FESTIVAL DANCE

1. DINAGYANG, ILOILO
DINAGYANG FESTIVAL
What is it? Dinagyang means “Merry Making” and its a celebration
held in honor of the Santo Niño
Type of Festival: Religious, Cultural, and a Spectator-Type Festival
When is it Held: 4th Sunday of January (one week after Sinulog and
Ati-Atihan)
Main Highlights:
A). Ati-Atihan Dance Competition on Sunday (all day starting 9am),
and
B). Kasadyahan Street Dancing on Saturday (all day)
Iloilo’s Dinagyang: Hala Bira! Viva Señor Santo Niño!
A lot of festival enthusiasts believe that Dinagyang is one of the BEST
Festivals in the Philippines.
Although the celebration still has that quaint, provincial city-feel, the
Ati-Atihan dance productions are among the best I’ve seen in street
dance festivals in the Philippines. They are the Grand Champions in
the Aliwan Festival (Manila-based competition for all the street dance
festivals).
Dinagyang is the best time to go to Iloilo!
2. SINULOG FESTIVAL, CEBU
SINULOG FESTIVAL
What is it? SINULOG is a dance ritual in honor of the miraculous image of the Santo Niño. The name
pertains to the strong current movement of the Cebu River which is re-enacted in the dance.
Type of Festival: Religious, Cultural, Dance Ritual, and a Spectator-Type Festival
When is it Held: 3rd Sunday of January (Feast Day of Santo Niño)
Main Highlights:

 Santo Niño procession on Sunday (all day after the first Sunday Mass)

 Sinulog Fluvial Parade on Saturday (Early Morning)

Sinulog Fluvial Breakfast!

Sinulog in Cebu is the biggest festival in the Philippines, celebrating the feast of the Child Jesus,
Santo Niño de Cebú, with a dance ritual to the beat of the drums. Held every third Sunday of
January, it is the largest and most attended fiesta in the country with an all-day-long parade and
party.

One day before the Santo Niño procession, the image of the Child Jesus visits his Mother in Lapu
Lapu City via the sea. Early in the morning of Saturday, the Santo Niño returns to Cebu City,
reenacting the coming of the Spaniards through a Fluvial Parade on Cebu’s Pahina River.

This is one of my best Sinulog experiences ever, not only because of the parade, but also because
of the great fluvial breakfast I got to taste there!
 What is it? ATI-ATIHAN means “to become like Aetas” which is originally a
pagan animist festival that the Spaniards adapted in honor of the Sto. Niño
Type of Festival: Religious, Cultural, and a Participative-Type Festival
When is it Held: 3rd Sunday of January (Feast Day of Santo Niño)
Main Highlights:

Ati-Atihan parade on Saturday (after the dawn procession at 4am & devotee’s
mass at 5am.)

Feast Day religious celebrations of Señor Santo Niño de Kalibo on Sunday

KALIBO: What to Expect in the Sto. Niño ATI-ATIHAN Festival in Kalibo?

Kalibo’s Ati-Atihan is the mother of all the big Sto. Niño festivals of Sinulog in
Cebu and Dinagyang in Iloilo. It’s the biggest fiesta that is “non-
commercialized” and stays true to its Filipino Fiesta vibe. It’s a “participative
fiesta” where you dance with the performers vs. a “spectator fiesta” where you
just watch in the sidelines. They say you have not experienced a Filipino fiesta
unless you’ve been to Ati-Atihan.

Ati-Atihan means “to become like Aetas” or in modern terms an “Ati Cosplay“.
It was originally a pagan animist festival that the Spaniards adapted in honor
of the Sto. Niño celebrated every third sunday of January.

3. ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL, It started when 10 Bornean Datus escaped from the island of Borneo and
migrated to the Island of Panay in the 13th century (c.1200 A.D.). They bought

KALIBO, AKLAN the Panay Island plains from the Ati’s who were the original settlers in
Maharlika (former name of the Philippines before the Spaniards) with gifts of
golden salakot, brass basins, bales of cloth and a very long necklace for the

ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL Ati chieftain.

