Our Dances

Kayumanggi Dance Company

Our Dances

For Kayumanggi, dance and music most express the Filipino soul.
For this reason, it has produced a repertoire preserving as far as possible the authenticity of the dances in the different regions of the Philippines, at the same time depicting the history of the Philippine archipelago before and after the flow of the various western influences.

The repertoire is divided into two major parts: one, i.e. Tribal, Muslim and Igorot Suites, portrays non-Christian tribe dances, wherein the Indian, Indonesian and Muslim influences are quite apparent; the other, i.e. Maria Clara and Rural Suites, portrays the advent of Christianity and markedly European influence.
In the non-Christian part, the dances are executed through the music of percussion instruments; while in the Christian part, the dances are accompanied mainly by string instruments.

HOME

Our Dances | | |

Tribal Dance

Up to the present, primitive tribes can be found in some of the islands of the Philippines, each having its own culture, language, customs and traditions. The dance entitled" Kinugsik" originates from the mountains of Bukidnon, situated in the southern part of the Philippines, where tribal people trap giant evil birds to be worshipped as god. The bowl of fire carried by the members of the tribe symbolizes hope and light, that they may be granted strength, security and a prosperous harvest.

Igorot

In the mountains of Northern Luzon island live pagan folk preserving their identity, customs and lore. Their dances are characteristically celebrations of victories after war and religious rituals. "Idaw", derived from a native bird, is a typical primitive warrior dance, with spears and wooden shields. "Banga" meaning "pot" is a dance showing the skill of the Igorot women balancing on their head several pots containing food and water to transport to their families. "Salip" is a wedding ritual; and, "Bumaya" is a dance to celebrate the victory at war, as well as to honor the bride and groom.

Muslim

Before the coming of the Spaniards, the Philippines was inhabited by the Hindus from Indonesia, Malays from Malaysia and Arabs from Brunei. Most of them travelled to the southern islands known as Mindanao, using little boats called" Vinta" . The dances are "Sultana", performed by young maidens bidding their queen farewell; "Tahing Bayla" a chant and a dance to augur the queen a safe journey; and, "Singkil", skill dance of the Muslim Prince and Princess. The maidens during the" Vinta" dance signify the fishes of the ocean; while the bamboos of the" Singkil" dance are symbolic of the turbulent rocks during an earthquake that once a Muslim Princess had to overcome.

Maria Clara

The Philippines was colonized by the Spaniards for almost four centuries, during which time, the country was Christianized and is actually 80 percent Roman Catholic. Its name was given by Ferdinand Magellan, in 1521, in honor of King Philip II of Spain. "Maria Clara" is a name of a woman, who, during the era, typically resembled the mixture resulting from the inter-marriages of the Spaniards and the Filipinos - locally termed "Mestiza" and internationally, "Eurasian". This name has evolved and up to now is used to refer to the Spanish influence. The dances entitled "Jota Cagayana", "Paseo de Iloilo" and "Aray" are all portrayals of some of the customs and traditions during the Spanish regime. More specifically, the way men and women dress up, the form of courtship and the way families of the "elite" class pass their leisure time promenading in the plaza.

Rural

The dances under this will take us to the northern and central part of the Philippines where the people are more fun-loving, who love to cheer, sing, dance and celebrate fiestas, especially after a bountiful harvest. This suite starts with "Harana" (serenade), still practised in the provinces, in which a man tries to win a woman I s heart by serenading her in the evening with very romantic Filipino songs. Then, followed by "Pandanggo sa Ilaw" , a dance symbolizing the fireflies. The festive mood continues as another group emerges to dance "Subli" which invigorates the crowd after a joyful and fruitful harvest. And lastly, the whole ensemble gathers around a couple dancing "Tinikling" representative of rice paddy birds trying to escape the bamboo traps.