Philippine dance
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95 FORMS
ritual ends when the ritual leader whips the possessed performers with his pis (black handkerchief) to revive them. Early the next morning, another prayer is re- cited by the ritual leader before a miniature lepa fes- tooned with miniature flags and laden with food offer- ings is set to sail. It is believed that the well-provided spirit will be appeased during its long voyage. The magjuwata from Tabawan, South Ubian, Tawi-tawi, is a Samal ritual dance to drive away spirits that cause illness. All performers are female except the ritual leader. Toward the end of the ritual, the leader whips the patient in the belief that it is the jinn or spirit who receives the blows. Another version from Banar- an, Tawi-tawi, is performed on a Friday evening when the moon is full, either to foretell the future, drive away busung (ill luck), or invoke the help of spirits in recovering stolen property. Magpugot from the Samal of Musu, Siasi, Sulu, is a dance ritual to drive away evil spirits. The ritual performers gather around the patient lying before a ritual accessory made of woven nipa ribs wrapped in yellow doth with multicolored flags attached to the four comers. The ritual leader's pis and ritual cos- tumes are hung on a stick tied across the woven ritual accessory. After changing prayers and performing other preliminaries, the ritual leader dances about, impersonating several spirits, complete with rapid cos- tume changes imitated by all ritual performers. After the patient's affliction is identified, more frenzied dancing ensues. The ritual leader, now seemingly in a trance, hits the patient with his pis to drive away evil spirits. Dancing slows down when the patient kisses the hand of the ritual leader. The magsalba is a Samal dance ritual from Buliku- lul, Siasi, Sulu. One of the six all-male performers officiates as a "medium," remaining seated before an incense burner while the others dance around him. Later, he rises, dances in a circle several times each way, followed by the other performers. The ritual ends when the ·incense smoke peters out. The igal buwani is a Samal-Tausug dance per- formed by torch-bearing male dancers who humorously depict the hazards of honey gathering. The tawti, origin- ally from Tawi-tawi, humorously portrays the difficul- ties of catching tawti (catfish). In one version, the fisher poisons the water and scoops up the dazed tawti with his bare hands; his big toe is pricked, he thrashes about in pain, paddles for shore, and skips and jumps home. In another version, fishermen try to put the wriggling fish in a basket, get pricked in the big toe, and make their escape in a canoe. • L.F. Amilbangsa Reference: Arnilbangsa 1983. 96 PANTOMINA The pantomina, a wedding dance popular in Bicol, is also known as sinalampati. Ordinarily, the pantomina is danced in patadyong and barong tagalog. The dancers may improvise, or follow fundamental movements to 2/4 and 3/4 signatures. The pantomina may also be performed on other social occasions. As in another famous wedding dance, the Cagayan mascota, the dancing bridal pair is showered with coins, or plates are set on the floor to collect gifts from friends and relatives. The bashful pair is prodded with wine. In Albay, the dance consists of changing places, circling together, or dancing side by side with engafto steps, with a waltz, waltz steps, step swings, sway balance, change steps, and walking about, as in most social dances. The male may try more difficult steps, such as the es punti (pivoting on toes and heel) and tortiller (shuffling steps). The dance has variations, such as the pantomina de Sorsogon and the pantomina de camarines norte; in the Visayas there is the pantomina de samar in Allen, Capul, and Lavazares. The Samar version is danced only to 2/4 time, which may be set by clapping or tapping the guitar. It is danced at weddings and mimics the proceedings of courtship. The girl uses a handkerchief to flirt. Some of its steps are similar to those of the Bicol version, and it uses three-step turns, mazurka, kuradang, and other steps as well. • B.E.S. Villaruz References: Miel 1979; Reyes-Aquino 1953; Reyes-Tolentino 1927. PASEO
