COMMON DANCE TERMS

ARMS IN LATERAL POSITION

1. ______________________________– both arms are at one side, either right
or left; at shoulder, chest, or waist level.

BRUSH
2. ___________________ – weight on one foot, hit the floor with the ball or heel
of the other foot, and lift that foot from the floor to any direction.

BILAO
3. ___________________– to turn palms of hands up and down alternately,
hands at waist level in front, elbows close to waist.

CABECERAS
4. ___________________- the couples occupying the width of the hall when the
dancers are in square formation (head couple).

CLOCKWISE
5. _________________– like the motion of the hands of the clock. R
shoulder is toward the center of an imaginary circle.
 COUNTERCLOCKWISE
6. _______________________– the reverse direction of clockwise, L shoulders toward
the center. Movement is toward right when facing center of circle.

COSTADOS
7. _______________________– the couple occupying the length of the hall when
dancers are in square formation (side pairs).

CROSSED ARMS
8. _______________________– Partners facing each other or standing side by side
join their L hands together and the R hands together; either R over L or L over
R hands.

CUT
9. ________________– to displace quickly one foot with the other.

. DO- SI- DO
10_________________ (Dos-a-Dos) – Partners advance forward, pass each other’s
right (or left) side, step across to the right (or left) move backwards without
turning around , pass each other left (or right) side to proper places.

FREE FOOT the foot not bearing the weight of the body.
11.________________–

FREE HAND - the hand not placed anywhere, or not doing anything.
12. ________________
 HAYON – HAYON
13.___________________– to place one forearm in front and the other at the
back of the waist.

HOP
14. ___________________– a spring from one foot landing on the same foot in
place or in any direction.

INSIDE FOOT
15.___________________– the foot nearer the partner when partners stand
side by side.

JALEO
16. __________________– partners turn around clockwise (with R elbows
almost touching) or counterclockwise (with L elbows touching) using
walking or any kind of dance step.

JUMP
17. ___________________– a spring on one foot or both feet landing on both
feet in any direction.

KUMINTANG
18. ___________________– moving the hand from the wrist either in a
clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
 LEAP
19. ________________– a spring from one foot, landing on the other foot in
any direction.
OUTSIDE FOOT
20. ________________– the foot away from one’s partner, when partners stand
side by side.
OUTSIDE HAND
21. ________________– the hand away from one’s partner when partners
stand side by side.
PLACE
22._________________ – to put foot in a certain position without putting
weight on it; the sole of the foot rests on the floor.
PIVOT
23. _________________– to turn Clockwise
with the ball, heel, or whole foot; on fixed
place or point.

POINT
24.__________________ – touch the floor lightly with the toes of one foot,
weight of the body on the other foot.

SALOK
25. _________________– swinging the arm downward – upward passing in
front of the body as if scooping; the trunk is bent forward following the
movement of the arm doing the salok.
 STAMP
30. _________________– to bring the foot forcibly and noisily on the floor.

STEP
31. _________________– to advance or recede by moving one foot to another
resting place with a complete transfer of weight from one foot to another.

SUPPORTING FOOT
32. ____________________– the foot that bears the weight of the body.

TAP
33. _________________– to rap slightly with the ball or toe of the free foot
keeping weight of the body on the other foot.There is no transfer of weight.

WHIRL
34.___________________ - to make fast turns by executing small steps in place, to
right, or to left.
 SALUDO
26. ___________________– partners with feet together bow to each other, to
the audience, opposite dancers, or the neighbors.

SAROK
27. ___________________– cross the R (or L) foot in front of the L (or R)
bend the body slightly forward and cross the hands down in front with
the R (or L) hand over the L (or R).
SET
28. ___________________– a dance formation like a square or a unit
formation composed of two or more pairs.

SLIDE
29.___________________ – to glide foot smoothly along the floor.
Regional Classification of Published Filipino Dance Terms

Region Dance Terms

Tagalog Bilao
Hapay
Jaleo
Panadyak
Salok
Visayan Hayon-Hayon
Sarok

Ilocano Patay
Kumintang
Ibanag Masiwak
 COMMON DANCE STEPS
Dance Steps/Time Counting Step Pattern No. of
Signature Measures
Polka Series – 2/4

Plain Polka 1&2& Step, close step (pause) 1

Hop Polka Ah, 1 & 2 & Hop, step, close step pause 1

Heel and toe 1, 2, 1 & 2 & Heel-place, toe-point; step, close 2

Polka step (pause)

Slide Polka 1 & 2 &, 1 & 2 & Step, close step (pause) 2
Sway Balance
Series
–¾ 1, 2, 3 1 2, 3 Step, cross-step/Step, point 2
•With a point
1, 2 3 1 2 3 Step, cross-step/Step, close. 2
•With a waltz step
1, 2 3 1 2 3 Step, cross-step/Step, raise, 2
•With a hop hop
1, 2 3 1 2, 3 Step, cross-step/Step brush 2
•With a brush
1, 2 3 1 2, 3 Step, cross-step/Step raise 2
•With a raise
1, 2 3 1 2, 3 Step, cross-step/Step close 2
•With a close
1, 2 3 1 2, 3 1, 2 3 Step, cross-step/Step 4
•Double sway 1, 2, 3 point/
balance Cross-step, step/point
• Bacui – ¾ 1,2 3 1,2 3 1,2 3 Cross-point step/Cross-step 4
1,2,3 (rear) step/Cross-step(front)
Step/Close (pause)

• Bleking 2/4 or 12 Heel-place, close 1

3/4 1,2 3 Heel-place, close 1

• Change Step – 1&2 Step, Close, Step 1

2/4

• Cross Change 1&2 Cross-step, close, step 1

Step – 2/4

• Contra-ganza – 1&2 Leap (sideward), cross-step, 1

2/4 step

• Habanera – 2/4 12& Step, close, step 1

• Haplik – 2/4 1 2 1 2 1 & 2 1 2 1 Step, step, hop, hop, step,
& 2 1 2 1 2 1, 2 step, step (turning), hop, 8
hop, step, step, step
(turning) hop, hop, step,
step, close (pause)

• Kuradang – 1 & 2 3 1& 2 3 Step, close, step, cross-step, 2

3/4 step, close, step, pause

• Mazurka – 3/4 123 Slide, cut, hop 1

• Mudansa – 1 2 3 (4x) R & L Step, heel-brush, heel-step

3/4 alternately (3x to the right) 16
123123 Repeat same to the left
123123 Step, close, step, step, close,
(turning) step
Step, close, step, step, close,
step (turning)

• Redoba – 2/4 123 Slide, cut, cut 1

• Sagamantica 1 2,3 1 2,3 1 2,3 1 Step, close, step, close, step, 4
2,3 close, raise, heel-place

Engaño Series – ¾
•With a waltz 1,2 3 1 2 3 Step (sideward) cross; step, 2
•With a close 1,2 3 1 2, 3 close, step 2
Step (sideward); step, close

• Paso Español - 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 Step, close heels up, (forward)

3/4 23 down; step, close, and heels 4
up, down (backward); Step,
brush-swing hop, step, brush-
swing, hop
• Papuri – 3/4 1,2 3 1,2,3 1,2 3 Step, cross-step,cross-point, 4
1,2,3 step, cross-step, cross-step

• Sangig – 3/4 123 Step, close, circle in air 1

• Escotis – 4/4 1234 Step, close, step, hop 1