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