DANCE is a performing art form consisting of

sequences of movement, either improvised or

purposefully selected or to put simply, dance is a form
of art that uses movement of the body to express an
idea, emotion, or story. Dance is a source of
entertainment and a good healthy lifestyle. But as for
the Philippine folk dances, we see a bigger picture and
a deeper meaning. A traditional dance in the
Philippines connects us to a place’s culture. It is about
history, traditions and majestic beauty of the place it is
associated with. The cultural dances in the Philippines
evolved from different regions which are distinct from
one another as they are affected by religion and
culture.

12 Most Notable Philippine Folk Dances and their

origin :
1. Tinikling – A Philippine folk dance that
originated in Leyte

Place of origin: Leyte

Tinikling is one of the most famous dances in the

Philippines. The movements of this Filipino folk
dance imitate the movements of the tikling bird
as it walks around through tall grass and between
 tree branches. People use bamboo poles to
perform this Filipino traditional dance.
Tinikling is composed of three basic steps which
include singles, doubles, and hops.

2. Itik-Itik – A cultural dance in the Philippines

that originated in Surigao del Sur
Place of origin: Surigao del Sur

The itik-itik is named after a species of duck (itik),

whose movements the dance imitates. This example
of Philippine folk dance from Surigao del Sur
mimics how the itik walks and splashes water to
attract a mate.
3. Maglalatik – An example of Philippine folk
dance that originated in Biñan, Laguna

Place of origin: Biñan, Laguna

Maglalatik, a folk dance in Luzon, is not just any
other traditional dance in the Philippines that
mimics the movements of animals. This dance in
the Philippines has a meaning. It is a mock war
dance that depicts a fight over coconut meat, a
highly-prized food.

4. Binasuan – Binasuan is a tribal dance in the

Philippines that originated in Pangasinan
The word “binasuan” means “with the use of
drinking glasses.” It is one of the most challenging
Filipino dances as the dancers need to balance
glasses on their heads and in their hands as they
move. What makes it more difficult is that the
glasses are filled with rice wine, which makes any
misstep a messy mistake.

5. Singkil – Singkil is a Mindanao folk dance that

originated in Lake Lanao
Place of origin: Lake Lanao

Singkil is a Mindanao folk dance that originated

from the Maranao people and is based on the story
in the Darangen, the pre-Islamic Maranao
interpretation of the ancient Hindu Indian epic, the
Ramayana.
6. Kappa Malong-Malong – A tribal dance in the
Philippines that originated from the Maranao tribe
in Mindanao

Place of origin: Maranao tribe in Mindanao

The Kappa Malong-Malong is a cultural dance in

the Philippines influenced by Muslims. The malong
is a tubular garment, and the folk dance essentially
shows the many ways it can be worn. This
traditional dance in the Philippines is not only for
women though, but there is also a men’s version of
the dance since they wear malongs in different
ways.
7. Cariñosa – A local dance in the Philippines that
originated in Panay Island

Is a courtship dance in the Philippines where the

dancers make a number of flirtatious movements as
they peek out at one another behind fans or
handkerchiefs.

8. Sayaw sa Bangko – A traditional folk dance in

the Philippines that originated in Pangasinan

It is performed on top of a narrow bench. To ace

this ethnic dance in the Philippines, dancers need
 good balance as they go through a series of
movements that include some impressive acrobatics

9. Pandanggo sa Ilaw – An ethnic dance in the

Philippines that originated in Lubang Island, Mindoro

Place of origin: Lubang Island, Mindoro

Just like Binasuan, Pandanggo sa Ilaw is a game of

balancing glasses, only with candles inside. Dancers
have to balance three oil lamps: one on the head, and
one in each hand. It’s a lively Philippine folk dance
that originated on Lubang Island in Occidental
Mindoro. The music is in 3/4 time and is usually
accompanied by castanets .

10. Pandanggo Oasiwas – A folk dance in the

Philippines that originated in Lingayen, Pangasinan

Place of origin: Lingayen, Pangasinan

The Pandanggo Oasiwas is a type of dance in the
Philippines similar to the Pandanggo sa Ilaw, and is
typically performed by fishermen to celebrate a
bountiful catch. In Pandanggo Oasiwas folk dance, the
lamps are placed in cloths or nets and swung around as
the dancers circle and sway.

11. Kuratsa – A type of folk dance in the Philippines

that originated in Samar Island

Place of origin: Samar Island

The Kuratsa is considered a courtship dance in the
Philippines. This Filipino dance has three parts. First
is where the couple performs a waltz. Second, the
music sets a faster pace as the man pursues the woman
around the dance floor in a chase. Lastly, the music
becomes even faster as the man wins over the woman
with his mating dance.
12. Pantomina – A type of dance in the Philippines
that originated in Bicol

Place of origin:

Bicol Pantomina is another courtship dance in the

Philippines. It is a regular feature of festivities in
Bicol, and is said to mimic the movement of doves in
courtship.
Different Artists Awarded with National Artist of
the Philippines for Dance

Francisca Reyes Aquino (1899-1983) - is

acknowledged as the Folk Dance Pioneer. This
Bulakeña began her research on folk dances in the
1920s making trips to remote barrios in Central and
Northern Luzon. She is a recipient of the Republic
Award of Merit and the Ramon Magsaysay Award and
is a designated National Artist of the Philippines for
Dance in 1973.
Leonor O. Guquingco (1917-2005) -Dubbed the
“Trailblazer”, “Mother of Philippine Theater Dance”
and “Dean of Filipino Performing Arts Critics”.
Leonor was also known for breaking tradition within
dance. She played the piano, drew art, designed
scenery and costumes, sculpted, acted, directed,
danced and choreographed. Orosa also brought native
folk dance, mirroring Philippine culture from pagan to
modern times, to its highest stage of development. She
was given the National Artist of the Philippines for
dance award in 1976.

Lucrecia Faustino Reyes (1929-1999) -Urtula was a

Filipino choreographer, theater director, teacher,
author and researcher on ethnic dance. She was the
founding director of the Bayanihan Philippine
National Folk Dance Company and was named
National Artist of the Philippines for dance in 1988.
Ramon Arevalo Obusan (1938-2006) -was a Filipino
dancer, choreographer, stage designer and artistic
director. Obusan is credited for his work in promoting
Philippine traditional dance and cultural work. He is
also an acclaimed archivist, researcher and
documentary filmmaker who focused on Philippine
culture. He was given the National Artist of the
Philippines for dance award in 2006.

Alice Garcia Reyes (1942-present) - is a Filipina

dancer, choreographer, teacher, director and producer.
The founder of Ballet Philippines, she received since
June 20, 2014 from the Philippine President Benigno
Aquino III the highest award in the Arts, National
Artist of the Philippines.