FILIPINO games took center stage in the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe’s folk dance performance in “Indak Pilipinas: Mga Tradisyon at Interpretasyon” on May 20 at the Metropolitan Theatre.
Salinggawi’s routine titled “Maiba Taya” was inspired by Larong Pinoy (Filipino games).
The performance started with an audiovisual presentation of a boy playing a video game until he falls asleep and is awakened by the loud and joyous dances on the street.
The routine featured regional dances, starting with “Dagit-dagit,” a celebratory dance for good harvest in Capiz. The name of the dance literally means “to swoop.” Anybody from the crowd can pull a dancer who does not perform well.
It was followed by “Konan,” a subtle dance used to solicit money during a wedding in Pangasinan without forcing guests to dole out cash. A pair of performers danced with a coin on their forehead, each guessing where the coin was.
“Pukol,” a Visayan dance where dancers strike coconut shells, was also performed.
A group of men played “Kadang-kadang,” balancing themselves on a pair of bamboo poles without falling.
The performance ended with the “Sinublihan” game from Zambales, during which a buslo or fish basket was tossed back and forth between the players while another player tried to retrieve the basket.
The dances were performed to live music by the Philippine Baranggay Folk Dance Group, the oldest existing folk dance group in the country.
Indak Pilipinas 2023 is the dance festival’s fourth edition, featuring the best folkloric ensembles and dance performers. It was held from May 19 to May 20.
The event was organized by the Philippine Folk Dance Society, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the Department of Education, and the Department of Tourism to celebrate the National Heritage Month of May.
