenosine triphosphate) Cycle
When carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are broken
down, they produce a substance called adenosine
triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the energy fuel of the
body for all its functions, such as the manufacture
and repair of tissue, production of hormones,
digestion, and transmission of nerve impulses, among
others. ATP is made up of adenosine and three
phosphate groups. As the three phosphates are in a
special high-energy bond, the breaking of one of the
phosphate bond results in energy. When this occurs in
a muscle cell, mechanical work is generated and the
muscle contracts.
Heart is a byproduct of this process, and
this is the reason one heats up in exercise.
Losing phosphate, ATP becomes ADP
(adenosine diphosphate). ADP is
resynthesized back to ATP by gaining
back phosphate in the process known as
couple reaction. It is the cycle which
produces energy for the body.
The Phosphocreatine Energy System
This system is used for instantaneous activity lasting
several seconds. In this system, a fuel called creatine
phosphate is used to make ATP. Only in limited amounts,
when creatine phophate is broken down, the energy for
this process is immediately used to reproduce ATP. This
process is in use when you need an explosive action such
as dashing away from a mad dog. In sports, this system is
use in the 100 and 200 meter dash, shot put, and discus
throwing. This energy system backs up ATP immediately,
as it rapidly synthesizes ADP back to ATP. However, since
there is limited stock of creatine phosphate, ATP
production will have to rely on other sources such as
glycogen and fat.
The Lactic Acid Energy System
When glycogen is used without oxygen to produce
ATP, such condition is called the lactic acid system.
The muscles have glycogen stored in a small
amounts, and this is broken down to a substance
known as pyruvate, and then to ATP, leaving a by-
product called lactic acid. An excess in lactic acid
leads to muscular fatigue. The lactic acid system can
sustain quick bursts of high intensity activity, up to
90 seconds. Activities such as resistance training or
similar activities with eight to twelve repetitions of
muscular failure, or running the 400 to 800 meter
event utilizes this energy system.
There are two limitations of this energy
system:
1. limited glycogen stores in muscles.
2. the excessive lactic acid build up of
converting glycogen to ATP without oxygen
may lead to fatigue.
Modern and Contemporary Dances
Modern dance is a development that is
less formal than the classical ballet.
Contemporary dance incorporates the
strong legwork balance of ballet and the
trunk movements of modern dance.
Health Behaviors
Health behaviors such as eating habits,
sleeping regularly, and managing stress
are discussed in Health Optimizing
Physical Education. These factors play an
important role in your fitness and health.
Certain health risk factors are also
enumerated. All of these affect your total
physical activity performance.
Health Behaviors, Health Risk
Factors, and Physical Activity(PA)
Performance
Health Behaviors
Behavior that affect health come from
good eating habits, getting enough sleep,
and ability to manage stress.
1. Eating Behavior
One receives proper nutrition through the care
we give to our diet. The caloric daily
requirement of an average teenager is
approximately 2200 calories a day. This should
come from choice foods that will provide proper
sustenance for the body. Minerals such as iron,
iodine, and zinc are trace elements found in
green leafy vegetables, seafood, liver and
cereals. Iron can also be found in meat, fish,
chicken, and whole grain, and enriched breads
and cereals.
 Other vitamins can be found from these
sources.
Carotene Dark green and orange vegetables (spinach, carrots,
sweet potatoes, cantaloupes)

