Chapter 1 - Introduction to Philippine Folk Dances PDF

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY,INC Laoag City, Ilocos Norte DANCES  Dance is a rhythmic and expressive body movement, usually coordinated into a pattern and adapted to musical accompaniment. Dance is perhaps the oldest of the arts,...

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY,INC Laoag City, Ilocos Norte DANCES  Dance is a rhythmic and expressive body movement, usually coordinated into a pattern and adapted to musical accompaniment. Dance is perhaps the oldest of the arts, reflecting man’s age-old need to communicate joy or grief by using the most immediate instrument at his disposal – his body.  Almost all important occasions in the life of primitive man were celebrated by dancing: birth death, marriage, war, a new leader, the healing of the sick, prayers for the rain, sun, fertility, protection, and forgiveness were all expressed through dancing.  Dance steps are created from man’s basic movements: walk, run, jump, hop, skip slide, leap, turn and sway.  Some of the more important features of the dance are rhythm, the relatively fast or slow repetition and variation of movements; design – the arrangement of movements according to pattern; dynamics – variations in the first intensity of movement; technique – or the degree of the body control and mastery of basic steps and positions; gestures – hand movements. FOLK DANCE DEFINITION  the traditional recreational dance of an indigenous society showing the cultural characteristics of a specific people at a given time and place.  traditional, social expression through movements with rhythmic accompaniment which are characteristics of the community life of the people of different nationalities.  the intimate bond of customs, ideals, and traditions of the past through which a multitude of national characteristics in music, steps, and costumes are preserved OBJECTIVES OF THE PHLIPPINE FOLK DANCE  to foster patriotism and nationalism through the study of folk dances  to arouse better appreciation of the Philippine music and folk dances  to provide, through dancing, a healthful form of relaxation and recreation  to develop a graceful and rhythmic coordination of body movements that will improve posture  to preserve the posterity, folk dance and music indigenous to the different regions of the Philippines  to demonstrate the growth Filipino culture through the evolution of the Philippine dances CHARACTERISTICS OF PHILIPPINE FOLK DANCES  In general, dancers stand apart PE 103: DANCES Page 1 of 6  NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY,INC Laoag City, Ilocos Norte  There is little to no body contact  Most of the dances are done by pairs or couples  Hand movements play an important part  Most dances are in long formation  Most dances begin and end with “saludo”  Dances from the lowland have more foreign elements than those found in highland  War dances are found among non-Christian tribes CLASSIFICATION OF FOLK DANCES The Philippine folk dance are classified according to 1. GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION 1.1 National Dances are traditional dances throughout the Philippines with a common basic movement or pattern but with slight variations. Examples: Cariñosa Kuratsa Balitaw Rigodon Pandanggo Surtido 1.2 Local or Regional Dances are dances found in certain localities or regions only. Examples: Alcamfor (Leyte) Maglalatik (San Pablo, Laguna) Basulto (Pampanga) 2. NATURE OF THE DANCE 2.1 Occupational Dances are dances that depict actions, characteristics, occupations, industries, and phases of human labor Examples: Rice Festival – has the largest number of dances Pagtatanim Paggapas Pagiik Paglulugas Paghangin Pagbabayo Pabirik – depucts the different stages of gold panning Mananguete – tuba gatherer PE 103: DANCES Page 2 of 6  NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY,INC Laoag City, Ilocos Norte 2.2 Religious or Ceremonial Dances are performed in connection with religious vows, practices and ceremonies. A religious dance may be performed to drive away evil spirits, ask for a favor to have a child, give thanks for having recovered from sickness, favors granted and vows fulfilled. Examples: Obando Dugso Sunulog 2.3 Courtship Dances are dances that depict love-making with a love theme. Examples: Rogelia Lulay Hele Hele Bago Quiere 2.4 Wedding Dances are performed by newlyweds, by friend and relatives of the bride and groom or by the father of the bride and the mother of the groom. Examples: Pantomina Pandang-pandang Soryano 2.5 Festival Dances are performed in