Submitted by: Zeydrick Fernandez

Grade&Section: 12-Timothy

CONTENT

We grade 12-Timothy performed the Cariñosa folk dance. The Cariñosa

is a popular folk dance that was introduced to the country by the Spaniards
when they arrived in the 16th century. It belongs to the Maria Clara suite of
Philippine folk dances. These are so named in honour of Maria Clara, who was
the main character in Jose Rizal’s novel Noli Me Tangere, ('Don’t Touch Me’),
about the colonisation of the Philippines by the Spanish. In it, Maria Clara is
portrayed as a noble and loyal woman, who after the publication of the novel in
the 19th century became the female symbol of virtue for Philippine women.

It is believed that Panay Island, located in the Visayan Islands group was
the original home of the cariñosa. The Spanish first arrived on the island in
1569. The dance soon spread around the Philippines, giving rise to different
versions in different regions, such as in Bicol, where both dancers carry
handkerchiefs.

It was traditional for a Spanish ‘Maria Clara’ costume to be worn, which

consisted of a long dress and a long-sleeved short embroidered dress made
from pineapple fibers. Now more traditional Philippine dress is usual. Men
wear white shirts and colored trousers, while the women wear native dresses.

The music is Spanish-influenced, with three-quarter rhythms that

resemble a bolero or a waltz in both speed and style. Ensemble orchestras
comprising banjos, mandolins, strings and drums are typical. The orchestras
were once mainly composed of men, however more and more women are
starting to take part.
 CONTEXT

Cariñosa This flirtatious dance called Cariñosa is known throughout the

Philippines. Cariñosa means affectionate, lovable, or amiable. With a fan or
handkerchief, the dancers go through hide-and-seek movements and other
flirting acts expressing tender feelings for one another. There are many
versions of this dance, but the hide-and-seek movements are common in all.
The first ever published notation of the Cariñosa dance steps was from the book
Philippine Folk Dances and Games by Francisca Reyes-Tolentino (later
became an Aquino). Mrs Tolentino's master's thesis which has the same title
was revised and was later published in 1927. However, the most common of the
many Cariñosa found in the country is the one from the book "Philippine Folk
Dances v1" by Francisca Reyes Aquino, published sometime in 1940. The
version integrated all the common dance figures among the many versions
throughout the land. Three versions of this courtship-festival dance were found
in Panay Island, the "Home of the Carinosa". Three different dance researchers
discovered three equally beautiful Cariñosa dances. Petronila Suarez had her
Carinosa Binggawan, Jose Balcena's informant; an old dancing virtuoso name
Casimiro earned him the identity of Balcena's cariñosa version: Tatay Meroy
Cariñosa. Tatay Meroy was an old bachelor from Roxas City who because of
old age became aggressive in his courting of a future partner. This version
dramatizes Tatay Mero's pursuit of his partner who teases him by flirting. Prolific
Visayan dance researchers Libertad Fajardo and her daughter Joanne
discovered a Cariñosa version from San Joaquin, Iloilo. The San Joaquin
cariñosa is probably the most flirtatious of all known versions. Here, the couple
does not simply do some hide-and-seek in a vertically spread handkerchief but
also does the combing of each partner's hair and even putting a powder puff!
This version is ended with a ballroom waltz where the couple goes around the
dance floor in close ballroom position. The Cariñosa was also very popular in
Samar where it is called Pandanggyado Cariñosa or simply Pandanggyado in'
Samar. A cariñosa from Bicol discovered by Ramon Obusan in Rapu-rapu,
Albay is a very unique song-dance or sayawit. The hide-and-seek uses a folding
fan rather than the common prop: handkerchief. A very unique Bicolnon dance
step called binanog is prominent throught the dance where it was originally used
as an intermission. The Cariñosa is believed to have replaced the popular
Tinikling as the "National Dance of the Philippines" in 1992. However, according
to the Philippine Information Agency, the Tinikling is indeed the "National Dance
of the Philippines".

FORM

To dance the cariñosa, a man and a woman dance together, taking slow
steps around the room, similar to those of a waltz. The female holds a fan or
handkerchief, which she coyly hides behind. The dance itself is intended as a
courtship dance, and is of a flirtatious nature. Cariñosa literally means "she
that is loving" as the verb ending indicates it refers to a woman.

In our dance presentation, you can see how men and women move and
interact with each other like they were flirting. The women act like a cultured
women. They showed how shy women is during those periods. While men
here shows how passionate they are to get the girls hand to reach her with
love. It really shows how men and women take a steps to make love for each
other.