PANTOMINA

A BICOLANO FOLK DANCE

GROUP 2
 Instruction
Pantomina was originally a wedding
dance from the Bicol provinces.

It is also very popular in the northern part

of Samar especially in towns of Allen
and Capul - both directly facing
Bicolandia.
This dance is traditionally performed during wedding
festivities by the couple and their visitors.

In fact no social gathering in the Bicol Region is

complete without the Pantomina.
 The dance is still very
popular in the Bicol
Region even up to this
time.
 In fact the dance is synonymous with
the Bicol Express, Mayon Volcano and
the Bicolandia!
 Sometimes a plate is placed
on the floor so that the guests
may place money in it.

During a wedding feast, it is

customary for the newly weds
to perform the dance first and
while they dance, their
relatives and guests throw
coins at them.
 ✘ The dance is performed several times,
by the newly weds and their guests.
✘ Dancers may improvise their steps when
performing the Pantomina.
✘ The dance was among the first folk
dances to have its dance steps notated.
The pantomina was featured in
Francisca Reyes Aquino's first-ever
folk dance book, Philippine Folk
Dances and Games, published in
February 1926.

The dance, according to Aquino,

was also called Salampati during
the Spanish Period.
 REGION V BICOL

our office

The version described here is from the

province of Albay.
 Etymology
Pantomina is Spanish for
"pantomime" because of its
courting/wooing movements Its old
name Salampati means “doves”, hence
the dance is sometimes referred to as the
“dance of the doves"
 Dance Properties

Dance Culture - Lowland Christian

Place of Origin – Albay
Ethnolinguistic Group - Bikol
Classificationion - Social/ Nuptial
 Mood - Jovial

Stance - Erect

Performers - B and G pair ; or

several pairs
Music - provided by the
Rondalla

Time Signature - 2/4 and

3/4
 Costume
✘ Couple in traje de boda (wedding costume) if
portraying a wedding feast.

✘ For the guests, any festive Bikolano costume like:

Kimona / camisa and patadyong/saya or baro't
saya for the lady and barong and dark pants for
the man.

✘ Sandals for footwear

 Basic Steps
✘ Paso (leisurely walk)
✘ -GIRL executes this with the L hand on the waist
while the R holds and sways the skirt
✘ -BOY swings his arms freely at the sides
✘ Change Steps
✘ Engano with a waltz
✘ Native waltz
✘ Waltz turn
✘ Step Swing
 Arms
✘ Lateral position
✘ Forearm turns
✘ Arms swinging at sides
✘ First to Fourth Position (used with the engano)
 Figures
Intro Music

B and G meet at the center, B holds the G with his R hand

in abrasete position; both move forward to position
themselves on the dance floor

They face each other, release hold and individually make a

three-step turn and execute curtsy to each other
 Figure 1 Music A
✘ G faces audience; B faces away
4M - 4Paso and change steps R and L
moving fwd
✘ 4M - repeat moving bwd; right about face
✘ 8M- repeat
 ✘ Face each other
✘ 4M - repeat moving to partner's place passing
R to R; turn R about
✘ 4M-repeat moving bwd/away from each
other
✘ 8M- repeat to return to places
✘ 4M - repeat while turning CW;
✘ 4M - 1 repeat while turning CCW
 Figure 2 Music B
✘ Pause (2M)- three step turn R
✘ The next step is done with partners facing each
other, moving CCW
✘ 12M - 6 engano steps R and L alternately
✘ 2M - Waltz R and L; arms in lateral position
✘ 2M- Waltz turn R; forearm turns
✘ This done while moving CW
✘ 16M – repeat starting with L
 Figure 3 Music C
✘ Abrasete position
✘ 8M - step swing R and L alternately
✘ 6M - v waltz R and L alternately, G moves
CCW while B acts as pivot, also turning
CCW
✘ 2M- release hold, individually execute
waltz turn R
✘ 8M - R to R hand hold, execute step
swing R and L alternately
✘ 6M- release hold; waltz R and L
alternately moving CW;
✘ 2M - waltz turn R
 Figure 4 Music D

✘ Repeat Figure 2

✘ (modification: G faces audience /B faces

away for the first 16M; G faces away/B
faces audience for the second 16M)
 Figure 5 Music C
✘ Chasing
✘ 14M- Waltz R and L alternately, G moving
ahead of B while tracing a large circle CW;
forearm turns
✘ 2M- waltz turn R
✘ 16M - Rep*epsilon but this time with B
ahead of G
Figure 6 Music E

✘ Facing each other

✘ 4M - Engano R and L
✘ 4M- Waltz R and L alternately
✘ 8M - r repeat
✘ 6M - Waltz R and L moving to partner's
place passing R to R; forearm turns
✘ 2M - waltz turn R
✘ 6M - Re returning to places
✘ 2M- meet at center with several steps; B
extends his R hand to hold the L of G; at the
same time G turns L under joined hand;
curtsy to audience
 Source
Philippine Folk Dances
Volume 1
By: Francisca Reyes Aquino
(pp 85 – 90)
MEMBERS