II.

The Philippines during the Spanish Colonization

A. Cooking/Culinary

Spain not only brought the Catholic religion to the Philippine islands it also brought with
it its culture and its cuisine. And the impact of the Spanish influence on local cuisine is very
much evident during religious feasts, especially at Christmas. The impact of the Spanish
influence on local cuisine is very much evident during religious feasts, especially at
Christmas. Days dedicated to patron saints are accompanied by fiestas when the locals cook
enough food to feed an army, as the metaphor goes. Family, friends, friends of friends and
total strangers are welcomed into the homes of Filipinos to partake of the spread of dishes
that are cooked only on special occasions. Most of these special occasion dishes trace their
roots to the Spanish colonial days. When the Spaniards arrived, they brought with them
ingredients and labor-intensive cooking methods that were unknown in the Philippines.
Roasted whole pigs, the rich meat stews and dairy-based sweets that the Spaniards loved
were considered luxuries to the locals. Consequently, in the Filipino home, these dishes were
reserved only for specials days like fiestas and Christmas. Put another way, the Filipinos
turned so deeply Catholic that, to their minds, no occasion is more special than the days
dedicated to the important personages in the history of the Catholic church.

Over time, Filipinos came up with their adaptations of these various Spanish dishes. But
the idea that they were more appropriate for feasts than for everyday meals remained. And
because the most important personality in the Catholic religion is Jesus, then, his natal day is
the most special of all occasions. It is hardly surprising that the Noche Buena feast and the
Christmas day meals are laden with for-special-occasions-only Spanish dishes and local
adaptations of Spanish dishes. Lechon, puchero, fabada, paella, morcon, embutido, leche
flan, and churros are only some of the favorite Christmas dishes. But, you may think, the
Philippines is a Third World country with more than ninety percent of the population living
below the poverty line so how can the impoverished majority afford expensive ingredients
like the morcilla in fabada or the ham hock and chorizo de Bilbao in puchero? While the rich
can afford to cook and serve authentic Spanish dishes, the not-so-rich cook and serve
adaptations of the same dishes which, in many ways, means substituting cheaper local
counterparts for the expensive imported ingredients. Lechon in a humble household may
 mean a pig's head rather than a whole pig and the paella will probably be tinted with the local
kasubha in lieu of the prohibitively-priced saffron. The dishes may be budget-friendly
versions of the originals but they are still referred to by their traditional names. And because
they are traditionally associated with Christmas, they will be present, in one form or another,
on the dinner table of the humblest home in the Philippines.

Filipino food has less of a distinctly Spanish flavor than that of its other colonies. The
influence was there but the most basic Filipino dishes such as sinigang, paksiw, kinilaw and
the likes, they outnumber the more obviously Spanish dishes such as morcon, menudo and
morcilla. Chinese has much influence as the emergent of Filipino cuisine.

Spanish dishes were cooked in Spanish and mestizo homes. When American era came,
that’s where spanish restaurants came into being in search of a trade decided to serve their
home cooking to the general public. Spain as aculinary center was a very recent occurrence,
Spanish food being taken seriously outside Spain, even more recent. In Philippines spanish
food has a special place only in the minds and stomachs of the upper class, but an old
fashioned idea of Spanish food. The people of Spain love their food. In fact, the typical
Spaniard probably eats more food in a day than most people in the United States. However,
they take their time eating, spread their meals throughout the day, and walk between meals.

Breakfast (El Desayuno)

In Spain, breakfast (el desayuno) is the smallest meal of the day. It is typically light and
more like a continental breakfast than anything else. A typical breakfast might include café con
leche (strong coffee with hot, frothy milk), bollos (sweet rolls) with jam, toast with jam or mild
cheese, or simply "Maria" crackers dunked in hot milk. Some might enjoy sweet and lemony
magdalenas (think French Madeleines) from the neighborhood bakery. Yet, it is now very
common (and more economical) to buy bags of these petite, fluffy, cupcake-like cakes in the
supermarkets. Generally, breakfast in Spain is eaten at home, before dashing off to work or
school. However, you may see some workers duck into the closest cafeteria around 10 a.m. to
enjoy a quick mid-morning coffee break.

Many people in Spain skip eating breakfast. They would just chose to drink a cup of coffee or
hot chocolate milk before going to work or school. Just like here in the Philippines, Our
breakfast is often just a pastry and a drink like coffee or a glass of milk especially when we are in
hurry or we’re getting late in school or work.

