Grade 7 Unit 3: Folk Music and Dance Traditions

Study Notes

Traditional dance represents various dance forms passed down through generations in Southeast Asian countries.
Philippine native dances narrate stories of the nation's history, its peoples, and their beliefs.
The Tinikling dance, one of the Philippines' most famous and oldest traditional dances, originated in the Visayan Islands. It imitates the movement of the tikling birds.
Cariñosa, a romantic Philippine dance, originated in Panay during the colonial era, involving male and female performers flirting.
Singkil, the royal dance of the Maranao people from Lake Lanao in Mindanao, portrays a prince and princess weaving through crisscrossed bamboo poles. The dance is inspired by a belled accessory worn by the Maranao princess.
Sayaw sa Bangko, a dance that originated in Pangasinan province, showcases agility, balance, and grace. It translates to "dance on a bench" in English.
Pandanggo sa Ilaw is a mesmerizing dance from Mindoro, Philippines, featuring dancers gracefully balancing oil lamps. It's inspired by flickering firefly lights at dusk and dawn.

Ramayana Ballet, known as sendratari Ramayana in Indonesia, is a visualization of the Ramayana saga. This performance blends music, dance, and drama typically without dialogue.
Lakhon Chatri (Thailand) is a traditional Thai masked dance drama closely tied to the Ramakien (Thai version of the Indian-Hindu Ramayana).
Sinulog Festival (Philippines) is a vibrant celebration of a Saint held annually in Cebu, Philippines. The dance ritual, called sinug, is a prayer dance.
Water Festivals in Southeast Asia are celebrated in several Southeast Asian countries, marking the Buddhist New Year in mid-April. The festivals involve water splashing, symbolizing purification and washing away sins and bad luck.

Apsara Dance in Cambodia is deeply rooted in ancient Hindu mythology.
Apsaras are divine female creatures descending from heaven to entertain gods and kings.
The Apsara dance moves are slow-paced and mesmerizing, designed to hypnotize audiences.

A youtube video link is provided for further learning.
An activity asks about why it's important to preserve and celebrate traditional dances in Southeast Asia.