TINIKLING

Brief
The tinikling is one of the most popular and well-known of
traditional Philippine dances. The tinikling is a pre-Spanish dance
from the Philippines that involves two people beating, tapping, and
sliding bamboo poles on the ground and against each other in
coordination with one or more dancers who step over and in
between the poles in a dance. The name is a reference
to birds locally known as tikling, which can be any of a number of
rail species; the term tinikling literally means "tikling-like".

The steps of this dance are an imitation of the movements of

a “tikling” bird that hops and escapes the traps set by hunters.
Moving with poise and grace, the dancers skip in-between two
bamboo poles that are held to pound rhythmically against each
other. This dance is a specialty of Leyte.
 How to dance
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Pole players on knees holding the end of one pole in each

Tinikling
hand. Dancer(s) stand at the left side of the poles facing
forward.

INTRODUCTION
1. Stand, boys have their hands behind
their backs, girls hold their skirts (or put
their hands on their waists).
2. As music begins, bow to the opposite
pole person, then the pole person beside
you.
3. Continue with four toe touches (Count
1-2, tap right foot twice; Count 3, lift right
foot...This gives everyone an opportunity
to establish the timing.)
BASIC TINIKLING STEPS
A – Front tinikling steps (Start with the
right foot, do 7 basic tinikling steps. On
8th beat, do one tinikling step with
quarter turn.)
B – Repeat A. three more times.
QUARTER TURN TINIKLING STEP
A – Complete 16 tinikling steps with the
quarter turn to make 4 complete boxes
CROSSOVER-COMBINATION
1 - Cross the left foot over right and step
to the centre of the poles.
2 – Step the right foot to the right of the
poles. /li>
3 – Step the left foot to the right of the
poles.
1 - Cross the right foot over left and step
to the centre of the pole.
2 – Step the left foot to the left of the
poles.
3 – Step the right foot to the left of the
poles.
Repeat the above 7 more times. BASIC
TINIKLING STEPS
A – Front tinikling steps (Start with the
right foot, do 7 basic tinikling steps. On
8th beat, do one tinikling step with
quarter turn.)
B – Repeat A. two more times.
C – To finish the dance, do 5 basic
tinikling steps. On the 6th beat, do one
tinikling step with a quarter turn; on 7th
and 8th beat, bow to the opposite pole
person, then the pole person beside you.

REFERENCE:

Culture of the Philippines Guide to Philippines (Filipino) Cultural and Folk Dances,
Traditional and Native Talents and Skills. Retrieved from http://philippinecultures-
talents.blogspot.com/2012/01/tinikling.html