Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Countries in the world have their own cultures made more colorful, beautiful and vibrant
because of Folk Dances that are reflection of who they are. In the east, the Chinese
have their symbolic Dragon Dance, the Japanese have the ancestral dance Bon Odori.
In the west the Americans have their Square Dance. On the other hand, the Philippines
will not be left behind. "The Pearl of The Orient" boast of a varitey of Filipino Folk
Dances.
The Philippines consist of 7107 islands, and is broken down in three groups of islands.
The Luzon, Mindano, and Visayas. Each of these regions contain different
languages,history, regligon, and traditions. With each region having different influence in
thier arts, crafts, and ancestorical dances. Lets take a trip through each region and
explore the different styles, costumes, Dances and Talents from Each Region.... As we
explore each of the regions and styles, please remember alot of these Cultural and Folk
dances represents hardships and daily back breaking tasks, that has turned into a art
form. Many of the dances you will read about here were actuall activities or chores that
the Filipino endured to survive the poor economy and state of the nation
imitate the wonders of nature, dancers often swoop their arms like birds and stomp their
feet to represent the rumbling of the Earth.
However, many other tribes in other regions are disappearing, and only a few of their
dances survive. Thanksgiving, worship and prayers for a bountiful harvest mark the
style of these dances.
Voyage to Mindanao
In the 12th century, traders and seafarers came to the Philippines long before the
Spanish, bringing the Islamic faith with them. The inhabitants of the southern region
converted to Islam, incorporating their new religion into the fabric of their existing
culture. The dances of the Muslims, known as Moros, are alluring and colorful. Female
dancers wear costumes studded with jewels, while male dancers brandish swords and
shields. The Moros use languid arm movements to imitate the world around them such
as the wind, the sea and the fish. Each dance is punctuated by the haunting sounds of
the kulintangan, a set of small gongs.
Like the Igorots, the Moros were able to resist Spanish rule, which is why many of their
dances continue to flourish.
Maria Clara
In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan came to the archipelago, signaling the start of Spanish
colonization. However, the Spanish didn't get a foothold in the Philippines until 1565.
Three centuries of Spanish rule left an imprint on the Filipinos. Many of them were
converted to Catholicism and forced to take Spanish surnames.
During this period, Western culture spread through the islands, including such Western
dances as the waltz, fandango and polka. With a little Filipino flare, they quickly became
part of the culture. This "new" style of dance was named Maria Clara after the tragic
character in Jose Rizal's novel "Noli Me Tangere."
Barrio Fiesta
After toiling in the rice paddies, countryside farmers would gather to sing and dance.
These dances revolve around everyday items, such as glasses, candles, benches, hats
and bamboo poles. Because the dances are a celebration, they are often referred to as
"a barrio fiesta." One of the more complicated dances is pandanggo sa ilaw, meaning
"dance of lights," which imitates wandering fireflies. To accomplish the illusion, women
delicately balance three "tinghoy," or oil lamps, on their heads and palms.
Legacy
Many of these dances survive today, thanks to dance troupes in the Philippines and
abroad. Filipino student organizations at many U.S. universities and colleges put on a
yearly celebration of cultural dances.
Coconut shell halves are attached to the chest, back and knees of male dancers who hit
those shells with shell halves attached to their hands.
The maglalatik dance is said to have originated in Laguna province.
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.
Mazurka Boholana
Mazurka Boholana is a Spanish-inspired ballroom dance from the Bohol province of the
Philippines. The country was under the rule of Spain for more than three hundred years,
during which time local culture was markedly influenced. Although the mazurka is the
Polish national dance, it was wildly popular throughout Europe in the 19th century and
even in colonized lands overseas. The Philippine dance is ordinarily performed by men
and women partners.
La Estudiantina is a Spanish-inspired dance of the Philippines. The country was under
the rule of Spain for more than three hundred years, during which time local culture was
markedly influenced.
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.
Alkamfor is a couples dance from Leyte, a province of the Philippines located in the
Visayas group of islands. In this dance, the girl holds a handkerchief laced with
camphor, a substance that is locally thought to induce romance. She flirts with the man
by waving her scented handkerchief in front of his face.
The Spanish-influenced Kuratsa or Curacha was once a very popular dance in different
parts of the Philippines, particularly in the Visayas region.
dresses, religion, native languages and dialects, as well as its creative literature and
traditional amusements and pastimes.
Art is a natural form of expression for Filipinos. During years of peril under foreign rule,
many iconic masterpieces have surfaced, among which is Juan Lunas Spoliarium,
which symbolically depicts the harsh rule of the Spanish over the Philippines. Visual art
provides a channel for expression for most Filipinos, whether it be through painting,
sculpture, weaving or religious works. Art has been used to make political statements,
portray reality, showcase other facets of culture and boast about the rich nature
surrounding the country.
Engravings, etchings and sculptures are also among the earliest forms of folk art in the
Philippines. National monuments which were sculpted and crafted by early artists date
back from as early as the 17th Century. These sculptures either commemorate different
nobilities, Christian icons, heroic personalities or depict various monumental events in
the countrys history. Religious art was also at boom in the early centuries, adorning
gothic and baroque churches throughout the archipelago.
and singing. The Cultural Centre of the Philippines is just one of the main theatre
institutions and platforms where Filipinos theatrical skills are on display.
Balagtasan is an interesting form of spontaneous poetic debate, performed by makatas
or poets who contest opposing views by reciting impromptu verses to establish points of
argument. After the debate, the mediator or lakandiwa bestows judgment by soliciting
applause from the audience. The makata with the loudest applause wins the debate.