JANGGAY: Philippine Folk Dance


 The Janggay or 'Igal Janggay" is one Badjao dance that is performed to the tradition of the Pangalay. Pangalay being a predominant dance form favorite among the gentle people of the Sulu archipelago.

Janggay refers to metal fingernails or claws that the dancers wear on their hands as the sinuous movements of pangalay figures are executed. To the Sama de Laut people it is called "solengkengkeng". The janggay is supposed to enhance or magnify the dancer's hand twists and wrist flicks because it serves like a sort of an extension. From the usual starting position, the Sinalayan, the dance progresses to different pangalay postures moving to a dampened sound of local gongs. Emphasis is however, not moved away from the janggay, the object of the dance. It is interesting to note that two National Artists for Dance came across the Igal Janggay dance in their researches. Ramon Obusan recorded this version from Badjao women of Arena Blanco, Zamboanga del Sur. Orosa-Goquinco also had a field photo shoot of "Janggay" dancers in Sulu, it was later published in her 1980 book The Dances of the Emerald Isles.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LAVEZARES: Philippine Folk Dance from Samar

Image
LAVEZARES This traditional dance came from the northwestern part of Samar. It is popular in the municipalities of Capul, Allen and Lavezares. It is also performed by the old folks of Calbayog. In fact, an excerpt from the Lavezares dance (the last ballroom figure) is the "Ti Yadut" of Calbayog. The dance is similar to a surtido because of the assorted folk and traditional dance steps like kuradang , pi'ang-pi'ang, paseo con cambio pareja and valse with patty-cake turns; which are strung to have the dance performed. The dance have been popularized by a an unidentified folk dance group from Calbayog City. Researchers of the Bayanihan came across the Lavezares dance in one of their researches in Samar in the late 1970's. The dance has, since then, became a part of their Spanish-influenced dance repertoire. The music that accompanies the dance is a lovely mix of favorite Waray melodies which are played in this order: (1) the Pandangyado which sounds like Cos...
Read more

ESTUDIANTINA: Philippine Folk Dance from Samar

Image
  The most popular Abaknon (or Capuleño to "outsiders") dance is probably the "Dos Amigos" which is one big favorite among fiestas where its performance serves as a "pasakalyi" or intermissions between scenes in a local Abaknon "komidya". There are however, many folk and traditional dances from the small island: Mazurka Capuleña,Lavezares, Kuratsa (introduced by their Waray relatives) and the Estudiantina. The Abaknon Estudiantina is one of the three available versions of Philippine Estudiantina dances, popular in its broken Spanish name, "Estudiantina de Capuleño". The proper term should have been "La Estudiantina Capuleña". This dance is simply called Estudiantina in the other towns in Samar where it is also popular. The dance could have derived its name from "estudiantina" which is the all-string band that plays the dance music in the many 'baylihan' during the Spanish colonial period. The estudianti...
Read more

JOTA CAVITEÑA: Spanish-Influenced Philippine Folk from Cavite Province

Image
JOTA CAVITEÑA Jota Caviteña is a dance that shows strong Spanish influence. The "jota" being among the most popular of the Spanish dances which were "Filipinized" by the people in many places across Luzon and the Visayas. This version uses unstrung elongated bamboo clickers instead of the Spanish wooden castañuelas. This jota version is from Cavite, hence the name. Popularized by the Bayanihan National Folk Dance Company, the dance has been passed on from one performing group to another incorporating each performing group's reinterpretation as in the case in this video performance of the dance by the Sindaw Performing Arts Guild based in Pasig City, Metro Manila.
Read more