Little Meals (Tapas)

Tapas are eaten well after breakfast but before the big mid-afternoon lunch. They are small plates
like canapés or finger food and may be warm or cold dishes. Tapas vary greatly from region to
region and season to season. Tapas time generally includes bar-hopping to taste wine and chat. A
different tapa is ordered at each stop. This time is about socializing with friends and neighbors as
it is about the quality of the food. It is not uncommon for friends to have a regular circuit by
meeting up at their favorite bars. The Spanish love tapas so much that they made a verb out of it.
The phrase "Vamos a tapear!" means “Let’s go eat tapas!” There are literally hundreds, perhaps
thousands, of different tapas. A few of the most popular tapas include tortilla Española: a
Spanish omelet, also called tortilla de patata or a potato omelet; patatas bravas: potatoes with
spicy brava sauce; and gambas al ajillo: shrimp in garlic sauce.

Almuerzo (mid-morning snack from 10:30am to 11am).

Mid-morning snack is the little meals of Spain. It is eaten before midafternoon lunch and it is
like a second breakfast because it is often consists of another coffee or juice and muffins and
sandwiches. Almuerzo can take the form of a quick bite in a cafe. And you wil see a lot of
workers that take this time to smoke, to have chats with their friends while having their snacks
on the street. Just like here in the Philippines, we also have a meryenda here.

La Comida (lunch 2pm to 3:30pm)

La comida is the biggest meal or largest meal that cannot be missed. And in order to enjoy their
meal, they have a 2hrs to 3hrs of break and they also take a short nap or siesta.

That’s why the shops in Spain are normally closes from 1:30pm to 4:30pm. Siesta is the most
notable aspects of Spain. It is the later afternoon when everything’s shuts down so people can
rest and take a nap.
The siesta is a tradition that goes back centuries from the days when most people worked in
agriculture and air conditioning did not exist. It is easy to understand why folks needed fuel from
a large meal as well as a rest from the hot Spanish sun before returning to work. Everyone in
Spain enjoyed this afternoon break from school kids to shop workers and government officials.
Most Spaniards still enjoy a break and large meal, but life in Spain is changing. In larger cities
like Madrid and Barcelona, many people spend over an hour commuting to and from work,
making it impossible to go home for a meal and siesta. Because of this, Spanish government
employees in Madrid now work a standard eight-hour day with a one-hour lunch break. Many
large supermarket and retail chains in large cities do not close for lunch anymore, either. Most
small shops still close to enjoy their meal and a break before re-opening in the late afternoon.

Bread is always found on the Spanish table. It is plentiful and fresh and used to mop up
sauces. Since Spaniards love eggs and dairy foods, you will find that many desserts are made
from fresh milk or cream. Fresh fruit is typical to see on a dessert menu and may be served with
a soft cheese. Also, do not forget an espresso shot. You will probably need it after the big lunch.

Snack (La merienda)

Snack is eaten in spain around 4;30 pm to 5pm. This is also called as a “late afternoon
snack” This is important for those people who seem to have lots of activities or spend a lot of
energy just like those basketball players, construction workers and etc.

Merienda is usually more bread, a small sandwich, a pastry or cookies. Just like here in
the philippines, we also have this merienda (i think we adopted it from them) , usually we’re
getting a merienda after waking up in the afternoon, after schools or works. And most of our
merienda are like turons, lumpia, bread, coffee, juice or soda.

Dinner (La CENA)

The dinner in Spain is starting from 9pm to 11pm. It also can take many forms with the
shared, small plate style of tapas being the most popular. Dinner (la cena) is a significantly
lighter meal than lunch. It is generally eaten between 9 p.m. and midnight. The portions
served at dinner are usually smaller, and plates are much simpler. Dinner might include fresh
 fish or seafood or a portion of roast chicken or lamb with fried potatoes or rice. An omelet
and fish with a green salad on the side are also quite common. A simple and quick dish,
commonly eaten at dinner is arroz cubano, a mound of white rice, topped with tomato sauce
and a fried egg. Green salad and a vegetable dish are standard at both lunch and dinner. A
lighter dessert of fresh fruit or flan (Spanish vanilla custard) may also be eaten.Often, rather
than sitting down to dinner at a restaurant, a group of friends may decide to meet and they
will make the rounds at their favorite tapas bars before seeing a movie or heading to a club or
show.

