Artistic and lively; these are several of the things that you can use to tag the Philippine dances that characterize its culture. And for sure you will not be disappointed, since the country’s dances are all creative and colorful. An example is the Philippine dance called the ‘Maglalatik’ that is sure to catch the fancy of those looking for a traditional dance that goes down to the basics, and of course a dance that is colorful and festive. This dance is also called as ‘Magbabao’ which can mean ‘the one using the ‘bao’ and the ‘bao’ is the coconut shell. Throughout the dance, the viewers of the dance can expect that most of the dance moves that will be performed by the dancers will focus on the use of these ‘baos’ or the coconut shells and some of the noises or the music that will be used by the dance will be generated by these coconut shells.

This dance actually tells a story- and it depicts the fight between the Moros and the Christians over the ‘latik’. The ‘latik’ is the excess that is left after the coconut milk has been boiled and cooked. This dance is composed of a four-part performance and the first two performance of the dance is called as the ‘Palipasan’ and the ‘Baligtaran’.

In these first two performances, the dance will show the opposing squads in an intense battle. The final two parts of the dance are the ‘Sayaw Escaramusa’ and the ‘Paseo’. These two dances basically show the reconciliation between the two groups and the dance steps of the dancers will show and suggest that the opposing groups are now in good terms. The two groups in this dance is the group of the Moros and the other group is the group of the Christians. All performers that partake in this traditional dance are male and they all attach and use the coconut shells. These shells are attached on many points of the body of the dancers- in the chests, the backs, the thighs and the hips. The dancers will also hold their triangular formed coconut shells in their hands and they used these shells to tap the coconut shells that are fitted on their bodies and they use these to generate the music that will accompany them when they are dancing. The Moros in this dance will wear the red trousers and the Christian group will wear the blue trousers. This dance will involve some simple movements and simple repetitions.

The following will be a listing of the steps that are generally performed in the dance.

. First step will require dancers to make 6 to 8 counts of jogging in place

. Then four steps forward while pounding the chests.

. Four basic clap cycles while the dancers are in place

. Another four fundamental clap cycles in sequence for the performers to get to two rows

. Another 8 quick clap cycles to the ripple effect

. Another 8 quick clap cycles that will allow the dancer to circle around the partner, and next up is the Circle Up.

. The dancers will make 8 counts+1 -4 count for the first clap

. Dancers will clap after the one 8 count and this should be done 8 times, then the finishing clap

. Dancers will make 8 high-low clap cycles in order to move into position.

. Another 8 cycles of 6 hit clapping

. The dancer will then make 16 counts for the tricks with another round of clapping in the background

. Dancer will make 4 basic to get to the two sides

. Dancer will make 8 speedy clap cycles for the fight

. Dancer will make 4 quick clap cycles in order to get to the end

. And right after the last clap, the dancers then make their pose.

According to historians, this Philippine dance originated in Laguna and usually performed during the town fiesta of Biñan. The dance is frequently executed in a religious procession as the procession heads down the street. This dance called ‘Maglalatik‘ is performed as an offering to their patron saint- San Isidro de Labrador.

To the people of Surigao del Norte, Itik-itik is the popular dance for them. Various dancers have different steps of the dance. Hinted from its name, the dance steps are likened to the way a duck walks. A duck or itik in Filipino walks in a choppy and short step manner. Water is also splashed on its back while walking. The dance is to attract mates.

It is from Sibay where Itik-itk originated according to beliefs. Sibay is a dance which is performed using the Dejado music. The Sibay, which originated from the neighboring islands in the Visayas, is also a bird dance. It is from Samar where Sibay came from as identified by Reynaldo Gamboa Alejandro, one of the authority in Philippine dances.

His identification is consistent with the book Fr. Ignacio Alzina wrote in 1668. Alzina is a Jesuit missionary who was assigned to Samar. In his book, he explained a well-known dance in Samar called Sabay as a dance that mimic the actions of flying birds. In his book, one of his illustrations has a caption which reads, “su danza para hombre y mujer.” When interpreted, the subtitle means dance intended for man and woman. The caption is fitting to the Waray amenudo dances’ characteristic.

