TRADITIONAL FOLK DANCES

OF THE PHILIPPINES
The Itik-Itik
from Surigao
Itik-itik
◦A mimetic folk dance, steps imitate the movements of ducks
among rice paddies and swamplands, such as wading, flying
and short, choppy steps, as well as the way it splashes water
on its back to attract a mate
◦A lady named Kanang choreographed the steps while dancing
at a baptismal party
The Tinikling from
Leyte and the
Visayas Regions
Tinikling
◦The dance's movements imitate the movement of the
tikling bird as it walks around through tall grass and
between tree branches. People perform the dance using
bamboo poles.
◦The dance is composed of three basic steps which
include singles, doubles and hops.
The Sayaw sa Bangko
from Pangasinan
Sayaw sa Bangko
◦Performed on top of a narrow bench that is normally six
inches wide, inching and hopping from one end to
another
◦ Dancers need good balance as they go through a series
of movements that include some impressive acrobatics.
This dance traces its roots back to the areas of
Pangapisan, Lingayen and Pangasinan.
 The Binasuan from
Bayambang Pangasinan
Binasuan
◦An entertaining dance that is usually performed at festive
social occasions like weddings and birthdays. Dancers
carefully balance three half-filled glasses of rice wine on
their heads and hands as they gracefully spin and roll on
the ground.
◦The dance originated in Bayambang in the Pangasinan
province, and though it's usually performed alone, it can
also become a competition between several dancers
The Pandanggo sa Ilaw
from Lubang Island,
Mindoro
Pandanggo sa Ilaw
◦The Pandanggo sa Ilaw is similar to a Spanish Fandango,
but the Pandanggo is performed while balancing three oil
lamps - one on the head, and one in each hand. It's a
lively dance that originated on Lubang Island.
◦The oil lamp is called tinghoy, sometimes candles in
glasses are used instead of an oil lamp
Pandanggo sa Ilaw
◦The music was composed by Antonio R. Buenaventura
◦The Pandanggo Oasiwas is similar to the Pandanggo sa
Ilaw, and is typically performed by fishermen to celebrate a
good catch. In this version, the lamps are placed in cloths
or nets and swung around as the dancers circle and sway.
◦Pandangguhan sa Pasig, during procession of St. Martha
The Maglalatik from
Biñan, Laguna
Maglalatik/Magbabao
◦ The Maglalatik is a mock war dance that depicts a fight over coconut
meat, a highly-prized food. The dance is broken into four parts: two
devoted to the battle and two devoted to reconciling.
◦ The men of the dance wear coconut shells as part of their costumes,
and they slap them in rhythm with the music. The Maglalatik is
danced in the religious procession during the fiesta of Biñan as an
offering to San Isidro de Labrador, the patron saint of farmers.
 The Kuratsa from
the Visayas Regions
Kuratsa/Curacha
◦Described as a dance of courtship and is often performed at
weddings and other social occasions.
◦The dance has three parts. The couple first performs a waltz. In
the second part, the music sets a faster pace as the man pursues
the woman around the dance floor in a chase. To finish, the
music becomes even faster as the man wins over the woman with
his mating dance.
La Jota Moncadeña
from Ilocos
La Jota Moncadeña
◦ Adapted by the Filipinos from an old Spanish dance.
◦ It's a combination of Spanish and Ilocano dance steps
set to Spanish music and castanets. A more solemn
version of this dance is sometimes used to accompany a
funeral procession, but it is also performed at
celebrations.
 The Kappa Malong-
Malong from Mindanao
Kappa Malong-Malong
◦ A Muslim-influenced dance.
◦ The malong is a tubular garment, and the dance
essentially shows the many ways it can be worn.
There are men's and women's versions of the
dance since they wear malongs in different ways.
 The Pantomina
from Bicol Region
Pantomina
◦Also known as the Dance of the Doves, the dance mimics
the courtship between doves and is often also a courtship
dance between the couples that perform it. This dance is an
important part of the Sorsogon Kasanggayahan Festival held
each October, where it is mainly performed by the elders of
the community.
The Habanera Botolena
from Zambales
Habanera Botolena

◦A strongly flamenco-influenced dance that comes

from Botolan, Zambales. It combines Filipino and
Spanish steps, and is a popular dance at weddings. It is
also considered a courting dance in some situations.
 The Surtido
from Cebu And Samar
 Surtido
◦ Surtido literally means "assortment," and this square dance combines
influences of French, Spanish and Mexican dance. Traditionally
the Surtido is performed by a head couple accompanied by two other
couples who lead all the dancers through various formations that resemble
an old-fashioned quadrille
◦ Surtido Cebuano, a square dance said to have originated in Bantayan, Cebu
◦ Surtido Boronganon, a version of surtido that came from the town of
Borongan, Samar
 The Singkil
from Maranao
Singkil
◦A dance traditionally performed by single women to attract
the attention of potential suitors. Dancers perform a series
of graceful movements as they step in and out from
between bamboo poles which are rhythmically clapped
together. Fans and scarves are often used to enhance the
dancers' movements
The Polbakal
Polbakal
◦ Shows some European influence in its steps. The
dance is composed of nine different steps which
include various movements such as fluttering,
stepping heel-to-toe, a reenactment of a bull
fight, and even a leisurely walk
La Estudiantina from
Samar and Quezon
La Estudiantina
◦ Young women who studied (at home with tutors for
instance) used to be called estudiantina (male students
were called estudiante), and this dance was originally
performed by women carrying a book or a fan, items
associated with female students.
The Pasiguin
from Capiz
Pasiguin
◦ A frolicking dance representing fishes getting out from torn fishnets,
locally called sibot in Capiz. The dance is among the discoveries of
dance researcher Petronila Suarez. It was presented by Crisostomo
Barerra during the 1979 Annual Philippine Folk Dance Workshop held
at the Folk Arts Theater in the CCP Complex.
◦ This dance is about a fisherman trying to catch bangus, shrimps and
sugpo with the use of sabot, not knowing it has a big hole in it
◦ The girls wear an ankle-length skirt and a kimono while the boys wear
kamisa de chino and colored trousers
The Cariñosa
from Panay
Cariñosa
◦The Spanish word Cariñosa means the affectionate one, a
courtship dance that portrays acts of flirtation between a
man and a woman
◦Dancers make a number of flirtatious movements as they
hide behind fans or handkerchiefs and peek out at one
another. The essence of the dance is the courtship between
two sweethearts.
The Mazurka Boholana
from Bohol
Mazurka Boholana
◦ A lively Polish folk dance, in triple time,
intended for a circle of couples and
characterized by the stamping of feet and
clicking of heels, traditionally danced to the
music of a village band.
The Alcamfor
from Leyte
Alcamfor
◦ Features a girl's handkerchief that is supposedly scented with alkampor or
naphtalene balls. The dance is also called Pandanggo han Panyo
◦ Wearing clothes with strong alkampor smell is thought to be a "head
turner", especially with the "romance inducing" powers of the alkampor,
according to superstition
◦ This dance is a little 'flirty' with the ladies swaying their supposed to be
alkampor-scented scarves in front of their partners' face