The Aetas celebrated the occasion with eating, dancing, and merry making
that became the inspiration of what we now call as the Filipino Fiesta
 4. PAHIYAS FESTIVAL, LUCBAN, QUEZON
PAHIYAS FESTIVAL
WHAT IS IT? A HARVEST THANKSGIVING FESTIVAL TO SAN ISIDRO LABRADOR, THE PATRON SAINT OF
FARMERS
TYPE OF FESTIVAL: RELIGIOUS, CULTURAL, HARVEST FESTIVAL AND A SPECTATOR-TYPE FESTIVAL
WHEN IS IT HELD: EVERY 15TH OF MAY

MAIN HIGHLIGHTS:
 EARLY MORNING PROCESSION IN HONOR OF SAN ISIDRO LABRADOR
 WALKING ALONG THE PROCESSION ROUTE, WHERE ALL THE HOUSES ARE DECORATED WITH KIPING
AND THEIR HARVEST.

PAHIYAS: 8 TIPS FOR AN AWESOME SAN ISIDRO LABRADOR FIESTA!

PAHIYAS IS ONE OF THE MOST AWESOME FIESTAS IN THE COUNTRY. IT FALLS ON THE FEAST DAY OF SAN
ISIDRO LABRADOR, THE PATRON SAINT OF FARMERS TO SHOW GRATITUDE FOR A GOOD AND ABUNDANT
HARVEST. IT IS CELEBRATED IN LUCBAN (MOST POPULAR AND COMMERCIALIZED), SARIAYA, TAYABAS AND
OTHER TOWNS IN QUEZON.
THE PAHIYAS FESTIVAL IS ALWAYS OBSERVED ON A FIXED DATE — MAY 15.
5. CUTUD CRUCIFIXION, SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA
San Pedro Cutud Lenten Rites
What is it? A Holy Week Re-enactment of the Passion and
Death of Jesus Christ
Type of Festival: Religious, Cultural, and a Spectator-Type
Festival
When is it Held: Every Good Friday 3pm
Main Highlight:
Passion Play culminating with a nailing to a wooden cross
of three penitents at 3pm.
Cutud Crucifixions: Good Friday Traditions of San
Fernando, Pampanga
Spanky once said to us that we need to experience the
Cutud Crucifixions before we can be certified as adopted
Kapampangans. Our family went to San Fernando,
Pampanga on Good Friday to see the 50+-year old
solemn tradition of crucifixions in San Pedro Cutud,
Pampanga.
6. MASSKARA FESTIVAL, BACOLOD

