Grade 12  Dance Terms

 Physical Education 1. Abrasete – Girl at the right side, holds R arm of partner with left
Is an integral part of educational program designed to promote hand, free hands down at the sides. This term is Spanish origin
optimum development of the individual physically, emotionally, and is used in Rigodon and in other dances.
socially and intellectually through total body movements in the 2. Arms in Lateral Position – Both arms are at one side, either
performance of properly selected physical activities. sideward right or left. This may be done at shoulder, chest or
 Physical Fitness waist level.
It is the ability of the body to perform one’s daily tasks efficiently 3. Arms in Reverse T – Arms are side horizontal , elbows bent at
without undue fatigue and still has some extra reserve in cases of triangles, forearms parallel to head, palms forward or facing
emergency. inward, fits loosely closed.
Folk Dance 4. Bilao – To turn palms of hands up and down alternately, hands
 What is dance? at waist level in front, elbows close to waist.
Dance is a rhythmic and expressive body movements, 5. Brush – Weight on one foot, hit the floor with the ball or heel of
usually coordinated into a pattern and adapted to musical the other foot (the free foot ) after which that foot is lifted from
accompaniment. the floor to any direction.
 What is folk dance? 6. Blecking – To touch the floor of your R/L foot heel forward.
The traditional recreational dance of an indigenous society 7. Cabeceras – When dancers are in square formation, the
showing the cultural characteristics of a specific people at a given couples occupying the width of the hall are called Cabeceras or
time and place. head couples. This is Spanish origin.
 Philippine Folk Dance (Luzon) 8. Clockwise – Like the motion of the hands of the clock. R
1. Banga shoulder is toward the center of an imaginary circle. When
2. Maglalatik facing center, the movement is toward the right.
3. Pandango Sa Ilaw 9. Counterclockwise – The reverse direction of clockwise. L
4. Balse shoulder is toward the center of an imaginary circle. When
5. Jotabal facing center, the movement is toward the right.
6. Makonggo 10. Costados – When dancers are in square formation / a diamond
 Philippine Folkdance (Visayas) formation, the couples occupying the length of the hall are
1. Tinikling costados or side pairs. This is Spanish origin.
2. Kuratsa 11. Crossed Arms – Partners are facing each other or standing
3. Mazurka Boholana side by side, girl at the right of boy. They join their L hands
4. Escotis together and their R hands together; either R over L or L over R
 Philippine Folkdance hands.
(Mindanao) 12. Cross – over – Two couples are opposite each other. Each
1. Itik - Itik couple proceeds in a straight line to the opposite place. The girls
2. Singkil pass by their L shoulders between the boys. Boys bow to each
3. Kandingan other when they meet at the middle or about one third of the
 Fundamental Dance Position way, then proceed to the opposite place. Upon reaching the
A. Feet Positions opposite place, partners turn about; girls stand at partners’ right
1. Feet close and Parallel heels; Touching toes at 45 side.
degrees. 13. Cut – To displace quickly one foot with the other, thus
2. Open parallel stride sideward completely taking off the weight of the body from the displaced
3. Feet close – crossed; Heel in step touching kness locked foot.
4. Feet open crossed. 14. Do – si – do (Dos – A – Dos) – The vis – a – vis (opposites
5. Feet close – toes. both advance forward, pass each other’s right or left side, step
across to the right or left , move backward without turning
around pass each other’s left or right side to proper places. This
is of foreign origin and is used in many Philippine dances.
15. Free Foot – The foot not bearing the weight of the body.
B. Arm Positions 16. Free Hand – The hand not placed anywhere or not doing
1. Arms encircled in front chest level, relaxed, fingers slightly anything.
apart. 17. Grand Chain Right/Left – Partners join right hands facing
2. Arms raised sideways a little below shoulder level. each other. Boys all move counterclockwise and girls
3. One arm encircled overhead, other raised sideways. clockwise. Each boy in starting passes his partner on her
4. One arm encircled on first position other arm overhead. right and drops her hand, joins left hand with the left of the
5. Both arms overhead. next girl, who advances to meet him, and passes her on
C. Combination of Feet and Arms Positions her life, and drop hands, joins right hand with the next
advancing girl and so on. The girls do the same giving right
and left hands to each succeeding boy. When partners
meet for the first time they continue until they meet for the
second time in their proper places. Then all turn about and
reverse direction.
