NEW ERA UNIVERSITY

NO. 9 CENTRAL AVENUE, NEW ERA, QUEZON CITY

COLLEGE OF NURSING

Abug, Marjerrie Piela M.

BSN-CON-1A
1. History of Philippine Folk Dances
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.

2. What is a rhythmic activity?

History of Rhythmic Activity
Rhythmic activities trace back to the Olympics, with sports such as gymnastics that combined
movement with the use of rhythm. This created a form of physical expression with strength
and ability. Now, rhythmic activities commonly extend to physical games with elements of
song and dance.
 Purpose of Rhythmic Activities
Rhythmic activities are combinations of physical movements with sounds, beats, or music.
Rhythmic activities rely on an internal or external rhythm used for self-expression, exercise,
demonstration of physical ability, socialization, and expression of culture.

What are the five phases of rhythmic activity program?

Aerobics - a kind of exercise that merges rhythmic aerobic exercise and strength training
exercise. ...
Break dancing - an athletic style of dance.
Gymnastics - a sport that needs balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination and
endurance in order to execute.
Bending - a movement around a joint.
Stretching - muscles or tendons are flexed.

Examples of rhythmic activities

line dancing, classic dances like the waltz, and other popular social group dances.
Skills include: walking, running, hopping, skipping, galloping and sliding to music; moving
to music with a partner or in a group, with others in a circle and in a square. Activities:
Explore the kinds of movement which can be done to music when large groups are formed in
circles and squares.
Now, rhythmic activities commonly extend to physical games with elements of song and
dance. Some current examples include jump rope games, popular dance workouts, like
Zumba, or even the use of noisemakers.

Benefits of Rhythmic Activities

Rhythmic activities improve physical and mental health. Aside from increased physical
confidence, rhythmic activities can also improve mental functions because rhythm regulates
the brain and prevents cognitive decline. It also boosts the chemicals in our brain that support
better memory and learning.

3. What are the do’s and don’ts in Philippine Folk Dance?

Do’s in Folk Dancing

 Dance in a natural, simple and direct manner.

 Dance with ease and smoothness.
 Use the proper costume for the dance.
 Follow directions and dance instructions as closely as possible.
 Dance with feeling and expression.
 Don't's in Folk Dancing
 Do not exaggerate the dance steps.
 Do not make the dances too dainty and graceful like ballet.
 Don't make entrance and exit long.
 Don't make steps too elaborate and complicated.
 Don't call a dance a folk dance unless steps come from traditional dances.

4. Differentiate Philippine Folk Dance to Foreign Folk Dance

The Philippines consist of 7107 islands, broken down into three groups, Luzon, Mindanao,
and Visayas. Their folk dances represent actual activities and chores they endure to survive,
while other nation’s dances are more traditional, such as the Chinese symbolic dragon dance,
Japanese ancestral dance, and American square dance.

5. Give the fundamentals position of arm and feet

There are five fundamental or basic positions in dance that are commonly termed as 1st
position, 2nd position, 3rd position, 4th position, and 5th position of the feet and arms.

1st position
Feet: Heels close together, toes apart with an angle of about 45 degrees.
Arms: Both arms raised in a circle in front of chest with the finger tips about an inch apart.

2nd position
Feet: Feet apart sideward of about a pace distance.
Arms: Both raised sideward with a graceful curve at shoulder level.

3rd position
Feet: Heel of one foot close to in-step of other foot.
Arms: One arm raised in front as in 2nd position; other arm raisedupward.

4th position
Feet: One foot in front of other foot of a pace distance.
Arms: One arm raised in front as in 1st position; other arm raisedoverhead.

5th position
Feet: Heel of front foot close to big toe of rear foot.
Arms: Both arms raised overhead
.
6. What is ballroom dance?
 Ballroom dance is a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively
around the world. Because of its performance and entertainment aspects, ballroom dance is
also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television.
Ballroom dance may refer, at its widest definition, to almost any recreational dance with a
partner. However, with the emergence of dance competition (now known as Dancesport), two
principal schools have emerged and the term is used more narrowly to refer to the dances
recognized by those schools.

7. What is modern dance?

Modern dance is a broad genre of western concert or theatrical dance, primarily arising out
of Germany and the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Modern dance is
often considered to have emerged as a rejection of, or rebellion against, classical ballet.

8. Mission and Vision of NEU and explain.

Mission
Provide quality education anchored on Christian values with the prime purpose of bringing
honor and glory to God.
Vision
A world-class Institution of learning with a unique Christian culture of excellence, discipline,
and service to humanity.

The Mission and Vision of New Era University is to established a university that is under the
Christian values that aims to glorify his name by these mission and to be a world class
institution still anchored with Christian culture of excellence, discipline and service to
humanity.