Sayaw sa Bangko

Originating from the province of Pangasinan in Northern Luzon, Sayaw sa Bangko, or sometimes just 'Bangko,' is a couples dance performed on top of wooden benches. Performers jump on and off the benches, which are progressively stacked on to each other. By the end of the dance, one couple will jump from a bench stacked onto two others, forming a third tier. Because of the speed and the height at which the dance is performed, it is simultaneously exciting and dangerous.

 

Pandanggo sa Ilaw

Pandanggo is derived from the Fandango dance of Spain, and was introduced during that country's colonial occupation of the Philippines. A particular variant of the dance, Pandanggo sa Ilaw, sometimes called “The Light Dance,” comes from the island of Mindoro. Performers simulate the movement of fireflies by balancing candles or oil lamps while dancing with their partners. About halfway through the dance, the candles are wrapped in a handkerchief and swung around, requiring dancers to have careful coordination in order to prevent the candle from falling out and setting something on fire.

 

Tinikling

Perhaps the most famous Filipino dance of all time, Tinikling comes from the island of Leyte in the Visayas region. During the dance, couples move in and out of two bamboo sticks which are tapped and clapped together by another pair. Those without quick feet risk finding their ankles caught between the sticks as they clap together. The dance imitates the movement of tikling birds as they dodge the bamboo traps set up by farmers.

 

Singkil

Singkil is a dance from Mindanao in the southern Philippines. Like Tinikling, it features clapping sticks, but also tells the story of a prince and a princess, who are accompanied by their royal entourage (the rest of the dancers.) The prince carries a sword and shield while the princess dances under the shade of an umbrella carried by an attendant. The sticks are arranged in a cross shape with four clappers, while the dancers move in a circle around the intersection of the sticks.

 

Carinosa

Another sign of Spanish influence on Filipino culture is the Carinosa dance, which in Spanish means “affectionate one.” This dance is performed in ¾ time and sees couples flirt through the use of fans and handkerchiefs. Their movements resemble a romantic game of hide and seek as the boy and girl express their interest with each other, but never actually touch. A relatively formal dance, men traditionally wear a Barong Tagalog, while women wear a Filipiniana, the Philippine national dresses for their respective genders.

 

K-Pop

Unlike the dances previously mentioned, K-Pop is not a traditional Filipino dance, nor is it even Filipino. K-Pop stands for Korean Pop music, which has in recent years seen an explosion in popularity across Asia, and the Philippines is no exception. Because K-Pop is a very broad genre united only by the fact that it comes from South Korea, the songs used in this year's segment all vary from each other, ranging from a cutesy girl group song to a harder hitting electronic track. Almost every hit song has a dance associated with it, showcasing a variety of moves and styles.