The Art of Dancing Dancing is the rhythmical movement of the bedy, usually with music, to express an idea or emotion, to narrate a story or sinyply to enjoy and take pleasure in the movement itself It seems that dance impulse started with man’s own life Dance may have been the very first means of communication. Even in sophisticated sectors, children would delightfully dance before they know how to express their feeling in words. This is the instinctive dancing of toddlers. Tt can be traced that Dance as an art started from the moment it was harnessed to a rhythm, probably the stamping of the feet and clapping of the hands. It is an art ever present in the performers’ bodies ‘till they die. It was only recently that the movements: of dances were recorded and used in films and in television shows. Throughout recorded history, there is static evidence of dancing men in paintings, drawings and sculptures. Onlookers only guess how the dancers moved from one pose to another. Scholarly attempts to reconstruct social dances of the 13th and 14th centuries were made, but no definite description or statement could be secured. Yet, it is not impossible to trace the origin and functions of dancing, its components and development in various ways of life and also to describe the kinds of dancing that can be seen today. ~ Dance of the ear! ie st times differ from those of the present times; the dance of the barrio folks differ from those of the city. There are primitive and non primitive dances. Indians danté-to $ive “thanks for @ harvest, the Mexicans to celebrate a religious festival, teenagers dance at parties, both young and old go discoing and children everywhere dance because it is pleasurable to express joy through bodily movements or body language. In its expressive aspect, dance is uniquely able to intensify moods and emotions and to deepen and dignify the feelings of all. 4Components of the Dance 1. The Dancer — It is through the body of the dancer that the art of dancing is portrayed, and the physical, emotional and natural characteristics of the dancer determine the quality and the nature ofthe dance. The way in which dancers perform depends greatly on the land of their origin the dance styles, the national dress, even the climate. The woman, for instance, tends to be more supple than men, but they do not usually have the equal strength and stamina Dance styles throughout the world are different for men ana women. In most national dances, the men demonstrate theirstrength and virility, the women their charm and femininity. The trained dancer brings his body to a high state of flexibility, contro] and alertness, which makes him a better and expressive dancer than the untrained one. The trained 3. Accompaniment to the Dance - Dance can be accompanied by all kinds of sound. On the other hand, it may need no sound for the dancer who is blessed 4. Theatrical effects — Where dance is a spectacle, every device of costume, make-up and theatrical effect can be used. Make-up and costumes Of the ancient dances of Japan, China and India are astounding in their Projections. Passage of time in years can be suggested by aging the characters, lighting can indicate different times of the day.Kinds of Dances « The art of dancing stretches from the simplest forms of pure dance expression performed by an individual for his own satisfaction, through the complexities and subtleties of Eastern dance to the most sophisticated, modern and large-scale production in which dance is the dominant factor. 1. Natural or untutored dance — Being a natural impulse, dance can be enjoyed both by the trained and the untrained dancer. The untrained may derive personal pleasure having to obey no rules, but will be restrictec by the lack of technique, a vocabulary of movement. At some time, untrained dancers have danced for pure pleasure, spontaneously leaping and running to release an intoxication of high spirits. This is “creative dance” now encouraged in schools that frown upon what they call unnatural and rigid disciplines of formal dance training. A trained body, however is a more articulate instrument than an untrained one. 2. Solo or group dance — The solo dance, performed by a single dancer is for a specific purpose — to demonstrate a particular technique or style of dancing. Group dances are categorized as folk dance, ballroom dancing and ballet. 3. Ethnic dance - dance that is indigenous to a certam race or country. sy 4, Court dance — social accomplishments polished from materials usually found among folk dances and used for court entertainment. : 5. Ballroom dance — Social or popular dance performed by couples. 6. Theatrical dance — classical dance like ballet, performed by highly trained and physically, the most eloquent form oF dance. 