LESSON 5 Festival Dance

Summary

In this lesson, Ms. Marcel Durano, a physical education teacher at Ireland University Pasi, introduces Filipino festival dances. The lesson explores their cultural significance, with a focus on both **religious** and **secular** festival dances. Students learn about various dances celebrated across the Philippines, such as the **Ati-Atihan**, **Gigantes**, **Bangus**, and **MassKara** festivals, each reflecting different cultural practices and industries. The lesson emphasizes the importance of preserving cultural traditions and the unity they represent. Students are tasked with choosing examples from different regions and explaining the significance behind these dances in Filipino culture.

Takeaways

• 😀 Festival dance is a cultural performance performed to the beats of percussion instruments by communities sharing the same culture, often in honor of patron saints or in thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest.
• 😀 Festival dances in the Philippines are deeply tied to both religious and secular events, and they reflect the way of life, traditions, and culture of the people.
• 😀 The history of festival dances in the Philippines highlights their significance as community celebrations, showcasing the unity and resilience of Filipinos.
• 😀 Festival dances use movement, costumes, and props to portray the people's way of life, with specific dance patterns and floor designs being essential to the performance.
• 😀 There are two main types of festival dances: religious (celebrating saints or religious figures) and secular (celebrating industries or harvests).
• 😀 Religious festival dances, such as Ati-Atihan, Gigantes, and Pinafrancia, honor specific saints and are celebrated at designated times of the year.
• 😀 Secular festival dances, like the Bangus Festival, Masskara Festival, and Panagbenga Festival, celebrate industries such as fishing, sugar production, and flowers.
• 😀 Cultural festivals play an important role in showcasing the diversity of Filipino traditions, often tied to local industries and local identity.
• 😀 The movements in festival dances are not random; they follow specific floor patterns or designs, representing the organization and discipline of the dancers.
• 😀 Festival dances reflect Filipino values such as gratitude for a bountiful harvest, unity, and the ability to overcome challenges, bringing communities together despite adversity.

Q & A

What is a festival dance?

A festival dance is a cultural dance performed by a community, typically to the strong beats of percussion instruments. It is usually done in honor of patron saints or to give thanks for a bountiful harvest.

Why are festival dances significant in the Philippines?

Festival dances are significant because they reflect the culture, lifestyle, and values of the Filipino people. They celebrate religious and secular events and are expressions of community unity and resilience.

What are the two main types of festival dances?

The two main types of festival dances are religious festival dances, which honor saints or religious figures, and secular festival dances, which celebrate secular themes like harvest or local industries.

What is the importance of movements in festival dances?

Movements in festival dances are important because they represent the culture and lifestyle of the people. They also follow specific patterns or designs that convey meaning and reflect the values of the community.

Can you give an example of a religious festival dance and its details?

An example is the Ati-Atihan Festival from Kalibo, Aklan. It honors the Santo Niño and is celebrated in January.

What distinguishes religious and secular festival dances?

Religious festival dances are performed in honor of religious figures or saints, while secular festival dances celebrate themes such as local industries, harvests, or the community's achievements.

What is the significance of secular festival dances in the Philippines?

Secular festival dances are significant because they celebrate local industries, bountiful harvests, and thanksgiving. They are a way for communities to honor their contributions and successes outside of religious contexts.

Give an example of a secular festival dance.

An example of a secular festival dance is the Dangos Festival from Dagupan, Pangasinan, which celebrates the milkfish industry and is held in April to May.

What message does the teacher want to convey about performing festival dances?

The teacher emphasizes that as practitioners of festival dances, students must perform with respect and ensure they represent the traditions faithfully, showing the community's culture clearly and authentically.

What task were students assigned at the end of the lesson?

Students were assigned to choose one religious festival dance and one secular festival dance from Luzon, Visayas, or Mindanao. They were to explain why these festivals are celebrated and danced, with the condition to choose dances different from those discussed in class.