The Philippines enjoys a rich cultural heritage which includes a diverse collection of traditional dances.

From the well-known

national dance the Tinikling, which pays homage to the movements of a much-loved bird, to dances that reflect elements
of daily Philippine life, these folk dances all offer a glimpse into the history of the country. The Philippines has many popular
folk dances which have evolved and changed as they have been passed down from generation to generation. Although
a particular dance might be performed slightly differently from one region to the next, its remains true to its roots. Here are
some of the most popular dances from the region. (Ropper)

POPULAR PHILIPPINE FOLK DANCES FROM LUZON, VISAYAS, AND MINDANAO

A. Luzon
1) Banga [Tribe: Kalinga] : The Banga or pot dance is a contemporary performance of Kalinga of the Mountain
Province in the Philippines. This dance illustrates the languid grace of a tribe otherwise known as fierce warriors.
2) Maglalatik: originally performed in Biñan, Laguna as a mock-war dance that demonstrates a fight between the
Moros and the Christians over the prized latik or coconut meat during the Spanish rule, this dance is also shown
to pay tribute to the town’s patron saint, San Isidro Labrador.
3) Pandanggo sa Ilaw: The word pandanggo comes from the Spanish dance “fandango”characterized with lively
steps and clapping while following a varying ¾ beat. Pandanggo requires excellent balancing skill to maintain
the stability of three tinggoy, or oil lamps, placed on head and at the back of each hand. This famous dance
of grace and balance originated from Lubang Island, Mindoro.
4) Balse: a popular dance in Marikina, Rizal during the Spanish times. Balse (valse in Spanish) means waltz. This
dance was performed after the lutrina ( a religious procession) and the music that accompanied the dancers
was played by the musikong bungbong (musicians using instruments made of bamboo).
5) Jotabal: derived from the words Jota and valse. Jota is a popular dance introduced in the Philippines by the
Spaniards. Valse means waltz, a stepor a dance in 3/4 time. This lively festival dance originated in Camohaguin,
Gumaca, Quezon (formerly Tayabas).
6) Makonggo: a comic dance from Santa Maria, Bulacan. Makonggo is derived from the Tagalog word chonggo
or unggo which means monkey. In this dance, the dancer imitates a monkey - its characteristic movements,
gestures, grimaces, etc. when it is in a happy, playful or angry mood, while it is playing, eating, or resting. Only
one man performs this dance. Most of his movements are his own improvisations.
7) Sayaw sa Bangko: performed on top of a narrow bench. Dancers need good balance as they go through a
series of movements that include some impressive acrobatics. This dance traces its roots back to the areas of
Pangapisan, Lingayen and Pangasinan.
8) Binasuan: an entertaining dance that is usually performed at festive social occasions like weddings and
birthdays. Dancers carefully balance three half-filled glasses of rice wine on their heads and hands as they
gracefully spin and roll on the ground. The dance originated in Bayambang in the Pangasinan province, and
though it's usually performed alone, it can also become a competition between several dancers.
9) La Jota Moncadeña: adapted by the Filipinos from an old Spanish dance. It's a combination of Spanish and
Ilocano dance steps set to Spanish music and castanets. A more solemn version of this dance is sometimes
used to accompany a funeral procession, but it is also performed at celebrations.
10) Cariñosa: a dance made for flirting! Dancers make a number of flirtatious movements as they hide behind fans
or handkerchiefs and peek out at one another. The essence of the dance is the courtship between two
sweethearts.
11) Pandanggo Oasiwas: similar to the Pandanggo sa Ilaw, and is typically performed by fishermen to celebrate a
good catch. In this version, the lamps are placed in cloths or nets and swung around as the dancers circle and
sway.
12) Pantomina: also known as the Dance of the Doves, the Pantomina mimics the courtship between doves and is
often also a courtship dance between the couples that perform it. This dance is an important part of the
Sorsogon Kasanggayahan Festival held each October, where it is mainly performed by the elders of the
community.

B. Visayas
1) Tinikling: means "bamboo dance" in English. The dance imitates the movement of the tikling birds as they walk
between grass stems, run over tree branches, or dodge bamboo traps set by rice farmers. Dancers imitate the
tikling bird's legendary grace and speed by skillfully maneuvering between large bamboo poles.
2) Kuratsa: highly favored by the Waray people of the Eastern Visayan region in the Philippines. Strictly speaking,
The Kuratsa must be done the amenudo; that is, only one couple dances it at a time. the Kuratsa is however,
very different in the manner of execution to the Mexican counterpart.
3) Mazurka Boholana: a Spanish-inspired ballroom dance from the Bohol province of the Philippines. Although the
mazurka is the Polish national dance, it was wildly popular throughout Europe in the 19th century and even in
colonized lands overseas.
4) Escotis: popularly known in Capiz and is performed in any social gathering of the people inhabiting the
mountains of Capiz in the barrios of Tinpas and Panitan and also in the town of Panay.

