Philippine dance

zontal bar of a letter Z in their places, going across the floor and forming the upper bar in their partners' places. The star formation is .achieved when four or more per- sons who join hands at the center proceed to dance the prescribed steps in this formation, as in the pasakat a dance traced to the French ballroom quadrille, and the rogelia, a La Union courtship dance featuring alternate singing between male and female participants. The arch formation is accomplished by joining right or left, outside or inside, or both hands with one's part- ner or opposite. This may occur in the file or set forma- tions as exemplified by the engaitosa, a Spanish- influenced dance from Catubig, Samar, and the mala- guefta, a festival dance traceable to Malaga, Spain. Cast-out and cast-in floor patterns are seen in the second figure of the polkabal, a lovely festival dance from Quezon that combines the polka and waltz. Follow-the-leader floor patterns are seen in the en- trance sequence of the maglalatik, a combative dance portraying a fight between Christians and Muslims over latik, the residue of coconut milk. The scattered formation, seemingly informal and random, is an alternation for set places where lines, columns, and diagonals are observed. A majority of the early ballroom dances are performed in this free- wheeling, informal formation.

The Gestures. Like the steps, folk dance gestures reveal the characteristics and creativity of a people. Gestures are even more subtly emotional and personal than the more easily standardized steps. Gestures show the refinements of the dancers knowledge and skill. Modes of body expression articulate the identity and distinction of Philippine folk dances and impart to them essential meanings, styles, and qualities. In Christian regions, dance gestures are confined mostly to the positions of the arms and hands, with the torso carried in its natural state. The arm and hand movements become natural and graceful extensions or culminations of a step. The fingers are held in their natural distance from one another, with the thumb and middle finger held close or with the forefinger held slightly higher than the others. The wrist is car- ried in a natural manner. The dance gestures of the Christian areas have already been codified. Of Spanish legacy, the arm posi- tion called abrasete is used in quadrilles. It denotes a spirit of camaraderie, subtly reveals the accepted posi- tions of man and woman in society, or expresses plea- sure at dancing together. It is performed with the man standing at the left side of the woman with their elbows linked, or with the woman holding the inside upper right arm of the man with her left hand. In either case,

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the free arms of the partners fall naturally by the side of the body. The gesture of arms in lateral position is found in a majority of Philippine folk dances. This fundamental movement swings the arms evenly side to side of the body, parallel to the floor, level with the hip, waist or chest. The head may look towards the direction of the arms. Usually repeated from right to left or vice versa, the movement is done to one measure of a 2/4 or 3/4 time signature. The gesture of arms in reverse T is integral to the dances of the Ilocos, Cagayan, Pangasinan, Bicol, and Bisayan regions. This motion has the arms held lower than an overhead position (fifth position) in an assertion of modesty, as women consider it immodest to reveal the armpit. The arms in reverse T have the upper arms lower than shoulder level. The elbows are bent at a right angle, with the wrists slightly flexed toward the body, allowing the palms to face the head. The middle fingers are in line with the upper end of the ear. The forearm turns are alternate right and left circles, shaped by the alternate bending and extending of the right and left elbows. The dancer bends the right elbow to circle the lower arm inward in front of the right chest, with the hands passing in line with the lower face. The dancer then simultaneously brings the left arm in its entire length in front of the left thigh (count 1), continues the right arm circle to extend the right arm to the right side ch.est-high, with the palm up, as the left elbow bends, to circle the left arm inward in front of the left chest (counts 2,3). The dancer ·then turns the right palm down and lowers it to pass''in front of the right thigh, as the left arm extends to the left of the body. The left arm circle continues to extend the left arm to the left side (counts 4,5,6). It takes two measures of a 3/4 time signature to execute a right and left forearm turn. The hapay is an invitation to an impromptu dance, acknowledged by accepting a hat, handker- chief, flower·or wine glass offered by a dancer. The hayon-hayon is a graceful Bisayan arm move- ment which allows rapport with one's partner or audi- ence. The head and body twist slightly toward the arm that is placed behind the waist, while the other arm is placed in front of the waist, with the palms of both hands facing the body. The slight twist allows the dancer to look at the partner or audience. It takes one measure of either a 214 or 3/4 time signature to perform a hayon-hayon. The gesture of hands on waist delineates and calls attention to the masculinity of the male dancer. In the Spanish-influenced dances, the hands, held in loose fists, are placed on the small of the back. In the dances of the Christian regions, the back of the palm, held in a loose fist, is placed at the side of the waist.

