TINIKLING

INTRODUCTION

The dance 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.
HISTORY
One of the most popular folk dances in the Philippines is
the Tinikling. The traditional dance, which usually involves
a pair of two bamboo poles, is considered to be the
oldest in the country and its appeal has spread across
the globe—particularly to the United States.

According to historical accounts, the Tinikling

dance originated during the Spanish occupation
in the Philippines—particularly on the island of
Leyte. Rice farmers on the Visayan Islands
usually set up bamboo traps to protect their
fields, yet tikling birds dodged their traps.
Locals imitated the birds’ movement, and
supposedly, that’s how this dramatic traditional
folk dance was born.
Why is the dance
called Tinikling?

The Tinikling is said to be named after the long-legged

bird called the tikling in the Philippines. This bird belongs
to a number of rail species, but the name typically refers
to the slaty-breasted Rail (Gallirallus striatus), the buff-
banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis), and the barred rail
(Gallirallus torquatus).
COSTUME
For the dance, females traditionally wear
a dress called balintawak or patadyong,
and males wear an untucked
embroidered shirt called the barong
Tagalog.

The balintawak are colorful dresses with

wide arched sleeves and the patadyong is
a pineapple fiber blouse paired with
checkered skirts.
REFERENCE:

Valdeavilla, R. (2018, June 21). Tinikling: The national dance

of the Philippines with bamboo poles. Culture Trip.
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/tiniklin
g-the-national-dance-of-the-philippines-with-bamboo-
poles/