TINIKLING
This dance is a favorite in the Visayan Island, especially
in the province of Leyte. The "Tilkling" is a bird with long legs
and a long neck. The 'Tikling" birds as they walk between grass
stems or run over tree branches. This spectacular dance is usally
accompanied by a song.
The performers dance along the sides and between two bamboo
poles, about nine feet long, which are placed horizontally on the
ground. The poles are struck together in time to the music. Skill
is demonstrated in dancing between the bamboos, and in keeping the
feet from being caught when the poles are struck together. There
is much fun, however, when the bamboo players catch the feet of
the dancers.
Two bamboo players sit opposite each other on the ground
holding the ends of the bamboo poles ( sometimes long pestles).
Two pieces of board or bamboo, about thirty inches long and two
inches thich, are placed under the poles, about one foot from the
ends.
COSTUME. Girls wear "balintawak" or " patadiong." Boys
wear " barong tagalog" and long red trousers with
one leg rolled up. They dance barefoot.
MUSIC is divided into two parts: A and B.
COUNT one, two, three to a measure.
FORMATION. Dancers stand at the left side of the bamboo
poles, girls in front, facing the audience.
BAMBOO RHYTMS. (abbreviation is B.R.)
B.R. I. Strike bamboo poles together once by sliding
them against the board or lifting them an inch or
so open the bamboos about a foot apart and strike
them twice against the boards. This is repeated
as many times as necessary in regular rhythm.
B.R. II. Strike bamboos once as above, open bamboos a foot
apart and strike them three times against the boards
with R, L, R, hands of bamboo player number 1 and
with L,R, L hands of number 2.
Tinikling steps:
Tinikling step right- Hop on L foot outside (at the left
side) the bamboos, hop on R between the bamboo
poles (ct.2), then hop on the L foot on the same
spot (ct.3) and raise R. (that is, when the bamboos
are struck together count one, the hop is done
outside and when they are far apart the two hops
are done between or inside on counts two, three).
Bend R arm upward about head level and "kumintang"
the hand counterclockwise, girls L hand holding the
skirt and boy's on waist........................1 M
Tinikling step left- Hop on R foot outside ( at the right
side) the bamboo poles (ct.1), hop on L between the
poles (ct. 2) and hop on R on the same spot (ct. 30).
Reverse hand position...........................1 M
INTRODUCTION
Music Introduction.
(a) Starting with the R foot, dancers take four waltz steps
forward going to proper places, the girls holding the
skirt, the boy's hands on the waist..................4 M
Bamboo Rhythm - silent for ( 1M).
Strike bamboo poles together once at every first beat of the
second, third and fourth measures (2-4 M)........................4 M
(b) Dancers stands at the left side of the poles on the L foot.
Tap with R foot twice between the poles on counts two and
three of measures 5 (c). Repeat (b) three times more
(6-8 M)..............................................4 M
B.R.I. Play four times (4 M).....................................4 M
I
TINIKLING STEP
Music A (B.R.I.)
(a) Take seven "tinikling" steps R and L alternately. Hand
position as described above. The first hop on count one
of measure one may be omitted........................7 M
(b) Step R foot outside pole No. 2 (ct.1) hop twice on the L
foot between turning right about (cts.2,3). Girl holds
skirt, boy's hands on waist.........................1 M
(c) Take seven "tinikling" steps L and R alternately. Hands
as above.............................................7 M
(d) Girl hops on L foot outside pole No.2 (ct.1) hops on R
twice between the poles, going backward near bamboo player
No.1 (cts. 2,3). Hands as above in 8 M.
Boy hops on L foot outside pole No. 1 (ct. 1), turns right
by hopping twice on the R foot between the poles going near bamboo
player No. 2 (cts. 2, 3). Hands as in 8 M........................1 M
They finish facing each other.
II
CLOCKWISE AND COUNTERCLOCKWISE
Music A (B. R. I).
(a) Girl stands at the left side of pole No. 2 and boy at
the left side of pole No. 1. Starting with the L foot,
take four steps forward outside the poles (cts. 1, 2, 3,
4); turn right about and hop on L (ct. 5) and R foot
(ct. 6) between the poles. Girl olds skirt, boy's hands
on waist.............................................2 M
(b) Repeat (a) three times more, going clockwise. O the
eight measure hop on L twice between the poles (cts.
5, 6)................................................6 M
(c) Repeat all (a, b), starting with the R foot on the other
side of the poles (boy at the right side of the pole No. 2,
and girl of pole No. 1). Reverse direction...........7 M
Note: This time the figure is started by hopping on the R
(ct. 1) and L foot (ct. 2) between the poles.