Paseyar (After Dinner)

Spaniards are night owls. The typical Spaniard does not get to bed until around midnight.
On the weekends, holidays, and during the summer months, it is not unusual for a Spanish
family to turn in after 3 a.m. So, after the late-night dinner, Spaniards continue their
socializing in neighborhood cafés and taverns or go out to a nightclub or pub. The last stop
on the way home from an evening of fun might be to a churreria or churro stand. Churros are
fried pastries that are made out of fried dough. The closest thing that we have in the U.S.
would be fritters or donuts. Fresh churros, bought from a street vendor or sidewalk café, are
served hot and sprinkled with sugar. To accompany your churros, hot chocolate is the drink
of choice. Chocolate in Spain is nothing like what you're probably familiar with in the U.S. It
is not like Mexican chocolate either, which has cinnamon and other flavors in it. Spanish hot
chocolate is hot and very thick. It is usually made from fresh, whole milk, not a "just add
water" chocolate packet. It is sweet and so thick that you can practically stand a spoon in it.
Essentially, it is the perfect indulgence for the end the day.

B. Dance
The Spanish Colonial Dance
The Filipinos before the Spanish colonization had already dance. The most ancient
dances could be traced to the war dance in order to incite “warlike” enthusiasm of the natives.
They dance primarily to please their gods, anitos and spirit who it was believed, were always
jealous of the action of the natives their dance could be described as the pantomimes today, they
also dance during festival, and other occasions.

Due to the hundreds of years of Spanish colonization, the natives started to lose most of
their ancient traditions such as dance. Many of the old indigenous dances vanished or were
gradually replaced by the Spanish with the arrival of European culture in general. Perhaps the
rigodon, virginia, and lanceros were the Spaniards ' first dances. The Filipinos gradually
assimilated these dances, evolving their own simplified versions and derivations of the different
forms. The elegance of the body and arm movements of foreign dances fascinated the Filipinos,
so they adopted these.

Ballroom Dance

“Ballroom dancing” as a term hails from the Latin word “ballare” which, coincidentally,
means “to dance.” Thus, a ballroom is a room in which to dance. Centuries ago, ballroom
dancing was primarily for the privileged and well-to-do, while the commoners had to make do
with folk dancing; however, these boundaries have since disappeared, leaving ballroom dancing
a fun hobby for everyone. Today, ballroom dancing applies to numerous dances in which a
“leader” and a “follower” dance together in close proximity, usually with some degree of
physical contact. This closeness is to permit the leader to get the follower to, well, follow along.

The first documented authority of early ballroom dancing is Jehan Thoinot’Arbeau’s

Orchesographie (1588) that discussed 16th-century French social dance. In 1650, Jean-Baptiste
Lully introduced the Minuet to Paris—a dance that would dominate ballroom until the end of the
18th century.

The Waltz came about in England in the early 1800s despite initial opposition to the closed
dance hold. By 1840, the Polka, Mazurka, and Schottische emerged.

Although commonly classified together as “ballroom” dancing, there are notable differences
between ballroom and Latin dance. The “ballroom” dances are generally “smooth” dances like
Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Quickstep and Viennese Waltz while "Latin" dances are more rhythmic
and includes Rumba, Swing/Jive, Samba, Cha cha, Mambo, Merengue, Bolero and Salsa.
Regardless of their "proper" classification, they are all extremely fun and fairly easy to learn.
The Jota