The gesture of hands on the skirt has the female touching or holding the right and left sides of her skirt with her thumb and forefinger. The skirt falls naturally and is not lifted or held wide open. Different move- ments can specify coyness, flirtation, modesty, anger, and other emotions. The kumintang is a graceful end-flourish to many arm movements. In one continuous even movement, the dancer gently flexes the wrist to hold the palm parallel to the floor. The movement is continued to circle the wrist completely in a clockwise or counter- clockwise direction in one measure of 2/4 or 3/4 time- signature. The Ilocano kumintang is performed with the fingers held in a loose fist with the tips of the thumb and second finger touching each other, reputed to signify the thriftiness of the Ilocano. The kewet is a hand gesture performed in the dances of Pangasinan and Cagayan. The hands are held loosely in a fist with a thumb held separately from the other fingers. In one smooth, continuous move- ment, the wrist is flexed to keep the fingers parallel to the floor. The wrist is turned outward to finish flexed slightly upward. It takes one measure of a 2/4 or 3/4 time-signature to perform the kewet. The palpatic is a Pangasinan gesture, done by holding both arms diagonally downward at one side of the body with each hand held in a loose fist. The arms are raised diagonally upward flexing the wrist upward and downward as the arms pass through the hip, waist, and shoulder level to overhead, in two mea- sures of the 2/4 time signature. The patay literally means "dead" and refers to a slow Ilocano gesture which is interpreted by some as symbolizing hardship under Spanish colonial oppres- sion. The elbows are bent to overlap the forearms, which are held slightly lower than shoulder level, or by placing the fingers of one hand with the palm down on the fingers of the other hand with the palm up. The torso is bent to place the center or the side of the forehead (which corresponds with the side of the up- per forearm) on the middle of the upper forearm. The movement is accompanied by a bending of both knees with the legs crossed, the rear leg on a half point in one measure of a 3/4 time signature. The salok, Tagalog for "scoop," refers to the grace- ful, continuous arm movement initiated by holding an arm in its entire length at the side of the body (second position) with the palm down. The upper torso and head bend toward the raised arm, allowing the dancer to look at the partner or audience. The raised arm is evenly swung across the body to finish with the arm overhead (fifth position). The bend of the torso deepens with the arm swing. The gesture may finish with the body facing

front or diagonally away from the starting position of the raised arm, while the upper torso and head return to their natural standing position. It takes one to two measures of the 3/4 time signature to perform a salok. The saludo, the Spanish term for salute, is a ges- ture which denotes graciousness, anticipation of or gratitude for dancing together, or conformity to con- vention. It customarily begins and ends folk dances. Females perform a variation of the European curtsy: the body weight is supported by the rear leg with a bent knee, and the forward foot is on a point. The upper torso bends from the waist for a sustained bow and gentle recovery. The head may turn to look at the partner or face down. The male executes a formal bow with a forward flourish, placing one arm in front of the waist and the other arm behind the waist or at the side of the body, or keeping both hands in front of the waist. The bow of the dances from the countryside are simpler: a forward bend of the torso from the waist with the feet held together. The saluda is usually pre- ceded by a turn. It takes one measure of 2/4 or 3/4 time signature to execute a saluda. The sarok usually begins a movement phrase and is performed by crossing the wrists in front, at knee level, with the palms facing the body, accompanied by a forward bend of the torso. The leg corresponding to the upper crossed arm is crossed in front of the other leg with a pointed foot, while the rear leg is bent at the knee. The head may tilt to look at the partner or audi- ence, or at the floor. The sarok is performed to a 3/4 time signature. • C.G. Inigo

References: Reyes-Aquino 1953; Reyes-Tolentino 1946.