18. Hands on waist – Place hands at the waist line (at the
smallest part of the trunk) knuckles in fingers pointing rear.
19. Hapay – To flourish or offer a handkerchief, hat or glass of
wine to somebody as a sign of invitation.
20. Hayon – Hayon – To place one forearm in front and the 43. Star with R Hand – Four or more people join hands at
other at the back of the waist. This is a Visayas Term. center and circle around clockwise using walking or any
21. Hop – A spring from one foot landing on the same foot in kind of dance steps.
the place or in any direction. The other foot may be raised 44. Star with Left hand – Same as Star with R hand, but
in any direction (in front, in rear, sideward or across). joining L hands turning counterclockwise.
22. Inside Foot – The foot nearest one’s partner, when 45. Step – To advance or recede by raising or moving one foot
partners stand side by side. to another resting place. There is a complete transfer of
23. Inside Hand – The hand nearest one’s partner, when weight from one foot to another.
partners stand side by side. 46. Supporting Foot – The foot that bears the weight of the
24. Jaleo – Partner turn once around clockwise (with R elbows body.
almost touching) or counterclockwise (with L elbows almost 47. Tap – To rap slightly with the ball or toe of the free foot,
touching) using walking or any kind of dance step. The flexing the ankle joint keeping weight of the body on the
hands near each other are on waists. This is aTagalog other foot. There is no change or transfer of weight.
term but of a Spanish origin. 48. Whirl – To make fast turns by executing small steps in
25. Jump – Spring on one foot or both, landing on both in any place to right or left.
direction. 49. Contraganza Step – Leap, cross – step, step.
26. Kumintang – Moving the hand from the wrist either in a 50. Waltz Balance – Step, close- heel raised, heel down.
clockwise or counterclockwise direction. This is an Ilocano
term.
27. Leap – Spring on the supporting foot and land on the feet.
28. Masiwak – To turn the hand from the wrist halfway
clockwise then raise and lower wrist once or twice. This is
an Ibanag Term.
29. Outside Foot – The foot away from one’s partner, when
partners stand side by side.
30. Outside Hand - The hand away from one’s partner, when
partners stand side by side.
31. Panadyak – To Stamp in front or at the side with R/L foot
and tap with same foot close to the L/R foot, weight of the
body on L/R foot. This is a Tagalog term.
32. Partner – Girl to right of boy to left of girl.
33. Place – To put foot in a certain or desired position without
putting weight on it. The sole of the foot rests on her floor.
34. Pivot – To turn with the ball, heel or whole foot, on fixed
place or point.
35. Patay – To bend the head downward and to support the
forehead with R/L forearm or with the crook of the R/L
elbow while L/R hand supports lightly the palm of the R/L
hand. This is usually done with the L/R foot pointing in rear
and knees slightly bent. This is an Ilocano term and the
movement is commonly found in Ilocano dances.
36. Point – Touch the floor lightly with the toes of one foot,
weight of the body on the other foot.
37. Salok – To swing the arm downward – upward passing in
front of the body as if scooping, the trunk is bent forward
following the movement of the arm doing the salok. This is
a Tagalog Term.
38. Saludo – Partners bow each other, to the audience,
opposite dancers, or to the neighbors with feet together.
This term is Spanish origin and is used in almost all
Philippine dances.
39. Saroc – Cross the R/L foot in front of L/R, bent the body
slightly forward and across the hands (foreams) down in
front with R/L hand (forearm) over the L/R. This is a
Visayas term.
40. Set – A dance formation like a square or unit formation
composed of two or more pairs.
41. Slide – To glide foot smoothly along the floor. The
movement may be finished with or without transfer of
weight
42. Stamp – To bring down the foot forcibly and noisily on the
floor (like doing a heavy step) with or without transfer of
weight.