The jota, a fast triple dance and a great favorite during the Spanish rule, was originally
performed by the Spaniards at their social gatherings, together with the polka, the waltz and the
habanera. If Spanish nationals were not enough to do the dance, the Filipinos were invited to
participate in it. In addition, these Filipinos taught other Filipinos as they learned the jota. The
dance became popular, perhaps due to its sexual and lively rhythm and the energetic movements
that accompanied it. The dance soon spread to rural communities. Jota is a courtship dance
traditional in northern Spain, particularly Aragon; also a genre of folk song that precedes and
accompanies the dance or is sung only. There are six (6) Philippines Jota Dance that are adopted
by the Filipinos to the Jota of Spain. These are Jotabal, La Jota Moncadena, Jota Rizal, Jota de
Manila, La Jota San Joaquina, and La Jota Sevillana. These Jota dances have similarities in dance
step and patterns included: waltz, series of steps, point, cross-step, brush step, stamp and step-
hop. As to hands, arms, and body movement, arms in second position, arms in fourth position,
girls holding their skirt while boys' hands on waist and arms down at sides were used. Cut, waltz
balance, sway balance with a close are dance steps in Jota Rizal only; slide cut, slide step, ekis,
tortillier, foot circle on air, sarok with a jump were the dance steps found in La Jota Sevillana.
Change step is employed only in Jota Moncadena, four-step turn and quarter turn are turns in
Jota Rizal, while cross-step turn was used in Jota Manila. La Jota Moncadena, Jota de Manila,
and La Jota San Joaquina are performed with a pair of bamboo castanets held in each hand by
the dancers. The Maria Clara style of costume for girls and the barong tagalog with black
trousers were the costume used by all Jotas. All Jota studied have similar line formation and
direction employed, however, they also have their own direction and formations used. Results
further showed that the music of five Jota studied is in 3/4 time signature, but Jotabal is a
combination of 2/4 and 3/4 time signature. The cultural values portrayed included respect for
authority or elder, hospitable, friendly, respectful, readiness, happy spirit as well as being
optimistic, and the capacity for endurance despite difficult times. Filipinos' courage to face
situations despite uncertainties is also shown. The arms, hand positions and movements are
associated with truth, honesty, allegiance, and submission. The desire to be with a group and
together with a group is strongly portrayed in the formation used. The 3/4 time signture which
is from moderate to fast mirrors the happy, hardworking, and willingness to take risk of the
Filipinos.

The Balse

The balse is a popular tagalog dance which originated from Marikina and Rizal during
spanish time know as waltz. Waltz is a popular in the Philippines until now in a ballroom
dancing. The balse or waltz, a dance in slow triple meter, is seen in almost all Philippine dances.
This dance form descended from the peasant landler, a dance from Southern Germany. It had
spread throughout Europe and had become one of the principal dances in social celebrations in
many countries, Spain included.
Typical of the waltzes is the balitaw, a lively courtship dance very popular throughout the
country, particularly in the Tagalog and Visayan regions. In these areas, in the past, it was
customary for a young man to make known his amorous intentions to a young woman in a social
gathering through song and dance. In most cases, the poetic words of the song were composed on
the spot, keeping to the plaintive strains of the music while the pair danced slow waltz around
each other.
A courtship dance known throughout the Philippines is the cariñosa. Cariñosa, meaning
affectionate, lovable or amiable, typifies the Filipina maiden’s modesty and humility, and is
another dance using the waltz step. Using a fan and a handkerchief, the dancers go about their
courtship in a provocative way through hide-and-seek movements, never missing a step with the
music. There are many versions of this dance but the hide-and-seek movements with the fan and
handkerchief are common to all.

The Fandango

As popular as the jota and balse, the pandanggo was another favorite dance of Filipinos
during the Spanish period. The other one of the pandanggo or fandango was pandanggo sa ilaw.
This dance of lights simulates fireflies at dusk at night, a dance in 3/4 time. The phrase ilaw is
tagalog for "in light" and it refers to the three oils lamps that a dancer has to balance, one of the
head on of the back each hand. There are many different types of the pandanggo. The
pandanggo ivatan, a wedding dance from Batanes and the pandanggo rinconada from Camarines
Sur are named after their places of origin, while the pandanggo sa ilaw, pandanggo sa sambalilo,
pandanggo sa paño, and pandanggo sa tapis are identified by the objects used in the dance. Some
pandanggo are known by their characteristic movements, such as the engañosa.

The pandanggo sa ilaw from Mindoro is perhaps the most difficult and demanding of the
pandanggo. Here, the dancer executes not only waltz steps but also the cross-waltz described
earlier with waltz turns and sway-balance steps with a point, as she gracefully and skillfully
balances three lighted tinghoy or oil lamps on her head and on the back of each hand. The last
step is done on a step-cross-step-point pattern in two measures.

Originally, the dance was performed to the clapping of the hands of onlookers. Later, upon the
request of Francisca Reyes-Aquino, who discovered this dance together with her research team, a
lively melody in triple meter was composed by Antonino Buenaventura, a member of her team,
who kept the original rhythm. Today, this melody is often mistaken as a folk song. The dance is
often performed during gatherings as one form of entertainment. In Mindoro, the costumes for
the dance were the balintawak with tapis for the lady and long red trousers and barong tagalog
for the gentlemen.