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GANGSA MUSIC. In the ballambang, women go in circles as men follow them, each beating his gangsa with a stick. (Francisco Reyes-Aquino Collection)

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ASPECTS

a long, curved line while alternately stooping and straightening up. The gongs are held in the left hand, away from the body, then near the body. Normally, six gangsa (flat gongs) are used. The music consists of two rhythms---dadaw and sapi-played in opposition to each other. The alternating beats of these two rhythms are interspersed with beats emanating from the four other gongs. Though women may join in the dance, only men perform on the gongs. The tadek, danced by a male and female, is accompanied by six gongs played in topayya style, in which the gongs are hit with the hands with tapping and sliding motions. The first four gongs play identical rhythms, one beat behind each other. The fifth gong sounds an ostinato rhythm of deadened tones, while the sixth gong sounds a fast tapping rhythm. Other flat gong ensembles with dance are found in the Cordilleras of northern Luzon. The Ifugao use a three-gong ensemble-tobop, hibat, ahot-to accompany men dancing in a ceremony to celebrate a harvest. Karao men use seven gongs struck with sticks, each with its own rhythm, while the women dance the itundak and tinebtebak. In Bontoc, men dance and play a set of 10 gongs. The aliweng and soklungan gongs play opposing rhythms in different tambours interspersed with rhythms played on the eight remaining kalos (gongs). The Ifugao execute the himong ritual for deaths caused by foul play. Men play the bangibang (struck wooden sticks) while dancing in line. An alternation of strokes between odd- and even-numbered men in the line produces a regular rhythm of light and heavy sounds. The Tagakaolo women of Davao del Sur execute a dance imitating the tamiala bird. Wearing belts and

anklets of cascabels, the dancers move to the music of the udal, a hollowed-out log drum. Two performers beat on the top of the log drum. One is seated, striking the log drum with two patawagay (short sticks) while the second performer moves freely around the instru- ment, striking the log drum with an utumay (long, thin stick), beating a rhythmic pattern in counterpoint to that of the patawagay. The Matigsalug of Bukidnon have a charming court- ing dance performed by a male playing the kudlong (two- stringed lute) and singing. The woman plucks her takum- bo (bamboo zither), dancing around the man who even- tually follows behind her in small mincing steps. The Maguindanao musicians play the kulintang, a set of eight graduated bossed gongs, and the dabakan to accompany the dancing of the medium during the pagibat, a curing rite. The Manobo kulintangan is made up of 6 to 10 gradu- ated bossed gongs suspended from a frame in pyramid fashion, with the highest-pitched gong on top and the lowest at the bottom. A melody player strikes the various gongs using one beater and a drone player strikes a continuously repeated pattern on the lowest pitched gong. The ensemble is completed by a third musician beating on a cylindrical wooden drum. The gong melody player leaves the instrument occasionally to participate in the dance. The music and dance are performed during festive gatherings such as weddings. Among the Tausug of Jolo, dancing occurs pri- marily as an adjunct to the kulintangan, a gong ensem- ble consisting of a set of 8 (Pata island) to 11 (luuk) bossed gongs laid in a row, a tunggalan (single, large bossed gong), duahan (a set of two-paired bossed

