Episode 198 – “Save the Last Tinikling For Me”: Philippine Folk Dances with Ray Tadio

This Filipino American Life

Rondalla. Kulintang. Bamboo poles. Gangsas. Sway balance. DANCE!

We all are quite familiar with Philippine folk dances such as Pandanggo sa Ilaw, Vinta, Carinosa, Banga, and of course, Tinikling. Whether we learned them through P.E. classes back in the Philippines, church festivals in the U.S., on college campuses at a PCN, or even on viral TikTok videos, Filipino Americans have had some exposure to folk dances. How did these dances become so popular and why do they play such a large part of “Filipino culture”?

In this TFAL episode, we talk about Philippine folk dances. The crew starts things off by discussing our exposures and experiences in Philippine dance. Then we dive into our interview with San Francisco State Dance Professor Ray Tadio. Listen as we discuss how these folk dances evolved from sacred rituals to world stage performances. How did Philippine nationalists document and “canonize” Philippine folk dances? How did they come to represent Filipinos and Filipino Americans? What happens when communal dances become stage performances? Does it lose its original purpose and meaning? What are dances that haven’t been documented into the Philippine dance canon? What are the various politics embedded within creating a canon? Are lowland, Christianized Filipinos allowed to perform dances from the Cordilleras or Bangsamoro? Listen to this episode to find some of the answers to these deep questions as well as the discussion on Tadio’s upcoming documentary Forgotten Folk Dances.

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

What are your experiences with Philippine folk dances? Let us know your thoughts! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at [e-mail].

Photo: Some of the 7,127 Sorsogon residents performing the Pantomina sa Tinampo, the Bicolano courtship dance, setting a Guinness World Record for the largest Philippine folk dance in 2019.