The paseo is a dance in 2/4 or 3/4 time that simu- lates promenading. In the Visayas, it is also a dance with 3/4 step, with two steps forwards and a hop. From the Spanish "pasear'' (to take a walk), it is per- formed as an introduction to Spanish dances. The Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company derived its paseo de iloilo from two lively dances: the andaluz de negros and the andaluz de iloilo. The paseo de bicol from Bongoran, Oas, Albay, is a promenade for teen- age sweethearts around the chapel during a festivity called aurora. The festival includes singing hymns for a good harvest and to avoid misfortunes. Danced in 3/4 time, paseo de bicol dancers wear the camisa (chemise) and patadyong for the woman, and the camisa or barong tagalog for the man. • R.G. Alejandro PANTOMINA. A couple from Canaman, Camarlnes Sur shows a figure ollhe wedding dance called pantomina. 1938. (Fronci5CO Reyes-Aqu/no Collection) PASO DOBLE The paso doble is a dance that is also called the Spanish one-step in 2/4 time; it is danced with a single step to a beat, and with a lot of spontaneity and free movements; the male leads the female moving forward and backward, turning together or singly in a circle using a variety of hand movements and holds. It be- came a very popular and stylish ballroom dance in the Philippines, and is at present being revived in dancing clubs and social gatherings. The paso doble accompa- nies the quick entrances and exits of princes and prin- cess in the traditional komedya, a verse play usually set in European kingdoms; and the hudyo Gew) in the traditional sinakulo, the verse play on the life and suf- ferings of Jesus Christ. Usually played by a band or an orchestra, the paso doble may use old or current melo- dies, such as "Bridge on the River Kwai" and "Roll out the Barrel." Originating from Spain, this dance is a regular part of the social dance repertoire in Spanish-speaking countries, and in Europe since 1918. Paso doble simu- POLKA lates the atmosphere of the corrida (bullfighting), with the woman as the cape and the man as the toreador taunting the bull. The body is distinctly upright with a taut haughtiness of bearing; the steps taken are short, the feet always directly beneath the body. • R.G. Alejandro and N.G. Tiongson References: Buckman 1978; Butler 1975; Sheafe 193? P ATEADO I ZAP ATEADO The pateado or zapateado, from Spanish "zapa- tear," to tap with the feet, is a dance freely adapted from the Spanish flamenco that consists mostly of heel-work or zapateado. In the Philippines, it is danced in 3/4 time, with running steps but no foot stamping. The dancers wear the balintawak for the woman, and the camisa or barong tagalog for the man. Originally, it was a lively Spanish dance accompa- nied by castanets in 6/8 time, whose chief characteristic is the tapping of heels upon the floor. The pateado from Balimbing, Marinduque, however, is gay, sprightly, and unusual, combining many characteris- tics of the pandanggo with acrobatic movements and a little foot tapping. Indigenous folkloric contributions include walking on the hands by the male dancers while dragging the feet or lifting the head while arching the back. • R.G. Alejandro References: Meril 1948; Reyes Aquino 1976. POLKA The polka is a folk dance in 2/4 time from Bohemia adapted as a ballroom dance in Europe and later in the Philippines. The Philippine polka step is performed as a step on count "one," a close on count "and," and a step on count "two and." A hop polka is a skip on the upbeat, followed by a polka. A slide polka is danced with two alternating slide steps, followed by a polka. A heel-and-toe polka places the heel in fourth position in front and points the toes of the same foot in fourth at the rear, followed by a polka. Originally a complex 10-figure song dance, the polka has been described by some as lively, rollicking, giddy, whirling. Traditionally, the polka is performed with a hop followed by a step, close, step. In some parts of Germany, Switzerland, and Czechoslovakia, it is performed as a jump. The polka may be danced either with cool restraint or with much boisterous abandon. 97 FORMS
Legend has it that in Eastern Bohemia, and in a spur of creativity, Anna Chadimova composed both the music and steps, and brought them to Prague, where the dance was named the polka. Some believe that the Bohe- mian dance was an expression of sympathy for the Polish revolution of 1831 and that polka may mean "Polish girl." Others contend that the name comes from pulka, or a half step that aptly describes the small and fast step pattern of the dance. The polka was a combination of the fleuret, pas de bourree, and the schottische step, which was earlier danced as the eccosaise (Sachs 1937:438-439). The polka's true birthplace, however, may have been a fashionable Parisian ballroom, with Cellarius, Laborde, Coralli, and Petipa as its leading exponents. The polka craze that swept Europe, Britain, and the United States did not, however, last very long. It faded from the ballroom scene but remained a vital, much varied constituent of folk dances, including those of the Philippines. There are a number of documented polkas in the Philippines. The malaket-a-polka (happy polka) honors the much revered Santo Nino, the patron saint of Estan- za, Pangasinan. The polka antigo is performed by two officials during social gatherings. The polka from Quezon, with its many local variations, displays interest- ing floor patterns, including a figure where the female dancers coyly lift their skirts to show their finely embroi- dered petticoats. The well-loved polkabal, also from Quezon, is a dancer's polka, requiring