Philippine Folk Dances

The Philippines is rich in folk dance materials. The Filipinos being a musical people, singing and dancing form the greater part of their recreation. The people express their ideas through rhythmic action in folk dances. While most Philippine folk dances are ritual in character, there is a good variety of occupational, courtship, festival, and war dances which led color to the rich Filipino culture, customs, and traditions.

Singkil (Maranaw)

Singkil, a dance originating from Lanao del Sur, Mindanao is said to be a dance of muslim royalty. To the rhythmic clapping of bamboo poles, the dancers weave expertly through crisscrossed bamboos, the ladies dressed in elegant Muslim costumes waving great big fans, the men flipping brightly colored handkerchiefs right and left. The dancers wearing solemn faces and maintaining a dignified pose begin dancing at a slow pace which soon progresses to a faster tempo. The clashing bamboos and the whirling dancers form an unforgetable kaleidoscope of color and sound that is fascinating to the beholder.

Legend has it that singkil originated from the day the diwatas played a joke on Princess Gandingan as she was taking a walk in the woods. The diwatas made an earthquake that made the trees tremble and the rocks to roll and knock against each other. Nothing daunted. Princess Gandingan skipped nimbly from place to place and no tree or rock ever touched her tiny feet.

There are many versions of Singkil. When performed by ladies of royalty of Lanao, the dancer is usually accompanied by awaiting lady, who holds a beautifully decorated umbrella over the Princess’head wherever she goes. On the other hand when the dance is performed by natives, not of royal blood, the dancers, a boy and a girl have no attendants.

The dance has no definite number of steps or figures. Even the arm movements are improvised and executed according to the mood and skill of the dancers.
The dance is usually performed by girls only.

Kumakaret (Pangasinan)

This is a courtship dance of the kumakarets in barrio Dorungan, Pangasinan province. The Kumakaret is a person who makes wine, tuba or vinegar from sasa.

The dancers show their ability, skill and good balancing while dancing by performing the dance with the use of glasses half-filled with wine or tuba. The girl balances three glasses while dancing--- one on top of her head, one on each on the open palms of her hands. And on the top of her foot. The boy dances with the glass placed on his forehead, sometimes at the back of neck, on the top of one shoulder and also on the top of his foot.

He shows his skill, too, by taking the glass from the ground or floor with his teeth and drinking the contents without spilling even one drop of wine and without holding the glass with his hands.

Pandanguiado Buraweno (Visayan)

Pandanguiado is a popular festival dance in the province of Leyte and Samar. This particular dance originated in Burauen, Leyte and is usually performed by prominent and skillful dancers at big social functions and important gatherings.

According to the old residents of Pericohon, a sitio between LaPaz and Burauen, many, many years ago a certain Filipino general stationed in that plce invited some people from the town and barrios around to a Christmas eve celebration. In that gathering, a cuople from Burauen, hailed as notable dancers., were requested to give a special dance. It was an interesting and colorful dance that they danced with much spirit, altogether different from the dances the people from the locality were used to seeing. It was well liked by all and from that time on it became popular, not only in that place but also in other towns oof Leyte and Samar.

Katlo (Tagalog)

This sprightly dance from Bulacan, the Katlo, is usually performed during harvest season when palay is pounded. It is done to the rhythm of the pestles striking the mortars.

In the old days when there where no rice mills, on moonlight nights it was customary for young men to offer to help their lady friends to pound the palay. On this occasion the relationship might lead to romance between the ladies and young men in the bayuhan or rice-pounding feast.

The word Katlo is derived from the word tatlohan which means by threes.

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