C. Mindanao
1) Itik-Itik: a dance from Surigao del Norte, in which the movements of a duck are imitated. An itik is a species of
duck.
2) Singkil: The Maranao dance called Singkil is in the repertory of all Filipino dance troupes. In 1958 the Bayanihan
Dance troupe started with a simple version and has since developed it into a theatrical and stylized spectacle
to the point of its becoming the troupe's signature piece.
3) Kandingan: Performed at Tausog weddings in Jolo, the Kandingan consists of figures and steps based on
classical and traditional Indian dance forms. Dancers perform with slightly bent knees turned outward, fingers
held stiffly together with the thumb outward and apart.
4) Kappa Malong-Malong: a Muslim-influenced dance. The malong is a tubular garment, and the dance
essentially shows the many ways it can be worn. There are men's and women's versions of the dance since they
wear malongs in different ways.
What is DANCING?
Dancing is both an art form and a form of recreation. Dancing is the act of moving the body in rhythm, usually in time to
music. Dance as art may tell a story, set a mood, or express an emotion.

TYPES OF DANCES
1. Jazz dance is a classification shared by a broad range of dance styles. Before the 1950s, jazz dance referred to
dance styles that originated from African American vernacular dance. Before the 1950s, jazz dance referred to
dance styles that originated from African American vernacular dance.
2. Cha-cha-cha is the name of a Latin American dance of Cuban origin. It is danced to the music of the same name
introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953. The music for the international ballroom cha-
cha-cha is energetic and with a steady beat. The Cuban cha-cha-chá is more sensual and may involve complex
polyrhythm’s.
3. Salsa. There are a few basic steps of salsa; the most common is the three weight changes (or steps) in each four-
beat measure. The arms are used to communicate the lead in either open or closed position. Salsa is normally a
partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms, line dancing (suelta), and Rueda de Casino where
groups of couples exchange partners in a circle.
4. In Ballroom dancing, Jive is a dance style in 4/4 time that originated in the United States from African-Americans in
the early 1940s. Jive is one of the five International Latin dances
5. Mambo dance originated in Cuba where there were substantial settlements of Haitians. In the back country of
Haiti, the "Mambo" is a voodoo priestess, who serves the villagers as counselor, healer, exorcist, soothsayer, spiritual
advisor, and organizer of public entertainment. However, there is not a folk dance in Haiti called the "Mambo.". The
fusion of Swing and Cuban music produced this fascinating rhythm and in turn created a new sensational dance.
6. Waltz. The Waltz is a graceful and smooth dance performed in a counter-clockwise direction around the dance
floor maintaining the line of dance. The waltz dance pattern features a rise and fall character to the dance with a
step, slide and step in ¾ time. The shoulders should move smoothly parallel to the floor without going up and down
and the rise and fall should be executed with the tip-toeing motion at the end of each step.
7. Ballet first developed in Europe in the Renaissance period. -In Italy and France, dancing masters taught royalty and
choreographed entertainments for the courts. In the late 1700’s, Jean-George Noverre composed 150 ballets
which emphasized acting over dance technique. Probably the most important part of a ballet dancer's equipment
is ballet shoes. After several years of proper training, some female ballet dancers wear pointe shoes to make them
appear lighter and more delicate.
8. HIP -HOP. Hip-hop dance refers to social or choreographed dance styles primarily danced to hip-hop music or that
have evolved as part of hip-hop culture. This includes a wide range of styles notably breaking, locking, and
popping
9. Tecktonik is a style of dance combining vogue, breaking (top rock), and popping (waving) that started at the
Metropolis nightclubs in Paris, France. Like hip-hop dance, it is associated with urban youth and tecktonik dancers
do engage in battles both on the street and in the clubs but due to its music and club origins, this style is more
appropriate under the house dance category.
10. Belly dance or Bellydance is a Western-coined name for a traditional Middle Eastern dance, especially raqssharqi
(Arabic: ‫)رقصشرقي‬. One theory is that belly dance may have roots in the ancient Arab tribal religions as a dance to
the goddess of fertility. In the West, the costume most associated with belly dance is the bedlah (Arabic for "suit").
The hip belt is a broad piece of fabric worn low on the hips. It may have straight edge, or may be curved or angled.
11. Breakdance (also called breaking, b-boying or b-girling) is a type of dance that is done by people who are part of
the hip hop culture. B-boy means boy who dances on breaks (breakbeats). Breakdancing was invented in the early
1970s by African-American inner-city youth in the [South Bronx]] in New York City. The dance style evolved during
the 70s and 80s in big cities of the United States. Breakdancing uses different body movements, spins, arm
movements, leg movements, all of which are done to the rhythm of hip hop music. Breakdancing was most popular
in the 1980s but continues to be common today.
12. Cheerdance is the dance portion of cheerleading, where tumbling and stunts are not included. It is made of 4
parts, namely pom dance, jazz, hiphop and line dance. Each performance is about 2.5 minutes, and is judged by
the dance skills and choreography, as well as team coordination. This sport is full of energy, from the competitors’
smiles and acting expressions.