Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education

VALSE CAGAYANA
Social Dance
Cagayan Valley

EDWIN MABAZZA TAGAL, PhD.

Education Program Supervisor
MUSIC, ARTS, PHYSICAL EDUCATION and HEALTH (MAPEH)

Dance Researcher : Edwin Mabazza Tagal, PhD.

Place and Date Recorded : April 18, 2020
Music Arranger : Brix Marell Climet Israel
Dance Literature : Abraham A. Pigao, Jr. and Maria Teresa P. Lacbayan

Meaning : Valse of Cagayan

Dance Culture : Lowland “Christian”
Place of Origin : Cagayan
Ethnolinguistic Group : Ybanag
Classification : social / Courtship Dance
Performers : Men and Women

Background / Context:

Cagayan was one of the early provinces that existed during the Spanish Colonial Period.
Called La Provincia de Cagayan, its borders essentially covered the entire Cagayan Valley, which
included the present provinces of Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Batanes and portions of
Kalinga and Apayao.

From available evidences, the Atta or Negrito - a short dark-skinned nomad - was the first
man in Cagayan. They were later moved to the uplands by the Malays who eventually became
the Ibanags, Itawes, Yogads, Gaddangs, Irayas and Malawegs - the natives of Cagayan - who
actually came from one ethnicity. These are the people found by the Spaniards in the different
villages along the rivers all over Cagayan. The Spaniards rightly judged that these various
villagers came from a single racial stock and decided to make the Ibanag language the lingua
franca, both civilly and ecclesiastically for the entire people of Cagayan which they called
collectively as the Cagayanes which later transliterated to become Cagayanos. Various other
racial strains,
Address: Regional Government Center, Carig Sur, Tuguegarao City, 3500
Telephone Nos.: PLDT (078) 377-1065; Globe Landline (078) 255-5317, (078) 255-5318
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mainly Ilocanos, Pangasinenses, Kapampangans and Tagalogs as well as Visayans, Moros,

and even foreigners like the Chinese, Indians, Arabs, Spaniards, and others were further infused
to the native Cagayanes to become the modern Cagayano that we know today.

Cagayan with its vast lands and diverse culture, social gatherings had been a vital part of
the Cagayano community since then. Social gatherings won’t be complete without dancing the
waltz done mostly in close ballroom position or what we call the Valse or Balse. The Valse
Cagayana is a Filipinized version of the Spanish Valse which is popularly danced in various parts
of Cagayan. In this dance, partners show their affection through their dance movements.

Dance Properties:

Costume:
BOY - Barong Tagalog and dark pants.

GIRL - Maskota skirt, camisa with stiff pañuelo or Maria Clara.

Footwear- Male: Black leather shoes

Female: Heeled shoes or decorated cocho slippers

Musical Accompaniment: Rondalla/Piano

Music : Composed of five parts – A, B, C, and D

Count : 1, 2, 3 or 1, 2 and 3 or 1 and 2 and 3 and to a measure in 3/4 time signature.

1, 2 and to a measure in 2/4 time signature.

Basic Dance steps:

Waltz Step - Step R (ct. 1), step L close to R (ct. 2), step R in place (ct. 3). 1M
Habanera step - Step R (ct. 1), step L close to R (ct. 2), step R in place (ct. and). 1 M
Step-Point - Step R foot in front (ct. 1), point L foot in front (cts. 2,3). 1M
Step-Brush-Swing-Hop - Step R (L) foot in fourth in front (ct. 1), brush L (R) foot
against the floor and raise it across the R (L) in front (ct. 2),
hop on the R (L) (ct. 3). This may be executed in any direction. 1 M
Kumintang - With fist slightly closed; move R (L) from the wrist in a
clockwise direction. 1M
Hayon-Hayon - Place R (L) forearm in front and the L (R) at the back of the
waist. 1M

Address: Regional Government Center, Carig Sur, Tuguegarao City, 3500

Telephone Nos.: PLDT (078) 377-1065; Globe Landline (078) 255-5317, (078) 255-5318
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Salok - Swing R (L) arm downward-upward passing in front of the

Body as if scooping (cts 1,2,3), the trunk is bent following the
movement of the arm doing the salok . 1M

INTRODUCTION
Music Introduction

Partners both enter from one side of the stage. The girl is at the right side of the boy,
hands on waist / skirt.

