Banga Dance

BANGA DANCE ( POT DANCE )

BANGA DANCE

THE WARRIOR CLAIMS A BRIDE. IN CELEBRATION OF THE FORTHCOMING WEDDING, THE HIGHLAND MAIDEN’S FRIENDS PERFORM A DANCE ABOUT FETCHING WATER THE “banga”, AN EARTHEN JAR.

“BANGA”"Banga" literally mean pots. The Banga or pot dance is a  contemporary performance of Kalinga of the Mountain Province in the Philippines. This dance illustrate the languid grace of a tribe otherwise known as fierce warriors. Heavy earthen pots, as many as seven or eight at a time, are balanced on the heads of maidens as they trudge to the beat of the "gangsa" or wind chimes displaying their stamina and strength as they go about their daily task of fetching water and balancing the banga.

STEPS:

1. Dancers walk in a small bouncing steps with a banga on their head held by a dikin while the right armis extended forward.

2. Dancers walk with straight bouncing movements as they turn around and move from side to side. Footwork always begin with the right foot. The arm movements are very slight consisting of small swings while walking.

3.Take a step and turn right with the same arm position, walk to the center to merge into one straight line.

4. Stand straight, face the audience and stretch arms sideward with palm facing front and wrists moving up and down.

5. Kneel on both feet as hands move downward to the lap. Stand slowly making one movement at a time.

6. Stomp to the right with the ball of the foot and brush to the left while in place.

7. Dancers step and turn to form two lines. Continue the movement as the dancers present the lead dancer with the banga.

8. Repeat some of the arm movements and stomping movements before the dance ends. Dancers walk one after the other, then exit.

SALIDSID

Kalinga wedding dance. Portrayed here is the courtship and marriage customs of the tribe. Female dances with layers of pots as male dancer carries a blanket while imitating the movements of a chicken.

STEPS:

1: Girls enters walking to the left side with a banga on her head while the man enters from the right side with the blanket.

2. The girl’s palm facing downward, arms stretched out to the

side while continuously walking to the left, goes to the back and waves ending on the left side doing a step turn to the right, then, goes around the man

3. Both pair goes to the center as the girl executes slight brushing movement, stops and sits beside the banga as she prepare to balance it on her head.

4. Do the salidsid step. The man manipulates the blanket displaying his footwork, while the girl balances an increasing number of banga on her head.

5. The man gallops as he goes sideward and step brush when backward. The girl uses a variety of walking and mincing steps as heel and ball touch step. Arms are in the amplified palm position facing downward. The dance ends with the man facing the girl while moving the blanket from left to right.