a high degree of skill. It is a hybrid dance which combines steps of the polka and the balse or waltz, hence the same. The polka ilocana from Ilocos Norte was created in 1945 as a livelier alternative to the kuratsa or the pandanggo. It is danced to "Pamulinawen," a typical las, and whirl-turns. The polka italiana closely resem- bles the espanola, but uses chasing, changing, and cross-turn steps. The polka ilocana from Ilocos Norte was created in 1945 as a livelier alternative to the kuratsa or the pandanggo. It is danced to "Pamulinawen", a typical Ilocano melody. The polka iwas is a festival dance from Olongapo, Zambales that includes figures similar to the American square dance, and was first performed for the Admiral's Ball. The polka sa nayon is an old ballroom dance from Batangas; short and easy, it dis- plays varying figures. The polka sala is a concise four- figure ballroom dance from Calapan, Mindoro. Polka sala from Leyte is a two-figure dance that may include singing. Finally, the polka tagala is a prominent ball- room dance in the Tagalog regions. • C.G. hugo References: Reyes-Aquino 1953-1975; Reyes-Tolentino 1927; Richardson 1960; Sachs 1937; Spiesman 1970. 98 POLYNESIAN AND TAHITIAN DANCES Polynesian and Tahitian dances originated from the Polynesian chain, which is composed of seven major island groups scattered throughout the South Pacific Ocean: Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, Samoa, Rarotonga, Fiji, and the Marquesas. The hula is known as the unwritten literature of Hawaii. In ancient times, before there was a system of writing in Hawaii, traditions and history were handed down from generation to generation through chants and dances. Being a religious service, the hula inte- grates poetry, music, pantomime and dance to form a dramatic art. It is a celebration of those mythical times when gods and goddesses moved on the earth. The hula today may be divided into two types: the ancient, traditional, classic hula, and the modern and hapa-haole hula. The first type is done either to Hawaiian-language chants or songs with historical themes, telling of their kings and queens, the battles they fought, or the beauty of the land. The dances are done with implements made of stone or ili-ili, split bamboo or pu-i-lis, feathered gourds or uli-uli, and desiccated fruit or ipu. The movements are strong, energetic, and involve the whole body, rather than just the hips. Men used to perform the hula until warfare took up most of their time; then women kept the tradition alive. The modern hulas are more common, often done to romantic music with English lyrics, and are about love or the beauty of Hawaii. Although the hip move- ment is now slightly more emphasized, the overall movements are more controlled and graceful-a result of the missionaries' zeal against what they considered immoral and indecent. Hula dancers wear sarong, holoku, holomu, kikepa, and mumu. Grass skirts are Tahitian in origin; in Hawaii, they hang from the waist to the knees. There are two types of Tahitian hulas: the apa- rimas and the oteas. The oteas are the more familiar dances. They are ceremonial, performed to the accom- paniment of various percussion instruments, with complicated rhythmic patterns. Tahitian dances are freer than Hawaiian, with the motion beginning at the hips and ending at the knees. Dancers usually carry iis, flowers or leaves, while they do the otea. The aparima hulas are done to music and words that tell of nature or Tahitian history. The dances may be done standing or with the dancers sitting in a circle, using their hands to interpret the story, much as the Hawaiians and Samoans do. The most famous costume is the bora-bora, a grass skirt that goes down to the ankles and is decorated at the hips. Dancers wear elaborate headdresses made of flowers, leaves, or shells. For aparima hulas, they use pareus or lava-lava, strips of flowered material tied around the hips. The Maori of New Zealand have two types of dances: action songs and haka. The action song is not a series of drill movements, but a rhythmic expression of moods and emotions, with different actions and words, and is used in the numerous tribal areas. The haka is more energetic and rigorous. Although the grimaces of the haka dancer, his painted face, and sticking out of the tongue may seem aggressive in some cultures, to the Maori these signify friendship and welcome. Dancers wear skirts called piu-piu. Before the 1950s, Filipinos had little knowledge of Polynesian dancing beyond the mistaken notion that Hawaiian was simply a titillating dance to entertain sailors, and Tahitian mere shaking and shivering of grass skirts. In the late 1950s touring Filipino dance troupes brought back the authentic movements. Hula aficionados started hl,lla classes, and a fad. Among the pioneer teachers were Lucy Gonzales, Naty Bas, Chiqui Ocampo, Nenuca Ros, Carmen Garcia, and Carmen Gonzales. In 1972, The Polynesian