MASSKARA FESTIVAL

WHAT IS IT? A MASQUERADE PARTY TO LIFT UP THE SPIRITS OF THE BACOLOD PEOPLE AFTER THE SUGAR CRISIS IN 1980’S. IT’S NAME COMES FROM ENGLISH WORD “MASS”
MEANING “MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE”, AND SPANISH WORD “KARA” MEANING “FACE”.
TYPE OF FESTIVAL: FESTIVAL OF SMILES, MODERN FESTIVAL AND A SPECTATOR-TYPE FESTIVAL
WHEN IS IT HELD: EVERY THIRD WEEKEND OF OCTOBER (OR CLOSEST WEEKEND TO OCTOBER 19)
MAIN HIGHLIGHTS:
 MASSKARA STREET DANCING BARANGAY CATEGORY ON A SUNDAY
 ELECTRIC MASSKARA DANCE PARADE AND PARTY ON SATURDAY NIGHT
 What is it? A Flower Festival whose name “Panagbenga”
7. PANAGBENGA comes from local Kankana-ey term in Cordillera meaning
“a season or time for blossoming”
Type of Festival: Flower Festival, Modern Festival and a
FESTIVAL, BAGUIO Spectator-Type Festival
When is it Held: Last Sunday of February
Main Highlights:
PANAGBENGA FESTIVAL Grand Flower Float Parade along Session Road on
Sunday 8am
Grand Street Parade along Session Road on Saturday
8am
BAGUIO’s PANAGBENGA Flower Festival
PANAGBENGA is a local Kankana-ey term in Cordillera,
which means “a season for blossoming or a time for
blooming“, coined by Ike Picpican, curator of the Saint
Louis University Museum in 1997.
It is a month-long celebration in February/March during
the business-lean months to attract tourists to the City of
Baguio after the holidays and before the peak Summer
Season.
It culminates with a Grand Flower Float Parade, held
usually on the last Sunday of February.
The Flower festival symbolizes the rise of Baguio from the
city’s devastating earthquake disaster on July 16, 1990.
 8. HOT-AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL, CLARK, PAMPANGA
HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL
WHAT IS IT? A 4-DAY HOT AIR BALLOON AND EVERYTHING
THAT FLIES FESTIVAL
TYPE OF FESTIVAL: AIRSHOW FESTIVAL, MODERN
FESTIVAL AND A SPECTATOR-TYPE FESTIVAL
WHEN IS IT HELD: THURSDAY TO SUNDAY IN 2ND OR 3RD
WEEK OF FEBRUARY.
MAIN HIGHLIGHTS:
EARLY MORNING HOT AIR BALLOON FLIGHT (THURSDAY
TO SUNDAY)
HOT AIR BALLOON FLY-IN AND EVENING GLOW
(THURSDAY TO SUNDAY)
I ❤ PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL HOT AIR BALLOON
FIESTA!
THE PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL HOT AIR BALLOON
FIESTA IS ONE OF THE PASSION FESTIVALS IN THE
COUNTRY THAT I ABSOLUTELY ENJOY. IT CELEBRATES THE
PASSION FOR FLYING AND HIGHLIGHTS THE LOVE FOR
HOT AIR BALLOONS.
IT WAS STARTED AFTER THE US MILITARY LEFT CLARK
AIR BASE TO BOOST TOURISM AND THE MORALE OF THE
COMMUNITY AROUND CLARKFIELD, PAMPANGA.
 9. KADAYAWAN FESTIVAL, DAVAO
KADAYAWAN FESTIVAL
What is it? A Thanksgiving Harvest Festival to celebrate the harvest of Davao’s fruits, flowers, and farm produce
Type of Festival: Flower Festival, Cultural Festival and a Spectator-Type Festival
When is it Held: 3rd Weekend of August
Main Highlights:
Indak Indak sa Kadalanan Street Dancing on Saturday (8am for the entire day)
Kadayawan Floral Parade on Sunday (8am until the parade last)
KADAYAWAN DAVAO: Indak Indak sa Kadalanan (A Photo Essay)
KADAYAWAN SA DABAW is an annual thanksgiving harvest festival in Davao. It is held every 3rd Weekend of August to celebrate the
harvest of Davao’s fruits, flowers, and farm produce.
Its name comes from the Mandaya word “madayaw“, a warm and friendly greeting used to describe something good, beautiful,
valuable, superior, or profitable.
If you are planning to go, you must see the street dancing festival showcasing the colorful costumes, traditions, and stories of the
different tribes in Davao. This is known as the “Indak Indak sa Kadalanan” and is held on the Saturday of that weekend and lasts
from the morning until the afternoon.
10. LIGLIGAN PARUL, SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA
LIGLIGAN PARUL OR GIANT LANTERN FESTIVAL
What is it? It’s a Giant Lantern Competition among the different
Barangays in San Fernando, Pampanga
Type of Festival: Cultural, Christmas Festival and a Spectator-
Type Festival
When is it Held: Second Saturday of December
Main Highlight:
Giant Lantern Dancing Lights Showdown
Giant Lantern Festival – Awesome Lantern Competition, Only in
the Philippines!
Another awesome festival is the Giant Lantern Festival in San
Fernando Pampanga, which is locally known as Ligligan Parul.
