Philippine Folk Dance

1. KARAL KAFI
(B’laan Bird Dance)

3. Introduction
• B’laan refers to “the people living in
houses”, an ethnoliguistic group living in
the areas of Davao del Sur, South
Cotabato and Sarangani.
• The B’laan community are basically
swidden farmers who tend to small fields
in the forest clearing

4. • The kafi bird is almost as legendary as
the beautiful maidens who mimic them
in dance.
• Taking inspiration from the male kafi who
spread their wings to display colorful
plumage, the dancers don themselves in
the best finery during their dance.

5. • The Karal Kafi ranks the most popular dance
tradition of the B’laan, so that no festivity is
complete without the performance of this
dance.
• Each Kafi dance is unique because the
performance depends upon the skill and
artistry of the performer.

6. Etymology
• Karal is B’laan for dance; kafi is a name of
a bird
• Karal Kafi literally means “dance of the
kafi bird”

8. Dance Properties
• Dance Culture – Highland Indigenous
• Place of Origin – Davao del Sur
• Ethnolinguistic Group – B’laan
• Classification – Mimetic
• Props - “kumut” (malong) slung around
the neck manipulated to resemble bird
wings

10. • Music – Tangunggo (suspended gongs),
gimbal (drum), agung (large gong)
• Time signature – 4/4 and 2/4
• Stance – slightly stooped
• Performers – All girls

11. • B’laan Costume
• Albong takmun (blue and red pull over
blouse accented with mother-of-pearl
sequins)
• Gitlong (hemp tube skirt or Maguindanaon
plaid malong)
• Kumut (plaid malong slung around the neck)
• Accessories (beaded comb, bracelets, singkil
- anklets, earrings, sabitan guling –
beadwork belt with dangling bells)

14. Basic Steps
• Blaling – with the feet in 3rd (R foot front)
execute tiny steps, L heel slightly raised
• Snud I bli – creeping movement of the
feet close to each other

15. • Arm Movements :
• Talmayak – Arms sideward, hands at
waist level with palms down
• Talmayak inkam – crossed arms front R
(L) over L (R)
• Blaling – One arm extended forward
while other is in rear or on waist

17. • Note :
• The original form of this dance has no
formal pattern or choreography; the
dancer may go though the dance
combining the movements in a variety of
ways

18. Choreographed Sequence
4/4 time
• Entrance
• 16M – Execute heavy running steps
moving around the dance area, move the
arms from talmayak to talmayak inkam
(2M) several times

19. • Figure 1 (Holding edges of the kumut)
• 4M – feet in 3rd, slight spring of both
knees while executing the blaling R (2M)
and L (2M); bend trunk to the direction
of extended arm
• 4M – Repeat
• 4M – Blaling steps turning R 2X (fast
turns); arms in blaling R
• 4M – Blaling steps turning L 2X (fast
turns); arms in blaling L

20. • Figure 2 (Holding the kumut)
• 2M – Snud I bli moving fwd; arms in
talmayak
• 2M – Snud I bli bwd
• 2M – Snud I bli fwd
• 2M – blaling fast turn L
• 8 - Repeat

21. • Figure 3 Release the kumut (Talmayak
and Talmayak Inkam)
• 2M – Snud I bli in place facing audience;
bring arms to cross arm position;
• 2M – Bring arms to 2nd position
• 4M – talmayak flying motions
• 8M – Fafieu bawo
(preening/beautification gesture)

22. • Figure 4 Flying (Blaling R and L
alternately)
• 8M – Heavy running steps; arms in
blaling R and L alternately
• 2M – Blaling R; moving obliquely fwd R
• 2M – Blaling R; moving obliquely bwd L
2M – Blaling R; moving obliquely fwd R
2M – Blaling L; fast turn L

23. • Figure 5
• 4M – Snud I bli in place; Arms directed L
with palms facing out, move arms in fast
tiny circular motions;
• 4M – Fafieu bawo gestures
• 8M – Arms in talmayak, holding the
kumut; execute controlled pushing
gestures; feet in snud I bli

24. • Figure 6
• 2M – Blaling R
• 2M – Blaling L
• 4M – Blaling R fast turn
• 8M – Repeat starting Blaling L

25. • Figure 7
• 8M – Heavy running steps around the
floor ; fast talmayak inkam (once per M)
• 4M – facing R side, arms in talmayak
holding kumut, move bwd in snud I bli;
• 4M – facing L side, arms in talmayak,
move bwd in snud I bli

26. • Exit Figure
• 4M – blaling fast turn R
• 1M – pose – feet in 3rd, agam L