The Bendian is a circle dance performed by the Ibaloi and Kankanaey ethnic groups of the northern Philippines. It involves the village circling and dancing around a leader while executing various arm movements to celebrates occasions like harvests or victories. Lasting until late at night, the dance ends with the loudest war cry. Key elements include traditional costumes, rhythmic footwork and responsive gestures directed by the leader.

1. BENDIAN
Ibaloi-Kankanaey
Festival Dance

4. Introduction
 .The Ibaloi (Nabaloi) and Kankanaey
are indigenous ethnic groups found
in mountains of the Cordillera
Central on the island of Luzon.
 There are approximately 55,000
Ibaloi, most of them can be found in
the southern part of the province
of Benguet.

5.  The Kankanaey live in western
Mountain Province, northern
Benguet and southeastern Ilocos
Sur.
 Both groups perform the ceremony
called the Bendian.

6.  Bendian festival celebrated by the
Ibaloi and Kankanaey is always big
and extraordinary.
 It involves the village circling and
dancing around the ulul leader while
executing various arm movements.

7.  Lasting until the wee hours of the
night, the bedian ritual ends on the
sound of the loudest oway or war
cry.
 This version of Bendian centers
around the maiden's part of the
circle.

8.  Bendian is performed for many
reasons.
 Some of which are to heal a prolong
illness, relieve natural calamities
such as famine and drought, and to
celebrate a bountiful harvest.

9.  However, in the past the biggest
Bendian was to celebrate a victory
in war and a successful headhunt.
 Nowadays the festival is held for
important festive occasions.

10. Etymology
 Bendian, Bendaan or Bendayan
literally translates to “ let’s see who
gets tired first” is a circle dance “to
celebrate a victory”

11. Dance Properties
 Dance Culture – Highland Cordillera
 Place of Origin – Benguet
 Ethnolinguistic Group – Ibaloi and
Kankanaey
 Classification - Festival

13.  Props – none
 Mood – jovial
 Stance – erect
 Performers – all girls
 Formation - circle

14.  Music – Ganza (flat
gong), sulibao
(drum), takik
(triangle steel bar)
and bunkaka
(bamboo buzzer)
 Time Signature – 2/4

15. Costume
 Kambal – long sleeved jacket of abel
Iloko (Ilocano weave) with broad
stripes of blood red, bottle green,
blue, black and white accented with
strips of checkered cloth
 Aken (Divet) – knee-length wrap-
around skirt of the same material as
the jacket.

16.  Donas – cloth belt to secure the skirt
on the waist
 Headband of abel Iloko
 Akon – coin necklace/or seed bead
necklace; tabing – gold earrings;
anas – bracelet, complete the attire

18. Basic Steps
 Step on ball of L and brush-kick R
obliquely backward right (ct. 1)
Feet together (ct. and)
Repeat (ct. 2 and)
Heavy walk

19. Basic Gestures
 Various arm movements and
positions based on the command of
the ulul or leader

20.  Djinungluan (watch over) – arms
raided obliquely forward upward,
palms down
 Dimbabaw (display and observe) –
arms stretched laterally, palms
down
 Kinetangan (satisfaction) – hands in
alms position

21.  Pinaposan – palms facing front over
chest
 Inabaya – Open palms stiffly placed
behind butt, flipped outwards and
inwards like a bird’s tail
 Kiniyakan (dig) – like alms position
but both hands directed to one side

22. Choreographed Sequence
 Entrance - 15M – Djinungluan
(flipped); brush kick to formation
 Figure 1 –
 8M – Dimbabaw; brush kick
 8M – Dimbabaw; brush kick – four
walls

23.  Figure 2 –
 16M – Inabaya; trunk slightly
stooped; brush kick moving
CW/CCW; end forming circle, facing
center

24.  Figure 3 –
 8M – Diagonal arms (R obliquely
upward R), brush kick turning R in
place
 8M – reverse arm position; turn L

25.  Figure 4 –
 Facing center of circle
 4M – Djinungluan; brush kick
 4M –Turn right about; repeat
 8M – Repeat

26.  Figure 5 –8M –
 R stretched obliquely forward
upward; L on waist; brush kick,
move CW
 8M – Reverse arm position; move
CCW
 End in two columns

27.  Figure 6 –
 16M – Kinetangan forward; brush
kick
 Figure 7 –
 8M - Kiniyakan R; brush kick turning
R
 8M – Reverse arm position; turn L

28.  Figure 8 –
 8M – Alternate diagonal arms; feet
in 3rd
 8M – same arm movement; brush
kick

29.  Figure 9 –
 8M – Pinaposan; arms flapping
motion; feet in 3rd
 8M – Pinaposan; brush kick moving
to a column formation

30.  Figure 10 –
 Heavy steps, lead girl execute
djinungluan; girl behind holds
leading girl’s waist; 3rd girl hold 2nd
girl’s; so on

31. Source
PFDS Sayaw
Volume 3
pp. 11-15
 Dance Researcher –
Mr. Ramon A. Obusan