Philippine Folk

Dances with Asian

Influence
What to
Know?
Philippine Folk Dances
Speak so much about the heartbeat of our people for they tell
about our customs, beliefs, superstitions, and events of daily
living in a certain community.

The kind of music being used readily also tells about the
influences brought about by trade and settlement of our
neighboring countries such as Chine, Malaysia, Indonesia,
Burma, Cambodia, Thailand, and Japan, to name a few.

The use of gong, kulintang, and the incorporation of

pentatonic scale to our musical compositions are just concrete
proofs of acculturation in the country.
Dance Title:

Binislakan
(Lingayen)
Dance Title: Binislakan (Lingayen)
Dance Researcher :Francisca Reyes-Aquino
Meaning :With the use of sticks
Dance Culture :Christian-lowland
Place of Origin :Lingayen, Pangasinan
Country of Influence :China
Ethno-linguistic Group :Pangasinense
Classification :Social dance
 Background:
Lingayen in Pangasinan means
"having to look backward and
upward."
Derived from Li-King-Tung, a
Chinese word given to the name
Lingayen, the Capital of
Pangasinan, by the Chinese
settlers of this place a long time
ago.
 Background:
Also called Biniskalan, which in
Pangasinan means "with the use
of sticks".
The dancers look backward or
upward in some of the movements
hence, the name Lingayen.
They also use two sticks to
produce rythms, imitating the
chopsticks used by the Chinese
eating.
 Dance Properties
Costume:
Female
: Siesgo and kimono with loose and
long sleeves and soft panuelo

Male
: Camisa de Chino and red pants
 Dance Properties
Music: Formation:
: 2/4 composed of two parts - A and : partners stand about six feet
B apart. one or more pairs in a set
can take part in the dance, in
any formation desired
Count:
: one, two, one and two, and one
and two and
Dance Title:

Sua-Ku-Sua
Dance Title: Sua-Ku-Sua
Dance Researcher :Ramon A. Obusan
Meaning :My Pomelo Tree
Dance Culture :Muslim-lowland (Coastal)
Place of Origin :Jolo, Sulu
Country of Influence :China, Malaysia, Indonesia
Ethno-linguistic Group :Tausug
Classification :Courtship dance
 Background:
The Tausug of Jolo, Sulu are also
remarkable as seafarers and
farmers.
Pomelo fruits serve as an
important source of income of the
people of Sulu.
Their dependence on pomelo
fruits for their livelihood inspired
them to create Sua-Ku-Tua
dance.
 Background:
During the performance, the couple
sing while flapping two white fans
which represent the leaves rusting
on the wind.
The performers, especially women,
dance with faces thickly covered
with finely ground rice powder.
Their eyebrows and sideburns are
enhanced with soot for aesthetic
purposes.
 Movements / Steps Particular to Dance

Creative imagery: Fans transform into tiny sails, face

mirrors, butterflies, shields, and leaves. Sua-Ku-Sua's
traditional steps are with Chinese influence.
 Dance Properties
Costume:
Female Male
Top : Barawasi Top : Bajo
Pants : Sawal or Kantiu Pants : Sawal or Kantiu
Shoulder band : Siyag Accessories : money-belt,
Headpiece : gold or brass filigree (tusuk), Sarok hat, Pis siyabit, Kris or
paper bills pasted on slender sticks, and barong
pasteboard cutouts in the front tip, similar to
chinese crowns covered with gold foil
Accessories : gold or imitation gold earrings,
necklace, bracelets, and brooches
 Dance Properties
Music:
: 2/4 and 4/4; composed of three parts - A, B, and C. Gabbang bamboo
xylophone are shaped-like a small boat. Bamboo slats are thinned and
cut to graduated sizes to produce three octaves of pentatonic scale

Count:
: one, two to a measure in 2/4 time signature; 1, 2 ,3, 4, to a measure in
4/4 time signature
Dance Title:

Pangalay
Dance Title: Pangalay
Dance Researcher :Francisca Reyes-Aquino
Meaning :Finger nail
Dance Culture :Muslim-lowland (Coastal)
Place of Origin :Sulu
Country of Influence :Thailad, Malaysia, Burma,
Cambodia, Indonesia
Ethno-linguistic Group :Tausug
Classification :Wedding / Festival dance
 Background:
Pangalay also known as Daling-
Daling or Menngalai in Sabah
Traditional "fingernail" dance of
Tausug people of the Sulu
Archipelago and Sabah.
Performed mainly during
weddings or other festive events.
 Background:
The male version of the Pangalay is
the Pangasik and features more
martial movements.
A Pangalay that features both a
male and female dancer is called
Pangiluk
 Dance Properties
Costume:
Dancer wears a typical Joloana costume

Accessories:
Experts and profesional dancers use janggay, extended material finger
nails in each finger. The rich people have janggay made of solid gold or
silver
 Dance Properties
Music:
Played as many times as neccessary

Count:
one, two; or one and two and to a measure
 Movements / Steps Particular to Dance

There are no definite directions, sequence of

figures, number and kind of steps, hand
movements, and positons used when performed
by the natives. For teaching purposes, the
figures of this dance may be created and
dancers may form their own combinations.
Dance Title:

Sakuting
Dance Title: Sakuting
Dance Researcher :Francisca Reyes-Aquino
:Refers to rhythmic sticks
Meaning producing the accompaniment
for the dance

Place of Origin :Abra and Ilocos Norte

Country of Influence :China

Classification :Social dance

 Background:
This is the dance of the
ethnic people living in the
western side of Cordillera
way back before the coming
of the Americans to our
country.
These dancing groups later
reached as far as the coastal
towns of Ilocos region as
years went by.
 Background:
The rhythmic sounds produced
by the stick attracted other
children and also adults and
they also learned the dance.
Sakuting is an ethnic term
which refers to the rhythmic
sticks producing the
accompaniment for the dance
Thank
you for
listening!