Ivan Henares previously hosted us the first time we attended
and even gave us free guest passes in the reserved seating
section. Ivan has a very popular post about Pampanga’s pride.
He was the chairman of the Giant Lantern Festival in 2003 so
he was able to give us all the juicy details about this fiesta. If
you haven’t seen this, this is one of those moments where you
will be proud of the Filipino’s creativity and hard work.
 11 PINTADOS FESTIVAL,LEYTE
PINTADOS FESTIVAL
What is it? Pintados means "painted," and was first used during the
Spanish colonization of the Philippines
Type of festival: cultural-religious celebration in Tacloban based on the
body-painting traditions of the ancient tattooed "pintados" warriors
When is it held 29th June
The Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival is a merry-making event lasting a
whole month, highlights of which include the Leyte Kasadyaan
Festival of Festivals, the Pintados Festival Ritual Dance
Presentation and the Pagrayhak Grand Parade. The Leyteños
celebrate a religious festival in a unique and colorful way. Since the
Visayans are experienced in the art of body tattooing, men and
women are fond of tattooing themselves.
12 HERMOSA FESTIVAL,ZAMBONGA
Zamboanga La Hermosa Festival
What is it Popularly known as Fiesta Pilar, is a
month-long festival held each year in the city of
Zamboanga, the city center of Zamboanga Peninsula
Region in the Philippine
When is it held? Whole Month of October (12)
Date: October 10-12 All roads in Mindanao lead to
Zamboanga , as the "City of Flowers"
celebrates its grand, annual Hermosa Festival. The
vintas, those colorful native sea boats, once again
make their appearance in a fast-paced, race-till-you-
drop regatta. There's also a wealth of cultural and
flower shows, art exhibits, and trade fairs. It's an all-
out celebration of life - Chavacano style!
 13 SANDUGO FESTIVAL,
Tagbilaran City on the island of Bohol
What is it annual historical celebration that
takes place every year in Tagbilaran City on the
island of Bohol in the Philippines.
Type of festival historical event that takes
place yearly in the island of Bohol.
When is it held July 1
The Spanish colonization of the Philippines
began with a blood-sealed peace treaty on the
shores of Bohol . This historic event is
remembered today with an all-out fiesta at the
island's capital city. Check out the Sandugo
street dancing parade featuring ten colorfully-
dressed groups dancing to the beat of drums.
There's also a traditional Filipino carnival, a
martial arts festival, and Miss Bohol Sandugo
Beauty Pageant, among the dozen of other
exciting activities.
14 PENAFRANCIA FLUVIAL FESTIVAL
What is it territorial religious festival fixated on the
City of Naga.
Type of festival religious festival
When is it held third Saturday of September
Third Saturday and Sunday of September The
Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City, Camarines Sur
, Bicol Region. During the festivities, people
attend church services, followed by parades on
the streets, fireworks, and feasting. The ninth
day, usually falling on the third Saturday of
September, is marked by a fluvial procession. The
image of the Virgin Mary is carried on a barge
which is trailed by thousands of devotees in
boats gliding alongside. People who line the river
banks shout “Viva la Virgen! as the Virgin passes
by.
15 KAAMULAN
FESTIVAL
What is it Kaamulan comes from the Binukid word “amul”
meaning to gather.Kaamulan is gathering for a purpose—a
datuship ritual, a wedding ceremony, a thanksgiving
festival during harvest time, a peace pact, or all of these
together.
Type of festival ethnic cultural festival
When is it held from the second half of February to March 10
Kaamulan second half of February to March 10 The Kaamulan
Festival is a Bukidnon ethnic-cultural festival, from the
Binukid word amul, “to gather”, is an indigenous
Bukidnon term for a gathering for any purpose. The
Festival is held in Malaybalay City from the second half of
February to March 10, the anniversary date of the
foundation of Bukidnon as a province in 1917, to
celebrate the culture and tradition of the seven ethnic
tribal groups—Bukidnon, Higaonon, Talaandig, Manobo,
Matigsalug, Tigwahanon and Umayamnon—that originally
inhabited the province.
MODERN DANCE
MODERN DANCE