gongs), and two gandang (drums). Dancing is done only for entertainment, with no religious or social function. Gong music consists of a series of three types of compositions: sinug, kuliri, and lubak-lubak, the latter being played as accompaniment to the dancer. The gong ensemble of the Badjao or Samal of Sitang-kai is similar to that of the Tausug, consisting of a 7 to 9-piece kulintangan, three hanging gongs called bua, pulakan, and tamuk, and a tambul or drum. Gong music is associated with dance and is performed on important social occasions: marriage or magkawin, cir- cumcision or magislam, and communication with spirits or magigal jin. Often, dancers add the clicking sound of their bola bola (wooden castanets) to the instrumental ensemble. Different tunes are encountered: titik tagunggu (ceremonial voyage, marriage, circumcision), titik tabawan (wedding, dance of possession), tariray or limbayan (fes- tive occasions danced by younger women characterized by suggestive shoulder jerks and gyrating torsos), and titik jin and lellang (dances of mediums). Stamp dancing to the fast beat of agung (gongs) by Hanunuo men and boys is an expression of jubilation during the panludan, a feast with merrymaking. Many other instruments like guitars, fiddles, flutes, jew's harps, zithers, and whistles join the kalipay (noise making). In Bataan, the Aeta commemorate weddings with the ambahan, which lasts for several days. Participants dance-hopping, stepping, and kicking up their heels-to the accompaniment of palai (gong) beats, in an oval around a bonfire, while singing amba (verses) in leader-chorus style. The dances among lowland Christian groups form the greatest bulk of "popular" folk dances. Though some dances like the kumintang retain indigenous forms and traditions, the great majority have been strongly influenced by turn-of-the-century European ballroom dances as well as Spanish and Mexican national dances. Thus, they have such names as habanera, tango, pandanggo, seguidilla, jota, kurat- sa, polka, mazurka, danza, and rigodon. The Castilian and Andalusian courtship dance, fan- dango, came to be known locally as the pandanggo. Upon adaptation, its triple-time rhythm and moderate- ly fast waltzlike tempo were retained. Travelogues by Guignes, 1808, Lafond, 1884, and Mallat, 1846, men- tion the fandango being performed for the entertain- ment of the elite at balls and soirees. Although Mallat mentions the fandango being accompanied quite dex- terously by castanets, Walls y Merino, 1892, specifi- cally cites the guitar and the bajo de unas (string bass) as the usual accompaniment. As the pandanggo spread to various Philippine regions, each locality evolved its own characteristic move-

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The music for most of these European-type dances is homophonic and harmonized in the major-minor tonal system. Most of the music is in 3/4 time with some 2/4 (habanera), 4/4, and fewer in 6/8 or 1218 (quadrille) rhythms. Many of the melodies start with an upbeat. The melodies are cast in strictly phrased eight-measure periods (a four-measure antecedent phrase followed by a four-measure consequent phrase) or 16-measure double periods. The music is sectional- ized, the number of sections varying from two to eight or more. The sections are repeated variously, e.g., A-B-B, A-B-A-B, A-B-A-C-A-B, etc. Occasionally, there is a metric change in the sections, or a change from major to minor tonality or vice versa. Very often, the dance opens with a short two-measure introduction. Dances are accompanied by whatever instruments are available. Bands and orchestras used to accompany the dances at balls and soirees in the second half of the 19th century. Today, in many grade and high schools where these dances are taught, the music is played on the piano. In the absence of a piano, a guitar or guitars are used. The randalia, an ensemble of plucked chor- dophones, is the favorite accompanying instrumental group. Originally, the rondalla was known as the com- parza. It reached its height of popularity during the later period of the Spanish regime and the early years of the American era. Recently, interest in the rondalla has been revived and many schools now have rondalla groups. ·A small ensemble consists of one or two ban- durria, a guitar, a laud, an octavina and a bass guitar, also known as the bajo de unas or a string bass. Relatively young is Philippine professional theat- rical dancing or ballet. Filipino artists and audiences began showing an interest in this art form in the 1950s. Enthusiasm for ballet grew steadily in the ensuing decades. Since the 1970s about 100 works have been choreographed to music by Filipino composers. Approximately half of these works were original bal- lets, many commissioned jointly by the Cultural Cen- ter of the Philippines (CCP) and the League of Filipino Composers (LFC) for Ballet Philippines. The remaining half were works adapted from set music. Ballets for which original music was composed are in a variety of styles; the light and popular Rama, Hari (King Rama) by Ryan Cayabyab and Tales of the Manuvu by Nonong Pedero; the atonal neoromantic Mir-i-nisa by Eliseo Pajaro; the avant-garde Yerma by Francisco Feliciano; the romantic Ang Konsierto (The Concert) by Hilarion Rubio; the electronic Muybridge/Frames by Fabian Obispo; the eclectic Camille and Gitana by Jeffrey Ching; the multimedia and experimental A wit (Song) and Ta-o by Ramon Santos. Lucrecia R. Kasilag's music has been used for many dances of the CCP Dance Com-