(d) Girl takes three steps forward about two feet away from
pole No. 2...........................................1 M
Boy takes three steps forward about two feet away from pole
No. 1. Finish facing each other..................................1 M
III
KURADANG STEP
Music B (B. R. II)
(a) Take eight "kuradang" steps R an L alternately. Arms in
fourth position, R and L alternately................16 M
At the last measure the boy jumps over to the left side of his
partner facing the same direction.
IV
TINIKLING STEPS SIDEWAYS
Music B (B. R. I). Open the poles wider to accommodate the feet of
the dancers.
Partners join inside hands. Free hand of the girl holding the
skirt, and boy's free hand on his waist.
(a) Hop on L foot outside the poles (ct. 1), hop on R (ct. 2)
and on L between the poles (ct. 3)....................1 M
(b) Hop forward on R foot outside across pole No. 1 (ct. 1),
hop on L (ct. 2), and R foot between the poles (ct. 3).1 M
(c) Repeat (a) and (b) five times alternately.............5 M
(d) Hop on R twice, outside ole No. 1, turning right about.
Release the hold of inside hands (ct. 1, 2). Hop on L close
R foot in place (ct. 3)...............................1 M
(e) Join inside hands. Repeat (a, b, and c)...............7 M
(f) Hop on R foot outside pole No. 2. Release the hold of inside
hands (ct. 1), pause (ct. 2, 3).......................1 M
V
FEET APART
Music A (B. R. I).
(a) Girl turns right and boy left (facing each other), jump
with both feet apart outside the poles (No. 1 and No. 2),
join both hands and swing them sideways (ct. 1), jump twice
with feet together between the poles, swing hands down in
front between them (cts. 2, 3)........................1 M
(b) Repeat (a) twice more.................................2 M
(c) Jump with feet apart outside the poles (ct. 1), release
hands and jump twice between the poles turning right about
(cts. 2, 3). Partners are in back-to-back position....1 M
(d) Repeat (a), (b) and (c) except hands movements. Girl holding
skirt, boy's hands on waist...........................4 M
(e) Repeat all (a, b, c and d) except on the sixteenth measure,
the girl does not turn. The boy turns right about facing the
audience..............................................8 M
VI
CROSS-STEP
Music A (B. R. I).
(a) Hop on L foot across pole No. 2 and raise R foot in rear
(ct. 1), hop on R twice between the poles (cts. 2, 3).
Girl's right hand on waist and L holding skirt, boy's hands
on waist...............................................1 M
(b) Hop on L outside pole No. 1 and raise R foot in front
(ct. 1), hop on R twice between the poles (cts. 2, 3).
Hands as above.........................................1 M
(c) Repeat (a) and (b) three times more. On the last two counts
of the eigth measure on hop R foot twice turning right
about.................................................6 M
(d) Repeat seven times (a) and (b) alternately............7 M
(e) Girl hops on L outside pole No. 2 (ct. 1), hops on R twice
between poles moving backward near bamboo player No. 1
(cts. 2, 3).
Boy hops on L outside pole No. 1 (ct. 2), hops on R foot between
poles moving forward near bamboo player No. 2 (ct. 2), hop on R again and
face right about (ct. 3)...........................................1 M
VII
DIAGONAL
Music B (B. R. I).
(a) Hop on L foot outside the poles (girl outside pole No. 2,
boy pole No. 1) (ct. 1), hop on R diagonally forward to the
center of the poles (ct. 2). Hop on L on the same spot (ct. 3).
Join R hands on counts 2, 3..............................1 M
(b) Hop on R foot diagonally backward across the other pole (girl
across pole No. 1, boy No. 2). Release the hold of R hands (ct.
1), hop on L (ct.2) and R (ct. 3) between the poles as above.
Join R hands on counts 2, 3..............................1 M
(c) Repeat five times (a) and (b) alternately................5 M
(d) Leap to exchange places..................................1 M
(e) Repeat (a), (b) and (c)..................................7 M
(f) Boy leaps to the left side of pole No. 1 and girl at the right
side of pole No. 2 near bamboo player No. 2..............1 M
VIII
WALTZ STEPS
Music B (B. R. II) - 8 M
(a) Starting with the R foot, take four waltz steps forward. Arms
in lateral position moving sideward R and L alternately or
inside hands joined.....................................4 M
(b) Repeat (a) moving backward..............................4 M
(B. R. I) - 8 M.
Girl dances in front of her partner.
(c) Hop on the outside the poles (girl outside pole No. 2, boy pole
No. 1) (ct. 1), hop on the inside foot twice between the poles
(cts. 2, 3). Girl holds her skirt, boy's hands on waist..1 M
(d) Repeat (c) five times more moving forward little by little..5 M
(e) Boy jumps over to the left side of the girl and they join R hands.
Girl makes a three-step turn left in place passing under the arch
of arms (1 M), and both bow to the audience (1 M)...........2 M