Philippine Folk Dance

1. A
BICOLANO
FOLK DANCE
Pantomina

3. Introduction
 Pantomina was originally a wedding
dance from the Bicol provinces.
 It is also very popular in the northern
part of Samar especially in towns
of Allen and Capul - both directly facing
Bicolandia.

4. This dance is traditionally
performed during wedding
festivities by the couple and their
visitors.
In fact no social gathering in the
Bicol Region is complete without
the Pantomina.

5. The dance is still very
popular in the Bicol Region
even up to this time.
 In fact the dance is synonymous with the
Bicol Express, Mayon Volcano and the
Bicolandia !

6.  During a wedding feast, it is customary
for the newly weds to perform the
dance first and while they dance, their
relatives and guests throw coins at
them.
 Sometimes a plate is placed on the floor
so that the guests may place money in
it.

7.  The dance is performed several times,
by the newly weds and their guests.
 Dancers may improvise their steps
when performing the Pantomina.
 The dance was among the first folk dances
to have its dance steps notated.

8.  The pantomina was featured
in Francisca Reyes Aquino's first-ever
folk dance book, Philippine Folk
Dances and Games, published in
February 1926.
 The dance, according to Aquino, was
also called Salampati during the
Spanish Period.

9. The version described
here is from the
province of Albay.

10. Etymology
Pantomina is Spanish for
“pantomime” because of its
courting/wooing movements
Its old name Salampati means
“doves”, hence the dance is
sometimes referred to as the
“dance of the doves”

11. Dance Properties
Dance Culture – Lowland
Christian
Place of Origin – Albay
Ethnolinguistic Group – Bikol
Classification – Social/Nuptial

13. Mood – Jovial
Stance – Erect
Performers – B and G pair ;
or several pairs

14. Music – provided
by the rondalla
Time Signature
– 2/4 and 3/4

15. Costume
 Couple in traje de boda (wedding
costume) if portraying a wedding feast.
 For the guests, any festive Bikolano costume
like:
 Kimona /camisa and patadyong/saya
or baro’t saya for the lady and barong
and dark pants for the man.
 Sandals for footwear

17. Basic Steps
 Paso (leisurely walk):
 G executes this with the L hand on the waist while the R
holds and sways the skirt
 B swings his arms freely at the sides
 Change Steps
 Engano with a waltz
 Native waltz
 Waltz turn
 Step Swing

18. Arms:
 Lateral position
 Forearm turns
 First to Fourth Position (used with the
engano)
 Arms swinging at sides

19. Figures
 Intro Music
 B and G meet at the center, B holds the G
with his R hand in abrasete position; both
move forward to position themselves on the
dance floor
 They face each other, release hold and
individually make a three-step turn and
execute curtsy to each other

20.  Figure 1 Music A
 G faces audience; B faces away
 4M – 4 paso and change steps R and L
moving fwd
 4M – repeat moving bwd; right about
face
 8M - repeat

21.  Face each other
 4M – repeat moving to partner’s place
passing R to R; turn R about
 4M – repeat moving bwd/away from each
other
 8M – repeat to return to places
 4M – repeat while turning CW;
 4M – repeat while turning CCW

22.  Figure 2 Music B
 Pause (2M) – three step turn R
 The next step is done with partners
facing each other, moving CCW
 12M – 6 engano steps R and L alternately
 2M – Waltz R and L; arms in lateral position
 2M – Waltz turn R; forearm turns

23. This is done while moving
CW
16M – repeat starting with L

24.  Figure 3 Music C
 Abrasete position
 8M – step swing R and L alternately
 6M – waltz R and L alternately, G moves
CCW, while B acts as pivot, also turning
CCW
 2M – release hold, individually execute
waltz turn R

25.  8M – R to R hand hold, execute step
swing R and L alternately
 6M – release hold; waltz R and L
alternately moving CW;
 2M – waltz turn R

26. Figure 4 Music D
Repeat Figure 2
(modification: G faces audience/B
faces away for the first 16M; G faces
away/B faces audience for the
second 16M)

27.  Figure 5 Music C
 Chasing
 14M – Waltz R and L alternately, G moving
ahead of B while tracing a large circle CW;
forearm turns
 2M – waltz turn R
 16M – Repeat but this time with B ahead of
G

28.  Figure 6 Music E
 Facing each other
 4M – Engano R and L
 4M – Waltz R and L alternately
 8M – repeat

29.  6M – Waltz R and L moving to partner’s
place passing R to R; forearm turns
 2M – waltz turn R
 6M – Repeat returning to places
 2M – meet at center with several steps; B
extends his R hand to hold the L of G ; at the
same time G turns L under joined hand;
curtsy to audience

30. Source
Philippine Folk Dances
Volume 1
by
Francisca Reyes-Aquino
pp 85-90