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pany (later Ballet Philippines), among them Amada, Ang Sultan (The Sultan), Tapestry, and Kulam (Witchcraft). These pieces were performed by a full Western orchestra. Choreographers also used previously composed works by Fililipinos for ballets, like Nicanor Abelardo's Sinfonietta for Strings, for Basilio's Exultations, 1984; Ramon Santos' Ding Ding nga Diyawa, for Alice Reyes' Dugso, 1972; Jose Maceda's Agungan, Ugma-ugma and Kubing, for Eddie Elejar's Juru-Pakal (The Enchanted Kris), 1971; Ryan Cayabyab's One, for Antonio Fabella's Limang Dipa (Five Armstretches), 1981, and Misa (Mass), for Basilio's Misa Filipina (Filipino Mass), 1984; and Lucrecia Kasilag's Fantasie on a Four-note Theme, for Rosalia Merino-Santos' Of Cocks and Kings, 1958. Aside from the standard classic ballet repertoire- Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Nutcracker Suite, Sleeping Beauty; Bizet's Carmen; Glasunov's Raymonda Varia- tions; Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet; Minkus' Don Quix- ote; and Adam's Giselle-are works based on set music representing a wide gamut of styles. Music in the roman- tic style was favored: Chopin was used for Fabella's Invitation, 1977, and Felicitas Layag-Radaic's La In- namorata, 1983; Tchaikovsky for Remedios de Oteyza's Concerto, 1982; Mendelssohn for A Midsummer Night's Dream by Trudl Dubsky-Zipper, 1951, Alice Reyes, 1976, and Edna Vida, 1989; Dohnanyi for De Oteyza's Haunted Ballroom; Johann Strauss for Fabella's Graduation Ball, 1986; and Rirnsky Korsakov for De Oteyza and Nieto's Capriccio Espagnol. The baroque music by J.S. Bach was used for Alice Reyes' Company, 1970; Layag-de los Reyes' Bach in Blue, 1981; and Basilio's Votive Dance, 1986. Antonio Vivaldi was used for Eric Cruz's Visions in Blue, and Basilio's Mosque Baroque, 1975; while Pachelbel was used for Basilio's Canon of Life, 1984, and Nonoy Froilan's One Afternoon, 1987. Taken from the Classic period are W.A. Mozart's music used in Basilio's Crystal Concerto and Fabella's Entrances and Exits; and Franz Schubert's used in Basilio's Salutations, 1981. Twentieth- century works, both popular and avant-garde were also chosen. In the popular vein are Lonely Hearts Club Band by Alice Reyes, 1977, to Lennon and McCartney, and Vermillion Scarf by Gener Caringal, 1982, to the Beatles. The early and mid-20th-century music include works by Bela Bartok for Basilio's Testament, 1980; Carl Orff for Alice Reyes' Carmina Burana, 1975; Leonard Bernstein for Alice Reyes' Chichester Psalms, 1973; Philip Glass for Agnes Locsin's Moriones, 1987; Benjamin Britten for Fabella's Prince of the Pagodas; Lucas Foss for Denisa Reyes' Arem; Paul Hindemith for Eddie Elejar's Jewels, 1970; Fukushima for Luis Layag's The Warriors, 1970; Takernitsu for Eddie Elejar's Iago, 1986, and Conrad Dy-Liacco's Tat Gubat; and John Cage for Paul Ocampo's Konamiras. • C.C. Dioquino