Dance & Philippine Folk Dance – Condensed Review Notes

Dance & Creative Movement: Purpose & Core Benefits

• Builds physical competence, movement knowledge, creativity, critical thinking, and confidence.

Physical

  • Enhances cardiovascular and muscular endurance.

  • Improves coordination, balance, flexibility, body composition, joint mobility, bone density, and metabolism.

  • Lowers resting heart rate, body-mass index, and risk of cardiovascular disease.

Mental

  • Sharpens brain function; lowers risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s, depressive symptoms; boosts self-esteem and body image.

Social

  • Fosters togetherness, positive interaction, interpersonal relationships, and self-actualization.

Cultural

  • Preserves and promotes cultural values.

Folk & Ethnic Dance: Essence and Origins

• Folk dance = traditional, anonymous, communal expression passed down orally; mirrors people’s character, environment, and history.
• Ethnological dance evolved from folk forms into stylized art with formal technique.
• Philippine legends link dance to rites for deities (rain, harvest, healing, gratitude, protection).

Philippine Dance Classifications

• Cordillera – ritual dances of highland tribes (Ifugao, Kalinga, etc.) using gongs.
• Spanish-influenced – Christianized lowland dances (jota, fandanggo, habanera) with rondalla music.
• Muslim – Malay-Arab aesthetics, intricate hand gestures, shimmering costumes, agong & kulintang.
• Tribal/Ethnic – non-Christian minorities (T’boli, Manobo, etc.); mimetic of animals, nature, spirits.
• Rural/Lowland – depict barrio work, festivity, and devotion; lively, light, often with percussion or clapping.

Special Groups

  • Aeta/Negrito dances: foot-focused, simple arm movements; use bamboo, wooden sticks, gongs; themes of ritual, courtship, animal imitation, war.

Key Features of Dance

• Rhythm – pacing & repetition of movement.
• Design – spatial pattern (circle, line, chain).
• Dynamics – force & intensity variations.
• Technique – body control, mastery of steps.
• Gesture – expressive hand & arm motions.

Basic Source Movements: walk, run, jump, hop, skip, slide, leap, turn, sway.

Fundamental Positions

Arms

  1. First – both arms front, chest level.

  2. Second – open sideward, shoulder level.

  3. Third – one arm overhead, other first.

  4. Fourth – one arm first, other overhead.

  5. Fifth – both arms overhead.

Feet

  1. First – heels together, toes out.

  2. Second – feet apart, parallel.

  3. Third – heel of one to arch of other.

  4. Fourth – one foot forward, twelve-inch gap.

  5. Fifth – heel of front to toe of rear, both turned out.

Basic Footwork & Steps

Step • Slide • Hop • Jump • Leap • Cross-step • Close-step • Point.

Common Dance Terms (Selected)

Abrasete – girl holds boy’s right arm with her left.
Arms lateral / “T” / reverse “T”.
Cabeceras – head couples in square set; costados – side pairs.
Cut – quick replacement of supporting foot.
Do-si-do – pass right (or left) shoulders, back-to-back, return.
Free hand / foot – not bearing weight or engaged.
Hapay – flourish handkerchief/hat; hayon-hayon – forearm wave.
Inside vs. outside hand/foot.
Clockwise / counter-clockwise travel.
Kumintang – wrist circle; masiwak – half-turn wrist flick.
Patay – dramatic head-and-arm droop pose.
Salok – scoop arm downward-upward.
Set – group formation unit.
Star right/left – hands join in center, circle.
Bleking step – heel-place then close.
Jaleo – partners turn once around linked elbows.

Costume Highlights

Spanish elite – Maria Clara dress; barong tagalog & black trousers.
Rural Tagalog – balintawak, panuelo, tapis; camisa de chino for men.
Rural Visayan – kimona & patadyong.
Ilocano – chambra blouse & siesgo skirt.
Cordillera – bahag or g-string, woven “hablon,” bead accessories.
Muslim – malong, sigpit/sablay, patadyong pants.

Quick Recall Pointers

• Dance integrates fitness, cognition, socialization, and culture.
• Philippine folk forms mirror geography, colonization, religion, and tribal life.
• Master basic positions, footwork, and terms; they underpin all choreographies.
• Costumes, music, and props signal the dance’s cultural origin.