Another version, the pandanggo sa sambalilo from Camiling, Tarlac uses a hat. Here, the focus is
on the male dancer who tries to pick up the hat from the floor with his head with great skill. The
pandang-pandang is an extraordinary and exciting wedding dance from Antique. It was and still
is customary for a newly married couple to perform this during the reception. Legend has it that
this dance originated at one wedding dance. A newly married couple was supposed to be dancing
normally, when a gecko (lizard) happened to get into the pants of the bridegroom. In his attempt
to get rid of the gecko, the groom moved about in a frenzy, hopping and jumping, hitting his
thighs and buttocks without missing the rhythm of the music. The spectators thinking that it was
all part of the dance clapped their hands to cheer him on.

The pandanggo ivatan is a wedding dance from Batanes. The bride and groom open the dance,
after which the groom gives his gala (wedding gift in cash or in kind) to the bride. This is the
signal for the guests to offer their own gala, each of which is preceded by a brief dance by the
married couple to symbolize the start of their new life together.

The pandanggo rinconada is a favorite of the people of the Rinconada district in Nabua,
Camarines Sur. This is a festival dance performed by young and old people during the Christmas
season. The engañosa, a festival dance from Samar also popularly known as pandangyado
mayor, was believed to have been introduced by the Spaniards during the latter part of the 19th
century. Retaining its Castillan flavor, the dance has lifting music and enticing movements,
hence the name engañosa. For this dance, the maria clara and barong tagalog and black trousers
and black shoes are worn by contemporary groups.

The Habanera

It is known danza habanera. The habanera is social dance in duple time and performed in
a ballroom or a stage. The Filipinos interconnected elements of the original dance into their own
version. Most Habanera dances come from the Pangasinan and Ilocos regions. Habanera de
soltera is performed by a couple who have been married at one of seven ceremonies before their
wedding. This very expressive dance is performed at the fifth ceremony in the home of the bride-
to-be. After the feast in which the relatives of both the bride and groom take part, the couple
express in their dance the love and happiness they expect in their marriage.

Besides the basic habanera step, slides, knee bends, and hops are also used in the dance. A
variation of the habanera step features the double-cross habanera step. This is done in two
measures with two cross steps before the habanera step. Also used in the dance is the typical
kumintang of Pangasinan called kewet, which means turning the hand outward from the wrist,
with the fist loosely closed and the thumb sticking out. For contemporary performers of this
dance, the girl wears a maria clara, preferably in white as this is the dance of a betrothed couple,
and slippers, while the boy wears any old style barong tagalog and trousers and any colored
shoes. The habasinan, another Pangasinan dance, is a gay and beautiful habanera. Derived from
the word “haba” from habanera and “sinan” from Pangasinan, the courtship dance is both
expressive and romantic, and is usually performed during weddings and other social gatherings.
The habanera from Ilocos Sur, as performed by the Ilocano peasants, depicts the modest and
retiring traits of traditional Ilocano women. From Botolan, Zambales comes the very colorful and
lively dance habanera botoleña. In the early days, this was supposedly performed in honor of a
departing parish priest. Later, the dance became a festival dance performed during social
gatherings for various occasions.

Capiz has its own version of the habanera called habanera capiseña which is one of the most
popular courtship dances, performed during social gatherings at baptisms, weddings, fiestas, and
other important occasions.

The Mazurka

Competing with the other dances in popularity is the mazurka, one of the national dances
of Poland. After the subjugation of Poland by Russia, the mazurka was naturalized by Russia.
When the dance form was introduced in the Philippines, the Filipinos readily integrated it in their
repertoire of folk dances. As usual, there are as many versions of this dance as there are localities
that accepted it as part of their folk dances. The step pattern is a slide, cut, hop step to a triple
measure.
The mazurka boholana is a traditional ballroom dance popular in Bohol during the
Spanish period. This was originally performed by couples informally gathered in the ballroom,
with no definite sequence of steps and figures. What makes the dance interesting is the
combination of mazurka, redoba, and sangig steps. For the contemporary performers of the
mazurka, the costume used is the maria clara for the girls and barong tagalog and black trousers
for the boys. Almost always the mazurka are ballroom dances and they are performed in both
open and closed ballroom dance positions.
The mazurka val is a variation from Pangasinan. The steps are a combination of mazurka
and valse, hence the name. One interesting feature of this dance is that figure where the boy
exhibits his skill in dancing and both partners display coordination in movement as the boy
carries the girl on his feet while dancing. The girl wears a maria clara or a turn of the century
costume with a long train, the end
of which is carried or tied to the middle finger of her right hand. The mazurka visaya from
Negros Occidental combines folk and ballroom dance movements. According to the old people
familiar with the dance, only a few could perform the dance properly because of its difficult and
intricate step patterns. From Mindoro comes another version, the mazurka mindoreña. This
beautiful festival dance was the premier dance of the elite of Mindoro. Don Antonio Luna,
considered one of the best dancers of his time, popularized the dance.

