Traditional Dances from the Philippines

Pandanggo sa Oasiwas

The Pantomina Oasiwas is similar to the Light, and is usually performed by

fishermen to celebrate a good catch. In this version, the lamps are placed
in cloths or nets and swung around while the dancers nagbibilog and sway.

Pandanggo or Pandanggo sa ilaw literally means the ‘Fandango with the

Light’ in English language. And yes from the name itself, this dance is
that dance that involved the manipulation of the lights. This dance is
from the Lubang Island, Mindoro. The term ‘pandanggo’ which means
‘fandanggo’ in the Spanish language is actually dance that is
characterized by marking time with the use of clack of castanets, the
snapping of the fingers and the stomping of the feet in the triple-time
rhythm. The person that performs this graceful dance is often called as
the ‘pandanggera’. The ‘pandanggera’ then dances holding three oil lamps
which are called as the ‘tinghoy’

Pandango Oasiwas is a Spanish Fandango dance with its origins coming from
the fishing town of Lingayen in Pangasinan. Following their good catch,
the fishermen will usually celebrate by drinking wine and dancing, and by
swinging and circling with the lighted lamps on the hands of the dancers.
The graceful & lively moves of the dancers gave the name ‘Oasiwas‘ which
in the local dialect is known as ‘swinging‘.