May 1, 2025
Tinikling
A dance from the Philippines pre-Spanish colonization. The name originates from the word 'tikling' that is in reference to any number of rail species. This dance has its origins in the Visayas, having originated in Palo, Leyte.
The dance imitates the movement of the tikling birds, who nimbly move over the terrain, or over bamboo traps set by primarily rice farmers. In this, the dancers that perform the tinikling move skillfully between two -- sometimes four -- bamboo poles tapped and slid to a beat. They perform barefooted, and must move with the increasing tempo of the bamboo.