The Rigadon

Other dances introduced during the Spanish period were the quadrille dances, most important
of which is the rigodon. To the Filipinos, the rigadon or rigodon de honor is the best ceremonial
dance. Introduced to the French court by a dancing master named Rigaud, it was first known as
Rigaudon. In Britain, it was later called the Rigadoon. The dance got to Manila in the 19th
century and was called Rigodon. The rigodon is performed to orchestral music with a lively
rhythm. The most popular quadrille dance in the country, it is usually performed at state
functions with high government officials and people of high social class participating. In the
square formation, distinguished or important personages are the cabeceras or head pairs, and the
less important ones, the costados or side pairs. Although there are many versions of it, the dance
is always in quadrille formation. The cabeceras always perform the dance steps first, followed by
the costados. After the saludo or anuncio, the dance starts with the figure of ladies meeting,
followed by the zeta, casamiento or abanico, visita, cadenilla, cambio pareja, and finally the
cadena. In all the figures the dancers walk in a stately manner following the rhythm of the music.

Rigadon de honor focuses on prestige and status of life. This is a dance with sophistication and
etiquette. This is performed during a grand jubilee. Each pair of participants wears their best
barongs and ternos trying to be as the most attractive of the field, one the place in Concepion,
Tarlac, Philippines dance the rigadon every first week of January. An interesting facet of the
rigadon is its music. It is composed of at least five numbers, each one complete in itself and
usually taken from popular operas of the day. The last musical theme is the work of a Filipino
composer, Jose Estella. Before World War II, the male dancers were requested to wear formal
mess jackets or white tuxedo, black pants and black tie for the rigodon. The women, except
Muslim and foreign women, were requested to come in traje de meztiza or terno, the native
formal attire for women, characterized by butterfly sleeves, stiff pañuelo, and long train. Other
types of Rigodon dances are the lanceros from Pagsanjan, Laguna; the pasakat from Santa Rosa,
Laguna; the los bailes de ayer or maharlika from Tarlac; the lanceros de lingayen of Pangasinan;
and lanceros de negros from Silay, Negros Occidental. The Silay version of the lanceros is in
linear formation, not in quadrille formation like the others.

The Paseo and Chotis

The paseo or promenade was a favorite pastime of the elite, where upper class ladies tried
to outdo one another in donning their best finery. Eventually, the paseo became a dance, and
gave birth to many different local versions. Chotis dance is classified under Maria Clara dance,
chotis was one of the ballroom dancer. The paseo de bicol from Oas, Albay is adapted from the
paseo. During the celebration called aurora (dawn), the old people gather in the church to pray
for a good harvest or to overcome impending calamities, while the young folks promenade with
their loved ones around the church or in the churchyard. The dancers use a variety of steps in the
dance: the waltz step, the waltz turn, the change steps, the sway balance with a waltz, and the
three steps and a point. For this dance, the girls wear the traditional Bicol costume, the
patadyong, and camisa with butterfly sleeves. A folded soft pañuelo hangs on the left shoulder.
The boys wear the barong tagalog or camisa de chino and colored trousers.
Another dance that may be considered a paseo is the andaluz de negros where a lady
encounters and relates to four gentlemen as she strolls around. Ballroom dancing became even
more popular with the arrival of the escotis or chotis, a derivation of the foreign schottische, one
of the oldest European dances. Many say it is Germanic in origin; other say it came from Poland
and was brought to the Philippines in the 1850s.
Performed as a ballroom dance during social gatherings, the escotis of Capiz and Aklan uses the
step, close, step, hop, step, pattern of the European schottische, while the chotis of Camarines
Sur uses the localized version—the step, brush, step, brush, step, step, step, pause. The music is
similar to the polka but played a little slower. Many say the dance is a mixture of polka and a
slow waltz. Like the chotis de negros, the escotis from Capiz and Aklan can also be danced in
informal social gatherings; hence the patadyong and kimona or camisa with butterfly sleeves
may be used by the women, and the camisa de chino and dark trousers by the men.
The chotis dingreña from Dingras, Ilocos Norte, is a dance of the elite. Being formal, it uses a
serpentina skirt with a train and stiff camisa and pañuelo. It is interesting to note that the escotis
is still popular among the people inhabiting the mountains of Capiz, particularly in Panitan and
Tapas. It was and still is an interesting practice of the people there to test the durability and
strength of a newlybuilt house by performing the dance at its housewarming. This is because the
dance makes use of hops in a fast tempo.

