History of tinikling dance

Answer 1

The Tinikling dance is one of the most popular and well-known of traditional Philippine dances. It is pre-Spanish and involves two people beating, tapping, and sliding bamboo poles on the ground and against each other in coordination with one or more dancers who step over and in between the poles in a dance. It's name is a reference to tinkling birds. The dance originated in Leyte among the Visayan islands in the central Philippines as an imitation of the tinkling bird dodging bamboo traps set by rice farmers. It imitates the movement of the tinkling birds as they walk between grass stems, run over tree branches, or Dodge bamboo traps set by rice farmers. Dancers imitate the tinkling bird's legendary grace and speed by skillfully maneuvering between large bamboo poles.

According to legend, the Tinkling dance originated during the time when the Spaniards took over the Philippines. Natives worked on large plantations under the control of the King of Spain. Those who didn't work productively were punished by standing between two bamboo poles.

Females wear a dress called balintawak or patadyong and males wear a uniform called barong tagalog. The balintawak dress is colorful and has wide arched sleeves. The patadyong dress is a pineapple fiber blouse with a checkered skirt.

The barong tagalog uniform is usually lightweight long sleeved shirt worn with red trousers. While performing, no shoes are worn.

Today Tinikling is taught throughout the United States. In grades K-12 they use this type of folk dance as an aerobic exercise for physical education classes to help expand physical movements such as hand coordination, foot speed, and also their rhythm.