Dance Company, trained and directed by Ocampo, performed at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, introducing traditional and RIGODON classic hulas of Hawaii, aparima, and Maori dances. In 1980, the company, now renamed Pacifica Cultural Dance Company, introduced dances from Samoa, Fiji, and Rarotonga. Other dance groups that have promoted Polynesian dance are the Maile Dance Company, the Aldeguer Sisters, Tiare Dance Troupe, and the Polynesian Cultural Dance Company, Philippines. • C. Ocampo RIGODON DE HONOR The rigodon de honor is a formal square dance that follows the strict figures and formations of a quad- rille or a square dance as established for the ballroom and grand occasions. A 19th-century record describes the pas de rigaudon or rigaudon step: a step on the right foot; a throw of the left foot sideways followed by a hop on the right and finishing in first position; a swing of the right leg forward and backward; then a spring of the left foot into fifth position. In Provence, the legs thrust forward and cross. The most important guests called cabeceras occupy the width of the room, while the other guests called costados occupy its length. Historical notes on the rigidon, known as the rigaudon in Europe, acknowledge Rigaud, a French dance master from Marseille during the reign of Louis XIII (1601-1643), as the source of the immensely popular RIGODON. The first anniversary of Francisco Reves- Aquino's UP Folk and Song Dance Club In 1937 featured Its members In a rigodon de honor. (Franc/sea Reyes- Aqu/no Collection) 99
FORMS RITUAL DANCE. lfugao school children are shown dancing the dinnuwa, a thanksgiving ritual lor a good harvest. Ca 1960. (Franc/sea lleyes-Aqulno Collection) dance. The dance must have been introduced to the Philip- pines by the Spanish colonizers, French and other Euro- pean visitors, or Filipinos returning from Europe. Its origin is disputed. Curt Sachs believes that the rigaudon must be related to the Italian rigondone and rigoletto or circle dance. He adds that in Languedoc, the rigaudon is the collective name for the dances of southern France and used interchangeably for rigaudon, bourree, and montagnarde. John Mattheson states in his Der Vollkommene Cappelmeister, 1939, that the name came from riga or river in Italian. It is believed that Provence, a city close to the Mediterranean, was the conduit to the rest of France. Others, like Sachs, believe it is of peasant origin from Languedoc or Provence. The Philippine version is an exceptional dance in purpose, style, costuming, and figures. Traditionally, it opens prestigious state, national, provincial, com- munity, and exclusive functions, with participation ordained only for a privileged few. It is one of the rare dances that prescribes the use of a terno, the women's national dress. Every participant wears the most fashionable terno or the most intricately hand- embroidered barong tagalog, the men's national shirt. The dance begins with the announcement of en- tering couples. In the abrasete position, the dancers promenade around the ballroom and finish in their designated places. The anuncio that opens the dance is impressive. The cabeceras and costados alternately 100
meet at the center in ordered lines, bow elegantly, and return to their places. Etiquette is rigidly observed through refined bows that precede each figure and whenever opposites meet halfway across the hall. Re- strained smiles from the women and a dignified mien for the men are expected. The entire dance is a continuous crisscrossing either with one's partner or that of the opposite pair. Women are fetched by men in different floor patterns and various maneuvers, ending with varied hand posi- tions. The arms are rhythmically and gracefully swung by the side of the body, or are nobly held chest high when holding the hand of and looking at a partner. They may also be gently swung from right to left. While travelling across the floor, the dancers elegantly strut with small steps that barely leave the floor. The footwork and arms are in cadence to a lilting martial 414 time. The different figures of the dance are the anuncio, ladies meet, zeta (z-figure), casamiento (wed- ding), hatid (escort) or visita (visit), cambio pareja (change partners), cadena (chain), and cadenilla (small chain). The cadena is played to the music of "Zam- boanga," a catchy melody in 2/4 time. This figure gives everyone a chance to be seen closely by spectators in different parts of the ballroom. The rigodon is never impromptu as the forma- tions, sequences, arm movements, alignments, style, and precision must be meticulously rehearsed. There are documented Philippine rigodon. The rigodon surtido from Negros Occidental is danced out, unlike the rigodon de honor where the dancers merely promenade. The different figures include the waltz, haplik, change steps, and cadena. Rigodon surtido I is another version from the Visayas whose figures include