Partners:
a) Take three-step turn R in place, end in abracete position.
Free hands on skirt/waist. Pause. 2M
b) Execute walking steps towards the center of the stage. End facing the audience,
hold inside hands. Free hands as in (a). 8M

Girl: a) Execute waltz steps counter-clockwise. End facing partner. 4M

b) Execute step point sideward R and L alternately. Arms on skirt. 2M

Boy: a) Execute waltz steps in place. Free hand on waist. End facing partner. 4M
b) Same as Girl (b). Arms in hayon-hayon position. 2M

Partners:
c) Partners execute a three-step turn to the R; hands on waist/skirt (1M).
Point L in front (ct1), pause (cts2,3); arms in fourth position, R arm high.
Step L backward (ct1), point R in front (cts2,3); reverse arm position. 3M

FIGURE I
Music A

Partners facing each other.

a) Hold each other’s R hands above head level. Free hands on waist/skirt.
Execute waltz steps clockwise starting with the R; end in partners place. 4M
b) Repeat step in Introduction Girl (b). Arms in hayon-hayon position. 2M
c) Execute waltz steps turning in place; hands on waist/skirt. End facing partner. 2M
d) Repeat (a-c) to proper place. 8M

Address: Regional Government Center, Carig Sur, Tuguegarao City, 3500

Telephone Nos.: PLDT (078) 377-1065; Globe Landline (078) 255-5317, (078) 255-5318
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FIGURE II
Music A

Partners face obliquely R.

a) Execute waltz step obliquely-forward R; Arms in hayon-hayon position. 2M
b) Turn R about and repeat (a) towards partners place. End with the back
towards each other. 2M
c) Step R sideward R (ct1), point L in Place (cts2,3). Kumintang R in fourth
Position at the same time look at partner, L hand on waist/skirt. 1M
d) Repeat (c) in the opposite direction. 1M
e) Waltz turn in place. Hands on waist/skirt. 2M
f) Repeat (a-e). End to proper place. 8M

FIGURE III
Music B

Face the audience.

a) Execute step-brush-steps sideward R. Arms in fourth position. 3M
b) Execute step-brush-swing hop. Arms as in (a). 1M
c) Repeat a-b to the L. 4M
d) Face partner. Repeat (a-c). 8M

FIGURE IV
Music B

Partners face each other.

a) Waltz forward to meet partner at center. Arms in lateral R and L alternately. 2M
b) Repeat (a) in clockwise direction. Arms in forearm turn R and L alternately. 6M
c) Turn R about and repeat (b) in the opposite direction. 8M
d) Repeat (a) moving backward. End to proper place. 2M

FIGURE V
Music C

Partners face the opposite direction. Girl faces away from the audience, Boy facing the audience.
a) Boy passing the in front of the girl. Execute habanera step sideward R and L
alternately. Shoulder leading. Hands on waist/skirt. End at partner's place. 4M
b) Repeat (a) towards proper place. 4M
c) Repeat (a-c). Boy move towards audience and Girl away from the audience.
End to proper place. 8M

Address: Regional Government Center, Carig Sur, Tuguegarao City, 3500

Telephone Nos.: PLDT (078) 377-1065; Globe Landline (078) 255-5317, (078) 255-5318
Email Address: sdo.cagayan@deped.gov.ph Doc FM- Rev: 00
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FIGURE VI
Music C

Partners face each other.

a) Execute cross habanera starting with the R towards partner, do salok R and L
alternately in every M. Free hands on waist/skirt. End with the girl in front of
the boy. End facing audience. 4M
b) Step R sideward (ct1); point L sideward L (cts 2,3). Boy hold girl’s hands in
second position; look at each other when pointing foot. 1M
c) Repeat (b) to the L. 1M
d) Repeat (a) towards partners place. 2M
e) Repeat (a-d). Turn L about on the last M to face partner (ct1), pause (cts2,3). 8M

FIGURE VII
Music D

Partners face each other.

Girl: a) Waltz in place. Free hands on skirt. Arms ready to close ballroom position
with partner. 1M

Boy: a) Waltz starting with the L towards partner to close ballroom position. 1M

Partners:
a) Waltz turn clockwise in place. 2M
b) With the boy leading, execute waltz in any direction. Do waltz turn in place in
every 3rd and 4th M. 26 M
c) Release hold. Waltz backward towards proper place. Hands on waist/skirt. 2M

SALUDO

Partners face audience.

a) R to R hands together. Free hands on waist/skirt. Girl execute a three-step-turn
R under arch in place. Boy stands in place. Pause. 2M
b) Step inside foot towards partner. Hold partner’s both hands. 1M
c) Release hold. Step outside foot backward (ct1), point inside foot (cts2,3).
End with the arms in fourth position. Pause. 3M

Address: Regional Government Center, Carig Sur, Tuguegarao City, 3500

Telephone Nos.: PLDT (078) 377-1065; Globe Landline (078) 255-5317, (078) 255-5318
Email Address: sdo.cagayan@deped.gov.ph Doc FM- Rev: 00
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EXIT
Music A

a) Repeat steps as in Entrance (Partners a). 8M

b) Repeat steps in Figure VII (Partners a-b) towards exit. 8M

Address: Regional Government Center, Carig Sur, Tuguegarao City, 3500

Telephone Nos.: PLDT (078) 377-1065; Globe Landline (078) 255-5317, (078) 255-5318
Email Address: sdo.cagayan@deped.gov.ph Doc FM- Rev: 00
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