Pandanggo is a folk dance from the Philippines that originated from the Spanish Fandango dance. It evolved among the upper and local classes in the early 18th century. Two popular versions are the Pandanggo sa Ilaw from Mindoro and Oasioas from Pangasinan. Pandanggo sa Ilaw simulates fireflies at dusk and the dancer balances three oil lamps. It involves native waltz steps and is performed by couples in festivals and religious rituals across the country.

4.  Pandanggo is a folk
dance which has become
popular in the rural areas of
the Philippines.
 The dance evolved
from Fandango, a Spanish folk
dance, which arrived in the
Philippines during the Hispanic
period.

5.  This dance, together with the Jota,
became popular among
the illustrados (upper class) and
later adapted among the local
communities.

6.  In the early 18th century, any
dance that is considered jovial and
lively was called Pandanggo and
those that are related to it are
called Pinandanggo.

7.  Two of the most popular versions
of Pandanggo, as a performing art,
are the Pandanggo sa Ilaw from
Mindoro, and Oasioas of
Pangasinan.
 The Philippine national
dance, Carinosa, has Pandanggo
as its base dance.

8.  Pandanggo is still danced by
many people but mostly in
religious rituals and processions
such as the Pandangguhan sa
Pasig, during the procession of St.
Martha, and the Sayaw sa Obando
of Bulacan.

9.  While Fandango in Spain was
superseded by its modern version,
the Flamenco, it has evolved into a
popular folk dance, and as a ritual
dance in many religious
processions in the Philippines.

10.  Pandanggo sa Ilaw is a very
popular folk dance in the
Philippines.
 It is said to have originated from
the island of Mindoro.
 This “dance of lights” simulates
fireflies at dusk and at night.

11.  The festival of
Calapan, Oriental
Mindoro called
“Pandang-Gitab “
was coined from
Pandanggo and
Dagitab which is
synonymous to
“light”, adapting
basic steps of
Pandanggo sa Ilaw.

12.  The word pandanggo is from the
Spanish dance fandango. The
phrase sa ilaw is Tagalog for "in
light" and it refers to the three
oil lamps that a dancer has to
balance — one on the head and
one on the back each hand.

13.  Dance Culture – Lowland
Christian (Rural)
 Place of Origin – Lubang Island,
Occidental Mindoro
 Ethnolinguistic Group – Tagalog
 Classification - Festival

15.  Props – 3 oil lamps
called tinghoy
(sometimes, candles
in glasses are used
instead of an oil
lamp)
 Mood – jovial
 Stance – erect
 Performers –
couples
 Formation - any

16.  Music –The rondalla
music to which
the Pandanggo sa
Ilaw is now
commonly danced
was composed by
Col. Antonio R.
Buenaventura, a
National Artist for
Music

17.  He wrote the music sometime in
the early 1930's while teaching at
the Conservatory of Music at the
University of the Philippines.
 Time Signature – 3/4

18.  G : Balintawak Ensemble,
consisting of a plain baro
(blouse) with butterfly sleeves
and matching balloon-cut saya
(long skirt)
 Striped rectangular tapis (wrap
overskirt) and matching alampay
(scarf) draped on one shoulder

19.  B: Camisa chino (collarless shirt)
of printed material, usually plaid
paired with colored (red or blue) or
plaid pantalon (pants) rolled to the
calfs
 Red or blue panyu (neckerchief)
 Dancers perform barefooted

21.  Native waltz
 Accented running waltz
 Redoba
 Sway balance with a point

22.  Arms in lateral position
 Cross/swing fwd-bwd
 Fourth position
 T position with elbow jerks

23.  How the girl places the
glass/tinghoy on the back of her
hand:
 The bottom of the glass is
supported by the middle and ring
fingers while the index and little
fingers clip the sides of the glass

24.  At the start of the dance, the G
holds one glass by her R
 The B has one glass in each hand

25.  Fig. 1 Music A
 Girl’s Entrance
 8M – Native waltz; arms in lateral
position
 6M – Native waltz; swing R in figure 8
 2M – three step turn R; arms in 2nd

26.  Fig 2 Music A
 Boy’s Entrance/Pair
 B/G: 4M – native waltz; arms in lateral
position
 2M – waltz fwd-bwd R and L; swing both
arms fwd-bwd
 2M – Three step turn R; arms in 2nd
 (G moves to back of B)

27.  Facing partner:
 6M – running waltz R and L alternately
moving CW; arms in 4th
 2M – three step turn R; arms in 2nd; end
by placing glasses on the floor
(between the pair)

28.  Fig 3 Music B
 Danced simultaneously
 G: 8M - facing center, feet in 4th; both
arms in T position, execute slight
elbow jerk once per M
 8M – repeat facing away from center

29.  B: 2M - Waltz R and L in place; T
position with elbow jerk R and L
 2M – three step turn move to back of G
 12 – Repeat moving to R of G; front
and back to original place
 (both get the glasses – G – 1; B – 2)

30.  Fig 4 Music B
 Facing audience
 8M – native waltz R and L alternately;
arms in lateral position
 2M – waltz R and L; same arms
 2M – three step turn
 2M – waltz R and L
 2M – G in 4th; B places R glass on G’s
head/transfers L glass to his R

31.  Fig 5 Music C
 Danced simultaneously
 G: 8M – Native waltz moving G circle
CW; arms in lateral position
 (B circle moving CCW; redoba R and L
alternately)
B/G: 6M – pair circle; waltz
2M – B places glass to G’s L hand

32.  Fig 6 Music C
 Danced simultaneously
 G: 8M – Feet in 4th; swing R fwd-bwd,
swing L fwd-bwd, swing both fwd-bwd
2X
 (B: 2M – three step turn passing at the
back of G, to G’s R side; 4M - waltz R
and L; clapping; 2M - three step turn to
original place)

33.  Facing each other
 8M – Sway balance
R and L alternately

34.  Fig 7 Music C
 2M – B gets the glass on G’s head with
his R hand and the G’s L glass with his
L hand
 12M – Native waltz/or running waltz R
and L alternately moving CW, G ahead
of B
 2M – Three step turn; end with B
kneeling on L; G in 4th position

35.  Philippine National Dances
 pp. 214-217
 by
 Francisca Reyes-Tolentino
 (Francisca Reyes-Aquino)