Subli Dance

The term “subli” is from two tagalog words “subsub” meaning falling on head and “bali”, which means broken. Hence, the dancers appear to be lame and crooked throughout the dance. This version is originally a ritual dance of the natives of Bauan, Batangas, which is shown during fiestas as a ceremonial worship dance to the town’s icon, the holy cross referred to in the vernacular as Mahal Na Poong Santa Cruz.

Sayaw Sa Banko

Sayaw Sa Banko or Sayaw ed Tapew na Bangko (dance on top of a bench), is a dance which originates from Pangasinan and researched by Jovita Sison. It is performed by a couple on a narrow bench, inching and hopping from one end to another. Dancer show skill in staying up the bench as they exchange places by moving their way around or the girl thrown in the air while boy moves to the other end. They do not compete but rather complement each other so that no one falls. It is usually performed during town fiestas.

Kini Kini Dance

Kini means the Royal Walk. Maranao women performed this dance with scarves. The beauty of the scarves and the talent and grace in which it is displayed. Shows their elite social upbringing.

Idaw Dance

This dance sometimes has many names and different versions. Most common is this dance depicts the hunting ritual performed before a tribal war. The tribes men would go out and look up and watch for the scared Idaw bird. Which is said to lead the tribe to victory. Also look at the clothing, Philippines being a very hot climate, plus the use of as little material as possible, the traditional clothing was not made to cover much of the body.

Banga dance

Banga dance displays the Igorot women on their way to the river to fetch the daily water supply for thier familys. It shows the skill and strength of the women as they would carry heavy laiden clay pots (Banga) full of water. Their grace and agility while balancing the heavy pots, sometimes stacks 5 high, is a testiment of the Filipino and how hardships become a art form and talent. As a young girl you would start with only one pot. Pots could be stacked as high as 5 or 6. The more pots you could carry showed your skill and also you standing among the women of that area. They would all gather and march to the river each day, singing a native song which is represented by the flute and banging of bamboo on iron pots in the dance.


The Banga dance is performed during feasts as away to entertain guests. In Philippines, Banga is an earthen pot called “Banga” which are stacked and carried on the heads of the females while dancing.

Idudu Dance

Idudu dance is a Philippine dance which describes the daily lives of the tribe. The family is the basic structure of family life among the Itneg / Tinggian poeple. The caring for the Children is shared by both the mother and father. While the men are clearing the fields, breaking the soil with bamboo and their feet, the women watch the children. Soon as the men are done, they take care of the children while the women do back breaking work. You can see in the dance how the women will take the bamboo baskets in a shaking fashion like drying the rice, while the men are going in circles in background like they are toiling the land. Then you will see the women put down the baskets fold the cloth into a baby while the husband stands aside. Then the women will turn over the baby to the husband, pick up the bamboo and start toiling the land while the men hold and cradle the baby.

Singkil

Sinkil dance takes its name from the bells worn on the ankles of the Muslim princess. Perhaps one of the oldest of truly Filipino dances, the Singkil recounts the epic legend of the "Darangan" of the Maranao people of Mindanao. This epic, written sometime in the 14th century, tells the fateful story of Princess Gandingan, who was caught in the middle of a forest during an earthquake caused by the diwatas, or fairies or nymph of the forest.


The rhythmic clapping of criss-crossed bamboo poles represent the trees that were falling, which she gracefully avoids. Her slave loyally accompanies her throughout her ordeal. Finally, she is saved by the prince. Dancers wearing solemn faces and maintaining a dignified pose being dancing at a slow pace which soon progresses to a faster tempo skillfully manipulate apir, or fans which represent the winds that prove to be auspicious. The dancers weave expertly through criss-crossed bamboos.

When performed by ladies of the royalty of Lanao, the dancer is usually accompanied by a waiting lady, who holds a beautifully decorated umbrella over the Princess' head wherever she goes. Royal princesses to this day in the Sulu Archipelago are required to learn this most difficult and noble dance.

Singkil Dance Steps

• Part One
Start the Singkil dance by using hopping and stepping patterns. Climb onto a designated set of bamboos being held horizontally by two men. Continue hopping and stepping patterns on the bamboo to move around while making body and hand movements.
• Part Two
• 
  Enter making slow point steps while a fan is in each hand. Using the wrists, move the fan in a variety of ways, including up and down movements and swirling movements to tell a story.
  
• Part Three

Enter and dance to the center of the stage with a fan in both hands and moving your hips and arms. In the center, dance in a stationary position. Move only the hips and arms. Use the fan in both hands to make swirls along the body while continually dancing. The men will begin clicking the bamboos; move along the bamboos, avoiding any of the clicking. Continue this when the male dancer comes out to end the courting aspect of the dance.

TINIKLING

The tinikling is one of the most popular and well-known of traditional Philippine dances. The tinikling is a pre-Spanish dance from the Philippines that involves two people beating, tapping, and sliding bamboo poles on the ground and against each other in coordination with one or more dancers who step over and in between the poles in a dance. The name is a reference to birds locally known as tikling, which can be any of a number of rail species; the term tinikling literally means "tikling-like".

The steps of this dance are an imitation of the movements of a “tikling” bird that hops and escapes the traps set by hunters. Moving with poise and grace, the dancers skip in-between two bamboo poles that are held to pound rhythmically against each other. This dance is a specialty of Leyte.

How to Dance Tinikling

Pole players on knees holding the end of one pole in each hand. Dancer(s) stand at the left side of the poles facing forward.

INTRODUCTION

• 1. Stand, boys have their hands behind their backs, girls hold their skirts (or put their hands on their waists).
• 2. As music begins, bow to the opposite pole person, then the pole person beside you.
• 3. Continue with four toe touches (Count 1-2, tap right foot twice; Count 3, lift right foot...This gives everyone an opportunity to establish the timing.)

BASIC TINIKLING STEPS

• A – Front tinikling steps (Start with the right foot, do 7 basic tinikling steps. On 8th beat, do one tinikling step with quarter turn.)
• B – Repeat A. three more times.

QUARTER TURN TINIKLING STEP

• A – Complete 16 tinikling steps with the quarter turn to make 4 complete boxes.

CROSSOVER-COMBINATION

• 1 - Cross the left foot over right and step to the centre of the poles.
• 2 – Step the right foot to the right of the poles./li>
  
• 3 – Step the left foot to the right of the poles.


• 1 - Cross the right foot over left and step to the centre of the pole.


• 2 – Step the left foot to the left of the poles.


• 3 – Step the right foot to the left of the poles.

Repeat the above 7 more times. BASIC TINIKLING STEPS

• A – Front tinikling steps (Start with the right foot, do 7 basic tinikling steps. On 8th beat, do one tinikling step with quarter turn.)
• B – Repeat A. two more times.
• C – To finish the dance, do 5 basic tinikling steps. On the 6th beat, do one tinikling step with a quarter turn; on 7th and 8th beat, bow to the opposite pole person, then the pole person beside you.