connection with celebrations, a feast, a barrio fiesta, good harvest and good fortune. Example: Kuratsa La Jota Putong 2.6 War Dances are intended to show imaginary combat or duel with use of fighting implements like bolo, Kris or spear. Examples: Inabaknon Sagayan 2.7 Comic Dances are dances with funny and humorous movements mainly intended for entertainment. Examples: Makonggo Kinoton PE 103: DANCES Page 3 of 6  NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY,INC Laoag City, Ilocos Norte 2.8 Game Dances are dances that have some play elements and are for recreational purposes. Examples: Lubi-lubi Gayong-gayong Pabo 2.9 Social Dances are dances during social gatherings Examples: Rigodon Lanceros 5 CLASSIFICATION OF DANCES FOUND IN THE PHILIPPINES 1. Dances of the Cordillera Groups 1.1 BIBAKIIG – an acronym for Bontocs, Ifugaos, Benguets, Apayayo, Kalinga, Itneg, Ilonggot, and Gaddang 1.2 PESHITS & KANYAO - occasions for the presentation of Cordillera dances. 1.3 Classification: ceremonial, courtship, war, festival and imitative in nature. 1.4 Some of the Dances  Takik – a flirtation, love or wedding dance from Western Bontoc  Pattong – danced by one or two warriors  Dinuyya – from Lagawe Ifugao, a dance festival performed by men and women during the major feast  Tarektek – among the Benguets, a dance imitating the “woodpeckers”  Bendian – a victory dance  Turayan – among the Apayaos, a dance imitating a high-flying bird  Tadek – a Kalingga word for dance  Ragragsakan – a word dance of Kalingga women where they carry baskets on their heads or sometimes layered claypots.  Takiling – a victory dance performed after hunting spree 2. Dances of the Mindanao Group Dances have touches of Hindu, Javanese, Chinese, and Arab-Persian culture. Some of the Dances PE 103: DANCES Page 4 of 6  NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY,INC Laoag City, Ilocos Norte  Kakulanagan among the Maranao, is danced with the use of beautifully decorated umbrellas.  Sagayan is a war dance that dramatizes the hero-warrior prince.  Asik is a doll dance for girls.  Silong sa Ganding shows traces of Hindu-Vedic influence, where the five dancers represent the sounds of gandingan.  Pang-alay from Jolo, Sulu, portrays the varied life activities of the people.  Maglanka is a dance class of nobe Samal women  Burong Talo is a martial arts dance in the Langka tradition of Mindanao dances  Pindulas depict the movements of the fish.  Binanog is a Manobo hawk dance. 3. Spanish/European/Western Influenced Dances 3.1 The Westernization of Filipino culture brought changes in the style of dancing among Filipinos 3.2 Introduction of Pandanggo, Habanera, Jota, Valse, Mazurka, Paseo, Rigodon, Lanceros, etc. 3.3 Some of the dances include:  Habanera Botolena is a dance of a married couple in Botolan, Zambales.  Pandanggo Rinconada is a festival dance from the province of Bicol depicting the happy and contented life of the people. 4. Dance of the Countryside 4.1 If there were dances for the so-called “bourgoise,’ during the Spanish period there were also dances for the poor farmers and people in the rural areas 4.2 Dances were light and more informal. 4.3 Frequently, the dances performed during Easter Sunday. 4.4 Some of the dances are  Binasuan is a dance that require a balancing skill with glasses of wine  Bati is a dance performed during Easter Sunday.  Gayong-gayong is a game dance  Binislakan which means sticks, is Pangasinan dance that can be Chinese influence. 5. Dances for the Lesser Known Group PE 103: DANCES Page 5 of 6  NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY,INC Laoag City, Ilocos Norte 5.1 Kadal Blelah is a T’boli dance with mythical bindings imitative of the movements of the birds. 5.2 Karasaguyon is a courtship dance. 5.3 Kadal Tajo is a dance that depicts the movement of a bird in the middle of the forest. FUNDAMENTAL DANCE POSITION 1st Position: Feet: Heels close together; toes apart with an angle of about 45 degrees Arms: Both raised forward in a circle in front of chest with the tips about an in apart 2nd Position: Feet: Astride sideward about a pace or 1-foot distance Arms: Both raised sideward with graceful curve at shoulder level 3rd Position: Feet: Heel of one foot close to in-step of other foot Arms: One arm raised sideward as in 2nd position; other arm raised upward 4th Position Feet: One foot in front of other foot of a pace distance Arms: One arm raised in front as in 1st position; other arm raised over head 5th Position: Feet: Heel of front foot close to big toe of rear foot Arms: Both arms raised over head PE 103: DANCES Page 6 of 6