7. Modern dance — group dancing as in discotheque.Philippine Folk Dances Folk Dances in the Philippines are the visualization of the grace and beauty of the country lasses going through the intricacies of a courtship dance with their barrio swains. It is wearing the merry laughter of simple barrio folks dancing happily, lost to guitar strumming and finger snapping or clapping of hands timed with the music. The Filipinos are basically music lovers, endowed with talent for dancing. Folk dancing is an effective tool for entertainment as well as a vehicle for the preservation of the Filipino culture. It is a Creative expression of our culture. There are folk dances in several regions in the Philippines which depict beautiful crstoms and traditions of the people. Among these are: E 1. Alay —a dance in the Tagalog Region performed as an offering to a special guest or honoree as welcome gesture. “Alay” means an offering. It is a beautiful custom of the Filipinos to offer a small gift of flower, a song or a dance to guests or visitors. The best that the family can afford are usually offered to the house guests. The girl in an “Alay” dance wears balintawak-style costume and step-ins or “corebo” while the boy wears barong tagalog, white or colored pants and slippers. 2. Escotis — a Visayan folk dance performed in any social gathering of the people inhabiting the mountains of Capiz and the towns of Panay. The girl wears a siesgo skirt while the boy wears Camisa de Chino and pants of any color. Both boy and girl are barefooted. 3. Kinofon — a folk dance from the Ilocos Region. This comic dance depicts the movement of a person bitten by ants. In social gatherings of friends and relatives, this dance is presented to make the people merry. The dancer is a male dressed in Mocano peasant costume with a buri hat. He is barefooted. 4. Kumakaret - a courtship dance in Pangasinan. Kumakaret is a person who makes wine, tuba or vinegar from sasa. The dancers perform the dance with the use ofglasses half-filled with tuba. The girl balances three glasses. One on top of her head and one each on the open palms of her hands. Another glass is placed on top of her foot. The boy balances a glass placed on top of his forehead while he dances. Sometimes the glass is at the back of the neck, on top of one shoulder, or on top of his foot. The gitl wears a siesgo skirt with tapis, kimona and soft panuelo. The boy wears camisa de chino and colored pants. Both boy and girl are barefooted. 5. Lagundi — another Visayan dance which originated in Iloilo. Lagundi is a medicinal plant used as a cure for stomach ache, rheumatism, arthritis, headache and alk other ailments common to old people. Herb doctors prescribe 2 drink from the boiled leaves of lagundi. The steps used in this dance depict the stiff knee and the dragging foot of the dancer suffering from rheumatism. In the olden times, the dancers used to perform the dance around a potted lagundi plant to show appreciation for the wonderful medicinal plant The girl wears patadyong, kimona and soft Ppanuelo over the left shoulder while the boy wears barong and any colored trousers. 6. Palakis - a courtship dance from Western Bontoc performed at wedding celebrations and during festivals like the Cafiao and Begnas. The Begnas is celebrated before Nobody is supposed to §® out or do anything in the fields during the celebrations. The dancers are dressed in the traditional Bontoc costume. Each dancer has a piece of brightly colored cloth, about a meter square. This cloth 3 held or shaken in such a way as to convey the dancers sentiments-flirtation, appeal and so on. 7. Pangalay — a Popular festival dance in Sulu and performed in wedding celebrations and at big social affairs ”costumes. They use “Janggay’-extended metal fingernails in each finger. 8. National Rice Festival depicts the different steps in rice growing as practiced in the different regions in the Philippines. Different regions may differ in their ways of doing the work, but they have a common traditional way of planting, harvesting, threshing, airing, pounding and winnowing. Dancers are dressed in ordinary working costume. Headcover may be worn and legging made of cloth may be used. The Rice Festival Dance is divided into four (4) Parts: a 8.1 Pagtatanim (planting) 8.2 Paggapas (harvesting) 8.3 Paggiik (threshing) 8.4 Pahangin (airing) 9. Singkil - This dance originated from Lanao del Sur. To the rhythmic clapping of bamboo poles, the dancers weave expertly through criss-crossed bamboos, the ladies dressed in elegant Muslim costume, waving big fans, and the men flipping brightly colored handkerchiefs right and left. The dancers wear solemn faces and maintain a 191dignified pose. They begin dancing at a slow pace which progresses to a faster tempo. The clashing bamboos and the whirling dancers form an unforgettable blend of color and sound that fascinates the audience. There are many versions of Singkil. When it-is performed by ladies of the royalty of Lanao, the dancer is accompanied by a waiting lady, who holds a beautifully decorated umbrella over the Princess’ head wherever she goes. When the dance is performed by natives not of the royal blood, the dancers, a boy and a girl, have no attendants. Singkil is similar to Tinikling, another folk dance which uses bamboos. The movements of the dancers -are lively from beginning to end, to the rhythmic clapping of the bamboo poles. The girl wears balintawak while the boy wears camisa de chino and kundiman (red) pants.