Tinikling Dance Basic Steps - Philippine Folk Dance

Tinikling: The National Dance of The Philippines with Bamboo Poles One of the most popular folk dances in the Philippines is the Tinikling. The traditional dance, which usually involves a pair of two bamboo poles, is considered to be the oldest in the country and its appeal has spread across the globe—particularly to the United States. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinikling Why is the dance called Tinikling? Wondering how this type of dance got its name? The Tinikling is said to be named after the long-legged bird called the tikling in the Philippines. This bird belongs to a number of rail species, but the name typically refers to the slaty-breasted Rail (Gallirallus striatus), the buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis), and the barred rail (Gallirallus torquatus). Stories behind the dances’ origin According to historical accounts, the Tinikling dance originated during the Spanish occupation in the Philippines—particularly on the island of Leyte. Rice farmers on the Visayan Islands usually set up bamboo traps to protect their fields, yet tikling birds dodged their traps. Locals imitated the birds’ movement, and supposedly, that’s how this dramatic traditional folk dance was born. Dancing the Tinikling Alongside the Cariñosa dance, the Tinikiling is considered a national dance in the Philippines and almost every Filipino knows how to do it. Since it’s a dramatic dance, it’s usually performed on special occasions like traditional Filipino festivals or at school and theater performances. Some say that this dance represents most Filipinos’ two main character traits: They’re resilient and fun-loving. To dance the Tinikling, you need two pairs of bamboo poles that are each 6–12 feet long (about 1.8–3.7 meters). Female dancers usually wear a dress called a Balintawak (a colorful dress with arched sleeves) or a Patadyong (a checkered loose skirt that’s often worn with a thin-fibered blouse). Males wear an embroidered formal shirt that’s untucked called the Barong Tagalog—which is the country’s national outfit for Filipino men. The Barong is usually paired with red trousers. All dancers perform the Tinikling while barefoot. While only two bamboo poles are involved in this dance, some versions use four bamboo poles, where the pairs are arranged in a cross-like pattern. To avoid getting their ankles caught in between the poles, dancers must listen closely and follow the rhythm of the music. "Tinikling". Robert S. Kennedy, Pedro C. Gonzales, Edward C. Dickinson, Hector C. Miranda, Jr., & Timothy H. Fisher (2000). A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines. Oxford University Press. pp. 76–77. ISBN 9780198546689. "Researchers probe possible origin of "tinikling" folkdance in Leyte". Philippine Information Agency. 8 August 2006. Retrieved 15 January 2008. Horowitz, Gayle L. (2009). International Games: Building Skills Through Multicultural Play. Human Kinetics. p. 74. ISBN 9780736073943. "Tinikling Revolution". Brown Nation website. 6 November 2008. Archived from the original on 31 October 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2012. Alison Riley (1 September 2010). "Tinikling: A dance for the birds". Asiaxpress.com. Retrieved 13 November 2016. Julia Virtue (14 May 2013). "Tinikling". USC Folklore Archives. Retrieved 13 November 2016. Mellie Leandicho Lopez (2006). A Handbook of Philippine Folklore. University of the Philippines Press. pp. 459–462. ISBN 9789715425148. Christy Lane & Susan Langhout (1998). Human Kinetics (ed.). Multicultural Folk Dance Guide, Volume 2. University of the Philippines Press. pp. 27–33. ISBN 9780880119214. [[:Category:|]] Farnell, Brenda (2015). "The Pangalay Dance in the Construction of Filipino Heritage". The Journal for the Anthropological Study of Human Movement. 22 (1). "Samahang Pilipino". Samahang Pilipino. Retrieved 18 April 2016. Kautz, Pete (2005). "The Tinikling: How Traditional Filipino Dance Can Develop Your Combative Attributes!". Alliance Martial Arts. Retrieved 15 January 2009. Steihl, Jim; Morris, G.S. Don; Sinclair, Christina (2008). Teaching Physical Activity: Change, Challenge, and Choice. Human Kinetics. Bennett, John Price; Riemer, Padma Coughenour (2006). Rhythmic Activities and Dance. Human Kinetics.