FOLK DANCE HISTORY

Written by Roy Smith of Hoghton Folk Dance Club

Natural spontaneous behaviour on festive occasions has been the source of song, music and dance since time immemorial.
Through years of performance English Folk Dance has become an established and recognised part of local tradition. Local
inventiveness has developed its special characteristics so that the dance, like language, comes in many varieties. There have
been several main strands to its development, social dancing (men and women together); Step dancing; Morris dancing; Sword
dancing - and each of these strands can be further subdivided.

In Medieval times people would 'carole' i.e. link hands in a line or a circle and sing as they danced to provide their own
accompaniment. The introduction of musicians enabled them to save their breath somewhat! Other dance formations
developed and social dances, even from Tudor times, have been preserved. Also available are many of the printed dance
collections from the mid-seventeenth century onwards. Needless to say, at the time of the Commonwealth the Puritans
considered dancing a sin and tried to stamp it out altogether. However, it is known that even Oliver Cromwell danced until the
early hours of the morning at his daughter's wedding!

We can read descriptions of certain country dances in the works of writers such as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and Thomas
Hardy. Although the Victorian era saw a shift towards couple dances brought in from the continent eg the waltz and the polka,
there was a strong revival of interest in traditional English folk dance, song and music in the late nineteenth/early twentieth
centuries with the work of Cecil Sharp and Mary Neal being of particular importance.

Until relatively modern times folk dances (or Country Dances) were a part of Court life, just as much as of peasant life.
Continental influences were successfully assimilated, just as some aspects of folk dancing have, in turn, been incorporated into
other later forms of dance. Anyone joining in the 'Conga' or the 'Hokey Cokey' is simply reflecting the activities of the medieval
carollers, whether they know it or not!

English Folk Dancing is still around, with a sizeable minority of the population interested and regularly involved. A much greater
proportion comes into occasional contact with it - as shown by the regular demand for bands and callers to run barn dances,
hoedowns, knees-ups and ceilidhs. Charities, schools, churches, social groups and wedding parties are frequent 'customers'.

Besides belonging to a local folk dance club one has the opportunity to attend Saturday night dances, day and residential
courses, and there are longer folk dance holidays on offer for those who seek the winter sunshine of the Mediterranean. Some
groups of people also come together to share in 'special interest' types of folk dancing such as Historical Dance; the dances
from John Playford's 'English Dancing Master' of the seventeenth century; dances from the collections of dancing masters such
as Walsh and Kynaston, and dances done to the tunes of Henry Purcell. Costumed Balls held at appropriate venues such as the
Ashton Memorial, Lancaster; Towneley Hall, Burnley and Tatton Park, Knutsford have become a popular feature. Dedicated
devotees regularly travel much further afield to such places as Bath, Norwich and Bury St Edmunds.

Morris, Sword, Clog and Step dancers are often to be seen at festivals, fairs and fetes - and town-twinnings have brought an
unexpected boost to many.

Folk Dance History in the Philippines

It is impossible to know when exactly dancing became a part of life in the Philippines. Many traditional dances were designed to
thank the gods for natural and agricultural events, such as rain and harvests. The dances were performed during festivals and
remembrances of past military victories, and still are performed at celebrations of births and weddings in modern times. Many
modern folk dance festivals still feature ancient dances performed in costume of the tribal period of the Philippines.

Some dances such as the Palok and the Lumagen are performed with traditional percussion instruments such as the gangsa (a
small copper gong), a tobtob (brass gong) or a hibat (a gong played with a soft wooden stick). For many tribal dances there are
no external musicians; the dancers generate their own accompaniment with stomping and hand clapping.
 Folkdance

1.a dance that originated among, and has been transmitted through, the common people.

2.a piece of music for such a dance.

Objectives of Philippine folkdance

The objective of Philippine folk dances is to be able to develop physical, mental, socio-cultural, recreational, and emotional
capacities of the individual. It is also to appreciate the Filipino culture through engaging in those folk dances.

Five Major classification of folkdance

 Festival Dances - These dances are suitable for special occasions or any social gathering.
 Ceremonial or Religious Dances - These dances are performed in connection with religious vows and ceremonies.
 Occupational Dances - These dances depict action of certain occupation, industry, or human labor.
 Courtship Dances - These dances portray love-making or affection belonging to this classification.
 National and Regional Dances - Polish dance is divided into two categories – the National Dances and the Regional
Dances. National Dances are internationally known, and danced even by the nobility and royalty. Most of the National Dances
originated as Regional Dances and became stylized and balletic by the nobility, who subsequently spread them throughout the
country. The Regional Dances remain in styles characteristic to specific regions and are usually danced by the villagers. There
are five National Dances – the Polonez, the Krakowiak, the Mazur, the Kujawiak and the Oberek – and seemingly infinite
amount of regional dances.
Example:

Balitaw is a song that is usually a topical debate genre performed between a male and female, the original form
believed to be derived from pre-Hispanic courtship genres mentioned above.

In the Visayas, Balitaw is both a song and dance using lyrics which are ideally humorous and performed
spontaneously to a preconceived theme, similar in ways to calypso singing on Trinidad. Most balitaw now, however,
are sung to memorized verse using a standard melody and chord progression.

