Republic of the Philippines

Laguna State Polytechnic University

Province of Laguna
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Level I Institutionally Accredited

Name: SANTIAGO, RONALYN M. Course/Sec: BPED II-A

PHILIPPINE TRADITIONAL DANCE/ FOLKDANCE

The term pandanggo’ comes from the Spanish word

‘fandango,’ which in Portugal is also a common dance, which
is defined by marking time with the use of castanet clack,
finger snapping, and triple-time rhythm stomping of the feet,
a 3/4-time dance. The sentence “sa ilaw” is Tagalog for “in
light” and relates to the three oil lamps to be balanced by a
dancer one on the head and one on each side on the back.
The name of the oil lamp is “tinghoy”. Candles are sometimes
https://dribbble.com/shots/7499978-Pandanggo-Sa-Ilaw
used in lenses instead of an oil lamp. “Pandanggo sa Ilaw” is
generally danced in couples, with traditional clothes for both women and men that simulates
fireflies at dusk or dawn light and flight. It portrays a young man’s
courtship to a maiden who caught his interest. The individual
performing this graceful dance is often referred to as “the
pandanggera.” Then “the pandanggera” dances holding three oil
lamps called “the tinghoy”. The dance translates as Dance of
Lights, is a waltz-style, playful folk dance that showcases a unique
fusion of local and western indigenous dance forms. It originates
in Lubang Island, Oriental Mindoro the seventh-largest island in
the Philippines. The music was composed by Col. Antonio R.
Buenaventura, a National Artist for Music and a native of Bulacan.
He wrote the music sometime in the early 1930’s while teaching
at the Conservatory of Music at the University of the Philippines.
Usually performed during festivities and special occasions.

There is another version of this dance, and the dance is similar to the steps
conducted by the’ pandanggo’ singers. This other version of the dance is called’ Oasiwas’
and in Lingayen in Pangasinan this dance has its roots. This provincial town is renowned
for its fishing industry and its pandanggo version is connected to the fishing industry. The
fishermen in this town will generally celebrate right after their excellent catch by drinking
wine and dancing, and swinging and circling on the dancers ‘hands with the lighted lights.
The dancers ‘swinging and circular movements gave the name’ Oasiwas’ which is known as’
swinging’ in the local dialect. Now the core of a popular festival in Oriental Mindoro is this
 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Province of Laguna
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Level I Institutionally Accredited

traditional Philippine dance. And the dance is now considered to be one of the rituals
performed by the females to send off and welcome the town’s fishermen.

In Oriental Mindoro, this festival

is called the’ Pandang Gitab’ or the’
Festival of Lights’ with the dance at the
middle of everything. After the now
renowned folk dance called the’
pandanggo sa ilaw’ and the’ dagitab’ or
the flicker of light, this festival was
invented and created. This festival,
which is organized in Oriental Mindoro,
is held every second week of November,
as part of the celebration of Oriental Mindoro’s founding centenary. The festival presents
the province’s culture through dancing and is frequently attended by hundreds of artists
and participants from the province’s many industries.

The typical’ pandango sa ilaw’ moved to beaches from coastal cities. The individuals
in Oriental Mindoro province have taken their famous’ pandanggo sa ilaw’ from the
beaches and into their capital’s streets, Calapan. And with the dancers holding these lights,
the roads leading to the capital can be compared with an oasis of light as these roads are
covered by a number of dancers dressed in traditional ternos and barong clothes. The
costumes used by this festival’s dancers may differ and some of the clothes will be simple
and some will also be flashy. The dresses may also have floral prints, most of which are
made in orange hues. The dance members endure the heat of the candles as they move
through the capital’s 2-km stretch of road, carrying their candles in glass, bamboo and
coconut shells. The event served not only to encourage tourism in the region, but also as a
manner of promoting dance consciousness called’ pandanggo.’

References:
 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Province of Laguna
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Level I Institutionally Accredited

 https://www.scribd.com/doc/13460412/Pandanggo-sa-Ilaw
 https://www.tagaloglang.com/pandanggo-sa-ilaw/
 https://www.reference.com/geography/history-pandanggo-sa-ilaw-ac48f5cbb2522b2c
 https://www.tagaloglang.com/pandanggo-sa-ilaw/
 https://philippinefolklores909101805.wordpress.com/2019/07/11/pandanggo-sa-ilaw/