Dance as an Art & Philippine Folk Dance Comprehensive Study Notes

Big Picture: “Dance as an Art” (Unit 2 – World of Dance)

  • Every dance form differs in origin, step vocabulary, rhythm, costuming, music, purpose.

  • Two instructional tracks in this unit:

    • Study the nature & history of traditional dances.

    • Experience/perform them (fundamental steps ➜ simple routines).

Inspirational Quotes & Their Pedagogical Messages

  • Martha Graham – “Nobody cares if you can’t dance well… Great dancers are great because of their passion.”
    • Performance is judged on commitment and willingness to try, not sheer technical polish.
    • Passion can “upgrade” a mediocre technician into a great performer.

  • James K. Fableman – “Dance is an art which deals with the motions of the human body.”
    • Re-affirms that the body’s motion is a primal, communicative language.

  • Thomas Monroe – Dance arranges body movements “in ordered sequence” using visual patterns of line, shape & color.
    • Introduces the aesthetic dimension: design principles in space and costuming.

Folk Dance: Core Definition & Origins

  • Oldest form of dance and earliest non-verbal communication.

  • Evolves naturally & spontaneously in a community (no formal studio inception).

  • Handed down generation → generation; steps remain simple, repetitive, pattern-driven.

  • Example visualized: Cariñosa (girl with fan courting a boy).

Key Concept: 66 Dance Energy Qualities (contextualized)

  1. Sustained (Philippine folk & ballet heavily use this)

  2. Percussive

  3. Swinging

  4. Suspended

  5. Collapsing

  6. Vibratory

Philippine folk dance emphasizes “sustained” ➜ smooth, even tempo; rarely abrupt.

Formal Characteristics of Philippine Folk Dance

  1. Traditional – rooted in long-held customs.

  2. Expressive – conveys daily emotions/events.

  3. Simple & Redundant – basic rhythm dominates; figures repeat (Fig. 1, 2, 3…).

  4. Communal Authorship – unknown choreographers, many contributors.

  5. Functional – mirrors real-life activities (harvest, courtship, war, ritual).

Francesca Reyes Aquino – “Mother of P.H. Folk Dance”

  • First National Artist for Dance.

  • 1920 thesis ➜ “Philippine Folk Dances and Games” (for classroom & playground use).

  • Authored seminal book series Philippine Folk Dances (library staple).

  • 1954 Republic Award of Merit from Pres. Ramon Magsaysay for promoting Filipino culture.

Folk vs. National vs. Ethnic Dance

Concept

Scope

Key Note

Folk Dance

Exists within one country’s locality.

Ex: Tinikling in Leyte.

National Dance

Folk dance that achieves nation-wide & cross-border popularity.

Ex: Tinikling when performed abroad.

Ethnic Dance

Performed by indigenous/tribal groups; retains ritual/spiritual ties.

Ex: Kalinga eagle dance.

Sub-Types of Ethnic Dance

  1. Ritual – ceremonial (Dogso, Pagdiwata).

  2. Life-Cycle – birth → courtship → wedding → funeral (Binasuan, Daling-Daling).

  3. Occupational – depicts work (Maglalatik, Mananagat, Asik).

Major Classifications (Macro-Regions) of Philippine Folk Dance

  1. Cordillera Dances (Bontok, Ifugao, Benguet, Apayao, Kalinga)
    • Themes: harvest, health, warfare.
    • Male costume = bahag (G-string), feathered head-dress; Female = hablon skirt, bead bibs.

  2. Spanish-Influenced Dances
    • Filipino adaptations of European forms (jota, fandango, waltz).
    • Music: rondalla (string ensemble).
    • Costumes: Maria Clara gown & Barong Tagalog.

  3. Muslim Dances (Mindanao & Sulu)
    • Malay/Javanese/Middle-East influence, intricate hand & arm articulation.
    • Themes: mysticism, royalty, beauty (e.g., Singkil, Pangalay).
    • Costume: shimmering sigpit, patadjong or dmalong pants; metallic foil accents.

  4. Tribal (Lumad) Dances
    • Animistic rituals of T’boli, Manobo, etc.; ornate metal, feather & bead craft.
    • Often mimic animals/hunting.

  5. Rural/Lowland Christian Dances
    • Fiesta-centered, light-hearted, depict farming & domestic life (e.g., Maglalatik, Tinikling, Sayaw sa Bangko).
    • Instruments: clapping, bamboo, improvised percussion.

Nine Functional Categories of Philippine Folk Dance (Lopez/Aquino Synthesis)

  1. Life-Cycle Dances – courtship, wedding, funeral.

  2. Festival Dances – recurring local celebrations of patron saints, harvest, etc.

  3. Occupational Dances – sowing ➜ threshing ➜ fishing, etc.

  4. Ritual & Ceremonial – religious/spiritual rites.

  5. Game Dances – derived from folk games (e.g., Pukul of Aklan/Capiz).

  6. Joke & Trickster Dances – playful teasing (e.g., Pandanggo sa Sambalilo).

  7. Mimetic/Drama Dances – imitate animals/objects (e.g., Itik-Itik, Kalapati).

  8. War Dances – combat or rivalry themes (e.g., Maglalatik – Christian vs. Muslim over latik).

  9. Social Amenities Dances – courtly/ballroom hospitality (Alley, Batoneru, Minuetayano).

Fundamental Positions (Arms & Feet)

Arms (all “slightly bent”)

  1. First – Both arms forward, chest-level.

  2. Second – Open sidewards, shoulder-level.

  3. Third – One arm (left) overhead; the other remains in 2nd.

  4. Fourth – Raise opposite arm (right) front at chest-level; partner arm overhead.

  5. Fifth – Both arms overhead.

Feet

  1. First – Heels together, toes out.

  2. Second – Step right foot sideward.

  3. Third – Right heel at left instep.

  4. Fourth – Right foot forward, parallel.

  5. Fifth – Right heel to left toe.

• Either right or left limb may lead; symmetry is acceptable.
• Combining arms & feet yields the classical “positions 1–5” drill.

Fundamental Folk-Dance Steps

  • Video demonstrates a library of basic time-tested steps (per Lopez: simple rhythm dominates):

    • e.g., Change-step, Close-step, Waltz step, Kuradang, Mazurka, Redoba, Bleking, Habanera step, etc.

  • Origin of each step varies with the cultural region that contributed it.

Upcoming Student Tasks & Assessment

  1. Photo Task – Submit pictures of yourself in all 55 arm + 55 foot positions.
    • Worksheet distributed in asynchronous class.

  2. Video Task – Choose 55 fundamental steps from the demonstration and record your execution.

  3. Participation Rubric – Effort & passion weigh heavily (echoing Martha Graham).

Ethical & Cultural Implications

  • Preserving folk dances sustains intangible heritage; promotes national identity abroad.

  • Communal authorship underscores collective creativity—no single ownership.

  • Exposure to Muslim, Cordillera, Tribal forms fosters inter-cultural respect and counters regional bias.

Real-World Relevance

  • Tourism: well-staged folk performances attract international audiences.

  • PE & Wellness: simple repetitive patterns suit all fitness levels; inclusive pedagogy.

  • National celebrations: schools and LGUs still program folk numbers for Independence Day, town fiestas.

Quick Review Cheatsheet

  • 66 energy qualities — folk uses sustained.

  • 55 macro-classifications — Cordillera, Spanish, Muslim, Tribal, Rural.

  • 99 functional categories — life-cycle → social amenities.

  • Francesca Reyes Aquino = pioneering researcher, 1954 award.

  • Core mantra: Technique + Passion = Effective Cultural Storytelling.