FOLK DANCES IN THE

PHILIPPINES

REPORTER: KRISTINE JIL PATACTACAN

LOS BAILES DE AYER
(Maria Clara Suite)
This suite showcases the Spanish influence in music, dance, dress,
and societal customs introduced by the Spaniards. These dances are
named in honor of the legendary Maria Clara, the main female
character of Jose Rizal’s book, Noli Me Tangere. Maria Clara
symbolizes the grace and beauty of the Filipina woman.
Maria Clara Suite captures the elegance and charm of the mestiza
Filipina as well as the gallantry and boldness of the mestizo Filipino.
Courtship, love, and flirtation are all evident in this suite of
romantic dances.
Costumes:

Panuelo

Paineta
LUBI-LUBI
Lubi-Lubi is a bicolano dance which is a
combination of a simple folk and social steps.
Literally, lubi means coconut. It is an example
of socil dance mixer and a ballroom Philippine
folk dance. It uses the ¾ time signature.
According to the BIkolanos this dance
originated in Leyte and Samar where it is still
danced like the Balitaw. It is also popular in
Albay and Sorsogon.
Formation: Partners hold as in ballroom
dance pisition. Couples are scattered around
the rooms. From ten to any number of pairs
may take part; the more the merrier.
 MALAGUEÑA
The Malaguena is a folk-dance
form which originated in Malaga,
Southern Spain.This dance was a
favorite dance of the people of
Laguna and Quezon during the
Spanish Era. Literally, malagueña
means 'a woman from Malaga',
MANANGUETE
Manangueta dance is a dance that shows
how the people work on tuba or coconut
wine.They reenact the stages of making
tuba to produce coconut wine.
Mananguete means coconut wine tapper,
the person who extracts the coconut to
produce a coconut wine.
Mananguete folk dance is a dance from
Tolambugan, Lanao. Mananguete folk
dance is considered as an occupational
dance. This dance shows how the people
of Tolambugan, Lanao.
 MANMANOK
Manmanok is a dance from Bago
tribe that dramatizes two male
roosters courting a hen. In
feathers, blankets, and wings, male
dancers claw the ground with
rooster-like steps.
Bago Tribe roosters compete
against each other for the
attention of Lady Lien. They use
blankets depicting colorful feathers
and wings to attract her.
 MARAMION
Maramions is a courtship dance that
is popular in the islands of Cebu and
Bohol. It is a pantomime of a
courtship story. Females are dressed
in Visayan folk costume, in patadyong
while males are dressed in barong
tagalog with white trousers.
Maramion means ‘fragrant’ or
‘beautiful’.