This document describes several traditional dances from the Philippines and surrounding Asian countries, including their origins, cultural influences, costumes, music, and movements. It discusses Binislakan from Pangasinan which uses sticks in imitation of Chinese chopsticks. It also summarizes Sua-Ku-Sua, a courtship dance from Sulu involving fans, and Pangalay, a dance from Sulu requiring finger dexterity. Further dances summarized are Tiklos from Panay and Leyte performed by peasants, Sakuting from Abra and Ilocos Norte involving rhythmic sticks, and their origins, music, and costumes.

1. by: Mr. John Michael Gian

2. Regional and National Dances with Asian Influence
Philippines with near
by countries in Asia.

3. BINISLAKAN (Lingayen)
Dance Researcher : Francisca Reyes
Meaning : With the use of sticks
Dance Culture : Christian Lowland
Place of Origin : Pangasinan
Country of Influence : China
Ethno-linguistic Group : Pangasinense
Classification : Social Dance

4. Background:
Lingayen in Pangasinan means having to look
backward and upward. It was derived from “Li-King-
Tung”, a Chinese word given to the name Lingayen,
the capital of Pangasinan, by the Chinese settlers of
this place a long time ago. The barrio folks who lived
at Almazin, a small place between barrio Pangasinan
(Pulong) and Maniboc danced this to commemorate
the stay of Limahong, a Chinese pirate who built his
kingdom here.

5. The dancers look backward or upward in
some of the movements; hence, the name
Lingayen. They also use two sticks to produce
rhythms imitating the chopsticks used by the
Chinese in eating, so the dance is also called
Binislakan, which in Pangasinan means, with
the use of sticks.

6. Dance Properties:
• Costume
Female : Siesgo and kimono with loose and long sleeves
and soft panuelo
Male : Camisa de Chino and red pants
Music : 2/4 composed of two parts: A and B
Count : One, two, one and two, and one and two and
Formation : Partners stand about six feet apart. One or
more pairs in a set can take part in the dance, in any
formation desired.

8. SUA-KU-SUA
Dance Researcher : Ramon A. Obusan
Meaning : My Pomelo Tree
Dance Culture : Lowland Muslim (Coastal)
Place of Origin : Jolo, Sulu
Country of Influence :
China, Malaysia and Indonesia
Ethno-linguistic Group : Tausug
Classification : Courtship Dance

9. Background/Context:
The Tausug of Sulu, Southern Philippines, though
known as fearsome warriors are also better known as
sturdy seafarers and hardy farmers. Extensive
orchards are planted with coconuts and pomelos and
fields with staples like rice and root crops.

10. At harvest time, pomelo fruits are gathered in big
baskets before they are sent away. The Tausugs
depend strongly on the income the pomelo bring
them and this relationship is romanticized by
comparing the sua’s gentle leaves, slender branches,
attractive fruits and fragrant flowers to the virtues of
a lady. Put to music, it is this song that is sang by
couples while flapping two white fans each
resembling leaves rustling in the wind in the Sua-Ku-
Sua Dance.

11. Sua-ku-sua performers, some men but especially
women come to the festivities with face thickly
covered with finely ground rice powder and their
eyebrows and sideburns enhanced with soot- all for
beauty’s sake.
Movements/Steps Particular to Dance:
Creative imagery: Fans transform into tiny sails,
face mirrors, butterflies, shields and leaves. Tausug
traditional steps with Chinese influence.

12. Dance Properties:
Costume
Female:
Top (Barawasi) : Traditional loose blouse, long
sleeves wit deep, plunging key-hole neckline. Extra
panels attached to the right and left chest decorated
with many tiny brass buttons.
Material : Cheap printed or plain Chinese silk or
cotton.

13. Pants (Sawal or Kantiu) : Loose Chinese pants with a
10-inch soft white band (coco curdo) attached to a
wide waist. To tuck the pants in, the white band is
overlapped in front, one side on top of the other and
rolled out to form a tight belt.
Material : Cheap Chinese silk or any silky material
preferably in navy blue, sunshine yellow, grass green,
red or orange colors

14. Shoulder band (Siyag) : A separate wrap-around
malong of rich material strung over the right shoulder
crossing the chest and hanging on the left side.

15. Headpiece:
There are three choices:
1. Gold or brass filigree called tusuk;
2. Paper bills pasted on slender sticks; and
3.Pasteboard cut-out, the front tip 8 to 10 inches
high, similar to Chinese crowns covered with gold foil.
Accessories : Gold or imitation gold earrings, necklace,
bracelets and brooches.
Suggested Footwear : Dancers are in barefoot.

16. Male:
Top (Bajo) : Short-waist collarless shirt. Open at the front
with the right panel overlapping the left, studded with
many tiny brass buttons and is not intended to close the
front but used as an additional shirt decoration. It is
allowed to drop on the right side.
Material : cheap printed or plain Chinese silk or cotton.
Pants (Sawal or Kantiu) : Similar to the female pants but
in darker colors and bolder designs.