It is from the towns of Carrascal, Cantillan, Lanuza, and Carmen where Itik-itik’s present from came from. The alleged towns are situated in the province of Surigao del Norte that are found in the Caraga Region.

The popular version of the dance was introduced by a lady named Kanang. This is based on a certain tale. The tale narrates that Kanang was fascinated by the ducks she saw from a pond nearby. Shen then attempted to mimic the actions of the birds. This happened when she was attending and dancing at a baptismal party. The other attendees got interested in her imitation of the birds so they also dance following her steps. From then on, the steps or the dance was passed on to the next generations.

There are many versions of the dance but the most popular version is the Itik-itik Surigaonon. Most of the versions of the dance are found in Visayas. Tibiao, Antique and Sibonga, Cebu has its versions of Itik-itik.

Pandanggo or Pandanggo sa ilaw literally means the ‘Fandango with the Light’ in English language. And yes from the name itself, this dance is that dance that involved the manipulation of the lights. This dance is from the Lubang Island, Mindoro. The term ‘pandanggo’ which means ‘fandanggo’ in the Spanish language is actually dance that is characterized by marking time with the use of clack of castanets, the snapping of the fingers and the stomping of the feet in the triple-time rhythm. The person that performs this graceful dance is often called the ‘pandanggera’. The ‘pandanggera’ then dances holding three oil lamps which are called as the ‘tinghoy’.

There is another version of this dance, and the dance resembles the steps that are performed by the dancers of the ‘pandanggo’. This other version of the dance is called the ‘Oasiwas’ and this dance has its origins in Lingayen in Pangasinan. This town in the province is known for its fishing industry and their version of the ‘pandanggo’ is related to the fishing industry. Right after their good catch, the fishermen in this town will usually celebrate by drinking wine and by dancing, and by swinging and circling with the lighted lamps on the hands of the dancers. The swinging and the circling moves of the dancers gave the name ‘Oasiwas’ which in the local dialect is known as ‘swinging’.

This unique dance from the province of Pangasinan is a colorful dance that requires the dancers to balance the oil lamps on their head while doing their circling in their hands the lighted lamps that are wrapped in the porous cloth or wrapped in the fishnets. And the music that accompanies the dancers is similar to the music that accompanies the dancers of the ‘pandanggo‘. This traditional Philippine dance is now the center of a famous festival in Oriental Mindoro. And the dance is now considered as one of the rituals that the females perform in order to send off and to welcome the fishermen of the town.

In Oriental Mindoro, this festival with the dance at the center of it all is called the ‘Pandang Gitab’ or the ‘Festival of Lights’. This festival was coined and developed after the now famous Filipino folk dance called the ‘pandanggo sa ilaw’ and the ‘dagitab’ or the flicker of light. This festival that is hosted in Oriental Mindoro is celebrated every second week of November and this is done as a major event as part of the commemoration of the founding anniversary of Oriental Mindoro. The event is a new festival that display the dance the culture of the province and this event is frequently participated in by hundreds of artists and participants coming from the many sectors in the province.

Some of the participants to this festival include the following;

. Schools

. Cooperatives

. Non-government organizations

The classic ‘pandanggo sa ilaw’ that is presented in the coastal towns of Oriental Mindoro and Pangasinan will be performed as a send off to the town fishermen and will be performed also as a welcome to the contestants. But in this festival that is popular in Oriental Mindoro, the dance is taken out of the beaches and into a whole new audience. The people in the province of Oriental Mindoro has taken their famed ‘pandanggo sa ilaw’ out of the beaches and into the streets of its capital, Calapan. And with the performers holding these lights, the streets heading to the capital can be likened to an haven of light as these streets are covered by a number of dancers garbed in the conventional dresses of ternos and barongs. The costumes that are used by the dancers of this festival may vary and some of the dresses are plain and some are flashy too. The dresses may perhaps also feature floral prints and frequently these dresses are made in orange hues. The participants of the dance and the festival endures the heat of the candles as they travel the length of the 2-km stretch of street in the capital as they carry their candles in glass, in bamboos and in coconut shells. The event not only served to promote tourism in the area, but as a way to promote awareness for the dance called ‘pandanggo‘.