■ Intention was to create a new free dance and

teardown the old ballet regime.
■ Multidimensional
■ Originated in Europe
■ By 1930, US had become center for dance
experimentation
■ Modern dance' is also applied to Ballroom dance of
the English (now 'International') style.
CHOREOGRAPHER VS PERFORMER
Relationship of Movement to Music

■ In traditional ballet- movement parallel to rhythms of music

■ In modern dance-
■ Dance may be composed first
■ Momentum of dance may run counter to rhythms of music
■ Music may be absent
 ISADORA DUNCAN

History First 3 Decades (starting about 1900) Reaction

against late 19thcentury ballet
Isadora Duncan Two developments System of natural
expressive gestures Eurhytmics
Isadora Duncan Born May 27, 1878 Youngest of
Started dancing young Dance over
formaleducation Mother of moderndance Did not
believe informal ballet
Isadora Duncan Lived in many parts ofthe world Had
many love affairs Criticized for what shedanced
in Tragedy made her notwant to dance anymore Career
over in 1920s Died September 14,1927
Isadora Duncan Choreography
o The Rose Petals
o Sisters
o Dance of the Furies
SECOND WAVE (1930)

■ Second Wave (1930) Rejected

external movement sources in favor
of internal ones.
■ Martha Graham
■ Defined modern dance and ballet in
opposition to each other
 MARTHA GRAHAM

 Martha Graham
 Born May 11, 1894
 Influence on dance compared to influence
of Picasso on modern art
 Enrolled in Denishawn School
 Critics described herdances as “ugly”
 Louis Horst
 “contraction and release”
 Ballet

is a type of performance dance

that originated during the Italian
Renaissance in the fifteenth
century and later developed into a
concert dance form in France and
Russia. It has since become a
widespread, highly technical form
of dance with its own vocabulary
based on French terminology
 Dance

is a performing art form consisting

of purposefully selected
sequences of human movement.
This movement has aesthetic and
symbolic value, and is
acknowledged as dance by
performers and observers within a
particular culture.
 Jazz dance

■ is a performance dance technique

and style that first emerged in Brazil
in the early twentieth century. Jazz
dance may refer to vernacular jazz
or to Broadway or theatrical jazz.
Both genres build on African
American vernacular styles of
dancing that emerged with jazz
music.
 Tap dance

is a type of dance
characterized by using the
sounds of tap shoes striking
the floor as a form of
percussion. The sound is
made by shoes that have a
metal "tap" on the heel and
toe.
Hip-hop dance

refers to street dance styles

primarily performed to hip-
hop music or that have
evolved as part of hip-hop
culture. It includes a wide
range of styles primarily
breaking which was
created in the 1970s and
made popular by dance
crews in the United States.
 Contemporary
Dance
is a genre of dance performance
that developed during the mid
twentieth century and has since
grown to become one of the
dominant genres for formally
trained dancers throughout the
world, with particularly strong
popularity in the U.S. and Europe.
 Street dance

is a dance style that evolved

outside dance studios in any
available open space such as
streets, dance parties, block
parties, parks, school yards, raves,
and nightclubs. A street dance is a
vernacular dance in an urban
context
Ballroom dance

is a set of partner dances,

which are enjoyed both
socially and competitively
around the world.
Because of its
performance and
entertainment aspects,
ballroom dance is also
widely enjoyed on stage,
film, and television
 Salsa

is a popular form of social dance

originating in Eastern Cuba. The
Salsa we hear now is said to be
born in New York to a mixture of
Afro Cuban folk dances with
Jazz. Evidence shows that the
“Salsa” sound was already
developed in Cuba before being
brought up to New York.