17. Accessories : Money-belt, Sarok hat, pis siyabit
(rectangular hand-woven scarf tied on the head or
hung loosely over one shoulder); Kris (wavy knife) or
Barong (leaf-knife).
Suggested Footwear : dancers are in barefoot

18. Music : 2/4 and 4/4; composed of three parts: A, B and
C. Gabbang- bamboo xylophone shaped like a small
boat. Bamboo slats thinned and cut to graduated
sizes to produce three octaves of pentatonic scale
Count : 1, 2 to a measure in 2/4 time signature 1, 2, 3, 4
to a measure in 4/4/ time signature

20. PANGALAY
Dance Researcher : Francisca Reyes-Aquino
Meaning : Finger nail
Dance Culture : Lowland Muslim (Coastal)
Place of Origin : Sulu
Country of Influence
: Thailand, Malaysia, Burma, Cambodia and
Indonesia
Ethno-linguistic Group : Tausug
Classification : Social Dance

21. Background/Context:
Pangalay (also known as Daling-Daling or
Mengalai in Sabah is the traditional “fingernail”
dance of the Tausūg people of the Sulu Archipelago
and Sabah.[1] This dance is the most distinctively
Asian of all the Southern Philippine dances because
dancers must have dexterity and flexibility of the
shoulders, elbows, and wrists[2] – movements that
strongly resemble those of “kontaw silat,” a martial
art common in the Malay Archipelago.

22. The Pangalay is performed mainly during weddings
or other festive events. The male equivalent of the
Pangalay is 190 the Pangasik and features more
martial movements, while a pangalay that features
both a male and female dancer is called Pangiluk.
The original concept of the Pangalay is based on the
pre-Islamic Buddhist concept of male and female
celestial angels (Sanskrit: Vidhyadhari, Bahasa Sūg:
Biddadari) common as characters in other Southeast
Asian dances.

23. Dance Properties:
Costume : Dancer wears a typical Joloana costume
Accessories : Expert and professional dancers use
janggay, extended metal finger nails in each finger.
The rich people have janggay made of solid gold or
silver.
Suggested Footwear : dancers are in barefoot.
Music : Played as many times as necessary.
Count one, two or one, and, two and to a measure.

24. Movements/Steps Particular to Dance:
There are no definite directions, sequence of
figures, number and kinds of steps, hand movements
and positions used when performed by the natives.
For teaching purposes the figures of this dance may
be created and dancers may form their own
combinations.

26. TIKLOS
Dance Researcher : Francisca Reyes- Aquino
Meaning : Refers to a group of peasants
Place of Origin : Panay and Leyte
Country of Influence :
China, Burma and Cambodia
Classification : Recreational Dance

27. Background/Context:
For centuries, Tiklos has been a very important
factor in the social life of the peasants of Leyte. Tiklos
refers to a group of peasants who agree to work for each
other one day each week to clear the forest, prepare the
soil for planting, or do any odd job in the farm, including
the building of a house. At noontime, the people gather
to eat their lunch together and to rest. During this period,
Tiklos music is played with a flute accompanied by a
guitar and the guimbal or the tambora (kind of drum).

28. The music of Tiklos is also played to gather the peasants
before they start to work.
Dance Properties:
Costume : Dancers are dressed in working costumes.
Music : Divided into two parts. A and B.
Count : one, two or one, ah, two, ah or one, and, two to a
measure.
Formation : Partners stand opposite each other about six feet
apart. When facing audience, the girl stands at partner’s right
side. One to any number of pairs may take part in this dance.

30. SAKUTING
Dance Researcher : Francisca Reyes Aquino
Meaning : Refers to rhythmic sticks
producing the accompaniment
for the dance.
Place of Origin :
Abra and Ilocos Norte
Country of Influence : China
Classification : Recreational
and Social Dance

31. Background/Context:
This is a dance of the ethnic people living in the
western side of the Cordilleras way back before the
coming of the Americans to our country. During the
Christmas, young boys and girls accompanied by their
elders would go to the lowlands, especially in Abra and
Ilocos Norte to dance in front of the houses and ask for
gifts. These young children hold sticks, one on each hand
and strike them together to make their dance more lively.
The homes would give them money, homemade delicacies
and other things.

32. These dancing groups later reached as far as the
coastal towns of Ilocos region as years went by. The
rhythmic sounds produced by the stick attracted
other children and also adults and they also learned
the dance.
“Sakuting“ is an ethnic term which refer to the
rhythmic sticks producing the accompaniment for the
dance.

33. Dance Properties:
Costume : Girl – Native Ilocano kimono style with
sleeves of elbow length; skirt of bright-colored plaids
shirred at the waist of ankle-length.
Boy – Camisa de chino and red trousers, and a native
hat.
Music : 2/4 and ¾ rhythms and composed of 9 parts :
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I.

34. Formation : Audience
X
O
X
O
O
X
O
X
One set of dancers