Vitamin B1 Meat, grain, cereals, broccoli

Vitamin B2 Fish, meat, liver, cheese, green vegetables

B-Complex Fish lean meat, nuts, grain products, legumes

Vitamin C Fruits, especially citrus

Potassium Fruits ( bananas, melon, and citrus) and vegetables ( green

and leafy vegetables ), broccoli, sweet potatoes, legumes
2. Sleep
Rest, sleep, and relaxation are important
in maintaining one’s health as well. An
approximate of 8 hours of sleep is needed
by individual, although young children
tend to sleep a bit more and even take a
short naps, while older people tend to
have shorter sleeping hours. Sleep
removes fatigue. It is also during sleep
that muscle repair occurs.
3. Stress Management
Stress is experienced when demands are
placed on someone who finds it hard to
comply with this demands. Events such as
death in the family, divorce, job-related
concerns and other problems may cause
stress. Post-traumatic stress is stress caused
by an unnaturally traumatic experience,
leading to the disruption of a person’s
ability to cope and function effectively.
Chronic stress occurs when someone
experience repeated and continuing
demands that inhibit the person’s
function. Exercise relieves stress and
reduces anxiety and depression as well. It
serves as a diversion for a person to relax.
Feeling such as anger, fear, and frustration
are also reduced with exercise.
Health Risk Factors
There are several known risk factors to
watch out for. These are family history,
cigarette smoking, hypertension (or high
blood pressure), hypercholesterolemia (or
high cholesterol count) impaired fasting
glucose levels (high blood sugar levels),
obesity, and sedentary lifestyle (physical
inactivity).
Physical Activity Performance
Physical activity performance is directly
related to eating behaviors, rest, sleep, and
relaxation, stress management, and health
risk factors. Proper eating behavior affect
one’s physical performance levels as nutrition
affects energy system directly. Rest, sleep,
and relaxation functions to relieve fatigue, as
well as functions for the body to recuperate,
without which a good performance in
physical activities is not possible.
Exercise relieves stress in many ways, as
well as reduces health risk such as
hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, high
blood sugar, high blood pressure, obesity,
and reverses the sedentary lifestyle.
Common Dance Terms Used in Folk
Dancing
1. Abrasete – Girl at the right side, hold R
arm of partner with her L hand, free hands
down at the sides.
2. Arms in Lateral Position – both arms at
one side, either right or left; at shoulder,
chest, or waist level.
3. Arms in reverse “I” – arms are side
horizontal, elbows bent at the right angles,
forearms parallel to head, palms forward or
facing inward fists loosely closed.
4. “Bilao” - to turn palms of hands up
and down alternately, hands and waist
level in front, elbows close to waist
5. Brush – weight on one foot , hit the
floor with the ball or heel of the other foot
and lift that foot from the floor to any
direction.
6. “Cabeceras” – the couples occupying
the width of the hall when dancers are in
square formation (head couple)
7. Clockwise – like the motion of the
hands of the clock, right shoulder is toward
the center of an imaginary circle. When
facing center , movement is toward the left.
8. Counter Clockwise – the reverse
direction of clockwise, left shoulder toward
center. Movements are toward right when
facing center of circle.
9. “Costados” – the couples occupying the
length of the hall when dancers are in
square formation (side pairs)
10. Crossed Arms – partners facing each
other or standing side by side join their left
hands together and the right hands together;
either right over left or left over right hands.
11. Cut – to displace quickly one foot with
other foot.
12. Do-si-do (Dos-a-dos) – partners advance
forward, pass each other’s right (or left) side,
step across to the right (or left) move
backward without turning around, pass each
other left (or right) side to proper places.
13. Free Foot – the foot not bearing the
weight of the body.
14. Free Hand – the hand not placed
anywhere, or not doing anything.
15. Hayon-hayon – to place one forearm
in front and the other at the back of the
waist.
16. Hop – a spring from one foot landing
on the same foot in place or in any
direction
17. Inside foot – the foot
18. “Jaleo” – partners turn around
clockwise (with right elbows almost
touching) or counter clockwise (with left
elbows touching) using walking or any
kind of dance step.
19. Jump – a spring on one foot or both
feet landing on both feet in any direction.
20. “Kumintang” – moving the hand
from the wrist either in clockwise or
counter clockwise direction.
21. Leap – a spring on one foot. Landing
on the other foot in any direction.
22. Outside Foot – the foot away from
one’s partner stand side by side
23. Outside Hand – the hand away from
one’s partner stand side by side
24. Place – a foot in a certain position
without putting weight on it; the sole of the
foot rests on the floor.
25. Pivot – to turn with the ball, heel, or
whole foot, on affixed placed or point
26 Point – to touch the floor lightly with
the toes of one foot, weight of the body on
the other foot.
27. “Salok” – swinging the arm downward
– upward passing in front of the body as if
scooping, the trunk is bent forward
following the movement of the arm doing
the “Salok”
28. “Saludo” – partners with the feet
together bow to each other, to the audience,
opposite dancers, or the neighbors.
29. “Sarok” – crossing the right (left)
foot in front of the of the left (or right)
bend the body slightly forward and cross
the hand down in front with the right (or
left) hand over the left (or right) hand.
30. Set – a dance formation like a square
or a unit formation composed of two or
more pairs.
31. Slide – to glide foot smoothly along
the floor
32. Stamp – to bring the foot forcibly and noisily
on the floor.
33. Step – to advance or recede by moving one
foot to another resting place with a complete
transfer of the weight from one foot to the other
foot
34. Supporting Foot – the foot that bears the
weight of the body
35. Tap – to tap slightly with the ball or toe of the
free foot keeping the weight of the body on the
other foot. There is no transfer of weight.
36. Whirl – to make fast turns by executing small
steps in place, to right, or to left.
Description of Folk Dances
1. National Dances – present throughout the
island with little or no modification.
2. Local Dances – present in a certain
localities only
3. Occupational – dances depicting action of
certain occupation, industry, and human labor.
4. Religious or Ceremonial – dances being
performed in connection with religious vows
and ceremonies.
5. Comic Dances – depicting funny
movements for entertainment
6. Game Dances – having play elements
(dance mixers).
7. Wedding Dances – dances being performed
during wedding feasts.
8. Courtship Dance – dances depicting love-
making
9. Festival Dances – dances fitting for special
occasion or any social gathering.
10. War Dances – dances showing imaginary
combat or duel.