The Surtidos
The surtido cebuano is a square dance said to have originated in banatayan cebu it is
cobbling together of spanish. According to (https://myxlist.blogspot.com) “ Surtido ” means
assorted and refers to dances which combine movements from different dances. The polkabal
acquired its name from two popular dances, the polka and the balse. The composite name was
given to this lively dance by the people of Atimonan, Quezon. There are many regional versions
of this dance. There is the surtido norte from Ilocos Norte, which combines the different steps
and music of the Ilocos region. It also uses the half-closed fist movement called the kumintang.
From Bantayan, Cebu comes the beautiful surtido cebuano. Originally danced like the rigodon in
square formation with cabeceras and costados, it is sometimes performed in sets of two pairs.
The dance is composed of a variety of steps danced to a medley of Visayan airs.

Epilogue

A good number of the dances with Hispanic influence still exist today. Many are still
performed in their original form while some have been modified, according to native taste or
convenience. In Parañaque, during Easter Sunday, the bate is danced for the salubong which
reenacts the meeting of the Virgin and the Risen Christ. In Batangas, the subli is still performed
by men and women to honor the Santa Cruz, patron of Bauan.
In Bicol, the pantomina is danced in social gatherings, particularly during wedding
celebrations, just as the pastores is performed by groups of about 13 males and females in
“shepherd” costumes during the Christmas season. In the eastern part of the Visayas, the kuratsa
is still very much a part of merrymaking. In Pakil, Laguna, the turumba is sung and danced by
devotees during the procession of the Nuestra Señora de los Dolores while in Obando, Bulacan,
people dance to petition the Nuestra Señora de Salambao, Santa Clara, and San Pascual de
Bailon for a spouse or a child. Finally, many formal gatherings today still feature the stately
rigodon.Yet today the folk dance doesn't just remain in its original setting. Over the past few
decades they have also become popular because they have been documented by researchers and
are now being performed by both professional dance companies and school students.

C. Music

SPANISH INFLUENCE ON PHILIPPINE MUSIC

During the Spanish Colonial period, the colonists brought over many different musical
ideas and instruments to the islands. The music developed during Spanish period is one of the
roots for modern Filipino music. It was during this period that guitars became popular. Because
of this, almost all the musical forms in this period made use of the guitar. The Spaniards
introduced to the Filipinos the harana, the kundiman, and the rondalla.

Most of these music forms were developed as a result of the fusion between tribal music
styles of the indigenous Filipino People and traditional Spanish music of Spain. The harana is a
traditional form of courtship music in Spain in which a man woos a woman by serenading her
underneath her window at night.

The main instrument used for the harana is the guitar. The kundiman is a lyrical song
characterized by a minor key at the beginning and shifts to a major key in the second half. The
lyrics depict all sorts of stories about love from broken-heartedness to unrequited love of a
person. Spanish influence on Philippine music. Harana,kundiman and rondalla. Music
developed during this period is one of the roots for modern Filipino music.

Citations:
History of the Filipino People by Teodoro Agoncillo
https://prezi.com/s2sz6f1ncbjw/spanish-influence-on-philippine-
music/?fbclid=IwAR0MNTTfQXBwYrkIQ7jGvlPrI2-
QENgfLpeNXzoNBAdrAf0P5km2r3NWxmk
https://myxlist.blogspot.com
https://www.britannica.com/art
https//www.tagaloglang.com
spanishsabores.com
thespruceeats.com
https://www.thespruceeats.com/the-spanish-influence-on-filipino-cuisine-3030287
http://raizhelle18.tripod.com/thesis/lesson3e.html

http://philippineperformance-repository.upd.edu.ph/3192/