Musically, the balitaw has evolved over time, incorporating melodic variants; even popular melodies can be
substituted for traditional melodies in performance.
Buti Buti
(Jolo, Sulu) The Badjao, known as sea gypsies, are born, raised, and die on boats called lipa or buti. The Badjao have a
remarkable affinity with their "home boat" that a dance was created in its honor. Deviating from the traditional pangalay, the
buti-buti is an occupational dance that mimics the daily activities of men rowing, diving, casting and pulling nets, harvesting and
bringing home the catch while women use rattan baskets to gather shellfish. The accompanying song or Leleng, describes the
buti-buti's gentle sway, similar to the graceful walk of the badjao lady.

Dugso
 (meaning 'dance') is a ceremonial dance among the Manobo people in Bukidnon, Agusan and Misamis Oriental . The Dugso
(also Dugsu) is usually performed during important occasions like kaliga (feasts) or kaamulan (tribal gatherings). Other
occasions that call for the performance of Dugso are festivities connected to abundant harvest, the birth of a male heir or
victory in war. Brandeis however, claimed that the dugso has no specific occasion underpinning aside from that of the kaliga-
onfestivities. He said that it is only performed to "entertain their deities". The Dugso for a kaliga is usually performed on the
third day which is usually the merriest being the culmination of the whole celebrations.
Jota
The Jota (HOH-tuh) is a style of Spanish dance which most likely originated in the northeastern, Aragon region of Spain in the
17^th or 18^th century and became popular throughout the country. The "Jota of Aragon" is considered to be the oldest form
of this dance, with many other variations in other regions of Spain. La Jota also refers to the style of folksongs and music that
correlate to the dance.
Daling-Daling 
 is a famous courtship dance which means "My Love, My Love". It is popular among the young people of Jolo, Sulu. This dance is
also enjoyed by the audience since they can take part in the performance while singing with the dancers. The music is
composed in one-sixteenth measure and is repeated as many times as necessary.

General classification: 

A. Geographical Origin 
1. National dances - found throughout the islands with little or no modification 
2. Local dances - found in a specific locality 

B. Nature 
1. Occupational dances - depict actions of a labor of a specific occupation, industry or human
labor 
2. Religious Ceremonial dances - dances with religious vows and ceremonies 
3. Comic dances - depict funny movements intended for entertainment 
4. Game dances - done with play elements 
5. Wedding dances - performed during wedding feasts 
6. Courtship dances - depict the art of courtship or dances with love themes 
7. Festival dances - suitable for special occasions or any social gathering 
8. War dances - show imaginary combat or duel 

C. Movements 
1. Active - dances which shows fast energetic movements 
2. Moderate 
3. Slow 
4. Slow and fast 

D. Formation 
1. Square or Quadrille 
2. Long formation 
3. Set - consists of two or more pairs as a unit; partners facing each other or standing side by
side. 

DANCE TERMS 

 bow or saludo  counter clock wise

 hands on waist  curtsy
 hands holding skirt  do-si-do
 arms in lateral position  folded arms
 hayon-hayon  free foot
 abrasete  free hand
 kumintang  "hapay'
 bilao  inside hand/foot
 arms in reverse "T" position  "Jaleo"
 brush  "Kewet"
 clockwise  link elbows/hook elbows
  outside hand/foot  "salok"
 stamp  "sarok"
 "panadyak"  slide
 "place"  star with left hand
 point  star with right hand

Basic Folk Dance Steps

1. Slide Steps or Chassé
o This step is a common one in folk dances. It can be a traveling step, meaning that the dancers can
actually use it to move from point A to point B or traveling around in a circle. To do a slide step or chassé, step to
the side with your right foot and bring your left foot to meet your right. Step right to the side again and bring your
left foot to meet your right. You can do this starting with your left foot and bringing your right foot to meet your
left. You can alternate from one side to the other, or perform the steps first in one direction (traveling to the left),
and then in the other (traveling to the right).

Hopping Steps
o Hopping steps require the dancer's feet to leave the ground. You can hop on one foot and then
the next, or hop twice on one foot and twice on the other. Hopping can be also combined with other folk dance
steps.

A Polka
o A polka is a folk dance performed in 2/4 time that sounds like this: "and 1, 2, 3, and 1, 2, 3, and 1,
2, 3" where the "and" is quicker than the rest of the beats. To polka, hop with the left foot, step with the right foot,
bring the left foot beside the right foot, step with the right and hop with the right foot. Step with the left foot,
bring the right foot to the left foot, step with the left foot and hop with the left foot, then continue by stepping
with the right foot. You can add turns to the polka steps by turning in a clockwise direction after each hop.

Alternating Steps and Hops

o Alternating steps and hops is common in folk dancing. Step with the left foot and hop with the
left, then step with the right foot and hop with the right.

The Schottishe

o The Schottishe is another set of steps that are common in folk dancing. It is a more complicated
alternation of steps and hops. Step with the left foot, step with the right, then step with the left foot and hop with
the left. Step with the right foot and step with the left, then step with the right foot and hop with the right.
2. Look at the illustration below and recall the points to be stressed:

3.
4.
5. Perform the fundamental positions of the arms and feet without music first. Then, select any
music in 2/4 time and repeat performing the said fundamental positions one at a time. In
responding to 2/4 time rhythm, take 2 measures for each position then rest for 4
measures. Repeat the same fundamental position but alternate moving the R and the L
arm/foot on the 3rd position, after 16 measures.
6. Other positions and movements of the arms: