Singkil

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the traditional Philippine dance. For a town in Indonesia, see Singkil, Indonesia.

Singkil
A performance of Singkil in Egypt
Genrefolk dance
Instrument(s)kulintang, agung, bamboo poles
OriginPhilippines

Singkil is an

Maranao princess. A kulintang and agung ensemble always accompanies the dance. Singkil has evolved over time, with significant reinterpretations and changes introduced by the Bayanihan folk dance group, such as the incorporation of the elements from the Darangen
epic, particularly the episodes involving Prince Bantugan and Princess Gandingan.

Description

Singkil
Main dancer of the Singkil, depicting a Maranao princess
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Singkil's origins and evolution have been the subject of various debates, but it is mostly agreed upon that it is a relatively new practice by the Maranao people. Sani (1979) suggests that the dance originated in the Basak area, located on the eastern shores of Lake Lanao, which then spread to other villages in the 1930s. On the other hand, de los Santos (1979) claims that the dance was brought to Lanao, specifically to Rumayas, Lumba-Bayabao (formerly known as Maguing), by an individual from Cotabato, Maguindanao. Although de los Santos does not provide a specific date for its introduction, it is believed that the Singkil dance appeared relatively recently. Kanami Namiki also suggests that a plausible origin may have been the bamboo dances practiced by lowland Christians and its adoption by the Maranao people could have occurred when folk dance was incorporated into the Physical Education curriculum in Lanao's public schools during the early 1900s. Abdullah Madale (1976) includes a photograph in his book, labeling it as the Singkil dance and depicting two parallel bamboo poles. He describes it as a typical outdoor dance of the Maranao people. Similarly, Steven Fernandez, the founder and artistic director of the Integrated Performing Arts Guild (IPAG), speculates that the Singkil dance may have originally been a dance-game played by Maranao children. However, it underwent significant transformation into a noble royal dance named Singkil by the Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company.[1]

Henrietta Hofer-Ele was one of the first to conduct a research on the execution of the dance which is now called Singkil. Encouraged by her teacher,

Francisca Reyes Aquino, Hofer-Ele conducted her study on a unique bamboo dance that she had witnessed in Marawi during a regional inter-school athletic event. Initially, the dance had no name and was performed only by girls, usually one or two dancers, holding fans in their hands. Aquino had intended to study the dance herself but lacked local connections, which hindered her investigation. However, Hofer-Ele, originally from nearby Cotabato province, had family connections that enabled her to pursue her research.[1]

In the mid-1950s, Hofer-Ele encountered difficulties finding individuals knowledgeable about the dance since it was rarely practiced and gradually fading away. Fortunately, Princess Tarhata Alonto-Lucman, who belonged to royalty, generously shared her knowledge with Hofer-Ele. Other Maranao ladies later taught Hofer-Ele the specific movements involving fans. One of these ladies impressed Hofer-Ele with her singing while skillfully handling three fans in each hand.[1]

While Hofer-Ele's research did not provide evidence that the dance was originally a royal dance, the Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company, to which she later presented her findings, interpreted it as such. This interpretation may have been influenced by the fact that the person who taught Hofer-Ele the dance was of royal descent. Bayanihan made adjustments to the dance, including designating the principal dancer as a "princess" accompanied by an attendant holding a royal umbrella. The princess wore a gold-colored long-sleeved blouse, a malong, and a veil on her head. She used two fans, adorned with brass nails, and danced between criss-crossed bamboo poles. Originally, there was no musical accompaniment, except for the sounds of clanking brass anklets and clashing bamboo poles. The dance was subsequently named Singkil after the brass anklets worn by the original dancer, Princess Tarhata.[1][2]

Later, the Bayanihan folk dance group incorporated the Singkil dance into a storyline based on an episode from the

Maranao epic, Darangen. The narrative revolves around Prince Bantugan's romantic pursuits of Princess Gandingan. However, as punishment for his past infidelities, supernatural forces hinder his pursuit, causing disturbances and obstacles. In this reinterpretation developed by Bayanihan, male warrior-assistants were introduced alongside the female court ladies accompanying the princess.[2]

Bayanihan played a significant role in popularizing Singkil and introducing notable modifications to the original dance. Creative directors of the group reimagined the dance in the early 1950s to enhance the cast and characters for their world tour at the Brussels Expo in 1958. Their version of Singkil features multiple fan dancers, a prince, warriors with swords and shields, crisscrossed bamboo poles, and an umbrella attendant. The performance incorporates theatrical vignettes portraying a segment of the Darangen epic, where Prince Bantungan rescues Princess Gandingan during an earthquake caused by forest spirits.[2][3]

The Bayanihan interpretation of Singkil involves the female lead dancer portraying Princess Gandingan of the Darangen epic, wearing ankle rings to keep time while dancing. In the Maranao epic, Princess Gandingan is trapped in the forest during an earthquake caused by the diwatas (or the forest spirits) of the Kingdom of Bumbaran. These forest spirits abduct the princess to teach Prince Bantugan a lesson for his philandering ways.[4] The falling trees during the earthquake are symbolized by the crisscrossed bamboo poles, clacked together to create a unique, syncopated rhythm. Princess Gandingan makes a graceful entrance, manipulating two elaborately designed fans called apir, accompanied by the clapping of the bamboo poles. As the gong crashes, she dances alone between the slow clapping of the bamboo poles, without any musical accompaniment. A female dancer representing the loyal slave of the princess accompanies her throughout the ordeal. Afterward, a male dancer portraying the legendary Prince Bantugan performs a dance round and through the bamboo poles, wielding a shield and a sword. His entrance signifies his determination to rescue the princess from the diwatas. Other dancers skillfully manipulate the apir fans, symbolizing auspicious winds. The dance requires agile footwork to avoid the moving bamboo poles, representing the forces the characters must overcome. The performance concludes with the princess returning home with the prince.[5]

Despite the popularity of the

Maranao dance. Furthermore, the male dancers have been wearing long-sleeved shirts with closed fronts, aligning with cultural norms and customs.[6][1]

Adaptations

Singkil performed at the World Pride 2012 in London

Bayanihan

When the Bayanihan Dance Company began performing the Singkíl, the traditional dance was adapted to convey Western aesthetics. The Bayanihan portrayal, branded as the Princess Dance or the Royal Maranao Fan Dance, became so popular that it is often mistaken for the authentic version of the dance.

A notable variation from the original is its inclusion of male dancers, as pole clappers and in the role of the Prince, Rajah Bantugan. Additional sets of criss-crossing bamboo poles were also added.

Further adaptation divided the dance into four movements:

  • First movement – "Asik", where the slave with umbrella is introduced.
  • Second movement – entrance of Putri Gandingan, the entourage of female fan or scarf dancers, and the arrival of Rajah Bantugan.
  • Third movement – Patay, which is a slow section, and is a structural dance convention often found in Western performances.
  • Fourth movement – the climax in which all dancers dance to the crescendo of music.

Other versions

PCN (Pilipino Cultural Night) festivities held by foreign-based student groups and other theatrical dance companies have modernised interpretations of the dance, resulting in unorthodox portrayals of the Singkíl by even the most esteemed of Philippine folk dance choreographers.

The Philippine Barangay Folkdance Troupe portrays the prince dancing scarves rather than with a sword and a shield.[7]

Some dance companies have even fused the Singkíl with ballet, or make use of multiple layers of overlapping bamboos.

In film

The Singkíl was performed in the 2001

Filipino American filmmaker Gene Cajayon and starred Dante Basco
. The film captured the essence of Filipino traditions and the blending of these with modern American culture.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Namiki, K. (2016). Dancing in the margins: The politics of national and local identity among the Maranao and Kalinga in the Philippines (Thesis). Singapore: National University of Singapore.
  2. ^ a b c Namiki, Kanami (2011). "Hybridity and national identity: Different perspectives of two national folk dance companies in the Philippines". SPECIAL ISSUE: Cultural Hybridities of the Philippines.
  3. ^ Ellorin, Bernard (2016). "STAGING AUTONOMOUS ETHNICITIES: THE "BAYANIHAN EFFECT" AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE STANDARDISATION OF THE PERFORMING ARTS FROM THE MUSLIM SOCIETIES OF THE SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES". Proceedings of the 4th Symposium of the ICTM Study Group on Performing Arts of Southeast Asia.
  4. ISBN 9781483595542
    .
  5. ^ Panaraag, Jiamila E.; Geldolin L. Inte (2015). The Metamorphosis of Selected Maranao Stories into Dances. The Asian Conference on Literature & Librarianship 2015 Official Conference Proceedings.
  6. ^ Jarales, Ena Jessa Kristine R.; Francis A. Gealogo (2013). "Singkil in Subservience: Tradition and Politics in Post-1989 Maranao Royalty". Academia.edu.
  7. ISBN 9789712730511
    . Retrieved November 26, 2017.
  8. ISBN 9780313379635. Archived
    from the original on February 8, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
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