the crossover, haplik, star, and cadena. A distinctive feature is the clapping and swaying to music while dan- cers await their turn. Rigodon surtido II from Antique is attributed to Anita de Martin who hailed from Negros and became a Jaro fiesta beauty queen. The dance fea- tures close steps, waltzes while doing the cross-over, leg swings, pointing, haplik, and change steps. A distinctive feature is the fluttering of the fingers while dancing one of the figures. • C.G. hugo References: Fajardo 1964; Horst 1937, 1972; Reyes-Aquino 1960; Sachs 1937. RITUAL DANCING Ritual dancing is dancing directed by a shaman and the supplicants to spiritual beings and gods, to ask for blessings for the newly born, the newly baptized, the newlywed, and the dead; to pray for good health, a bountiful harvest, and victory in war; and to thank the gods for blessings received or favors granted. The gods and divinities are as varied as the rituals. A deity called anita is honored by certain animist groups with drinking, dancing, and singing. The term diwata, a goddess and environmental or ancestral spir- it, may have come from the Hindi-Sanskrit devata, a goddess or good spirit. The polytheist Ifugao have countless deities, some of whom are the following: bagales or deities; Kabunyan, the Supreme Being; and Manilonda, their ancestors. Other groups have their own set of numerous divinities, for each of whom they perform different rites. Leading the ritual activities is the shaman, who is known in different groups as babaylan or baylan, balyan, catalonan, katalman, walian, marayawan, manibunong, mambunong, mumbuni, mumbaki, mandadawak, manalisig, pari, albularyo, erbularyo, maningbulong, manugtambal, manggagamot, imam. Male or female, the shaman acts as medium between the people and the spirits, going into a trance as the spirits being supplicated take possession of them in order to partake of the ritual offerings. The ritual is known by various names pag-ampo (Visayan); anituan (Aeta); anito baylan (Mandaya); diwata, pagdiwata, inim, karatong (Tagbanua); mang- anito (Tagalog); marayaw (Mangyan); and palinawa, dawak (Kalinga). RITUAL DANCE The dances in the rituals are usually performed prin- cipally by the shaman who goes into a trance. Some- times the people themselves dance as part of the ritual. The Ifugao have the following rituals with dances: the dinnuyya, a festival to thank the gods for a good harvest; the bumajah, a medium-sized ritual of thanks- giving with much dancing; the uyaoy/uyaoya is big- ger than the bumajah, a dance to ask the gods for good fortune, a bountiful harvest, and to bless a wed- ding. There is also much food, dancing, music, and singing of the Hudhud at night. The uyaoy for wealthy people may use gongs. Bunilbaki is a rice festival, with prayer, animal sacrifice, and vigorous dancing. It is for illness, thanksgiving, and well-being, and is led by mumbaki priests. The Kalinga palinawa is a dance of the mandada- wak priestess who uses a china bowl to catch floating hair in the air, after someone has died tragically, whose strands she then puts on the heads of the be- reaved. Another death ritual practiced by the Kalinga is the bikbik-sagsag, a ritual performed only by women and the mandadawak with burning branches to drive the spirit of the dead into the world beyond. Other Kalinga rituals are the dawak, sis-siwa and sapoy. The dalidog bids farewell to dead warriors. The Kalinga gabook is a ritual dance performed to welcome a newborn baby, especially a boy. The ritual of supplication among the Itneg is the daing. One of several Tinguian daing rites performed by several men and led by a mandadawak, asks for rain. A pig is carried around a dry field, its ears occa- sionally touched with burning straws; its cry is be- lieved to reach the gods. The pig is later sacrificed. Prayers supplicated are celebrated in the palook, a thanksgiving dance for a good harvest. The Benguet tayaw is a sacrificial rite where a mambunong or priestess of Kabunyan lead people in offering pigs to the gods. In the Aeta amba, men circle the sick, shout, run, walk, and threaten malevolent spirits so they will leave; in the anituan, another Aeta healing ritual, several sha- mans encourage and later threaten the spirits so they will leave the patient, who is covered with a red cloth. Practiced among the southern communities are the following rituals: the Bukidnon dugso is a dance per- formed at harvest time, upon the birth of a male heir, or in supplication. The inahaw is a dance offering by females moving around a sacred fire. An example of a work-a-day ritual is the Bukidnon tadag where a babaylan requests permission from nature spirits to clear the woods. The Bagobo gin-um human sacrifice to satisfy the god of life and death and other deities, is also per- formed for thanksgiving when the rice granaries are Download 1.09 Mb. Share with your friends:
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