MODULE 18: Maria Clara Dance

I.                    Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:

1. enumerate the different types of Maria Clara dances, their props  and costumes;

2. discuss the different Maria Clara dances; and

3. appreciate the value of these dances in our culture.

II.                  Overview:

During the Spanish period, Western European ways of life spread throughout the Islands. Along with them came European dances such as the waltz, mazurka, polka and the jota. The Filipinos welcomed these dances and, adding native flare and style, made them their own. Named in the honor of the heroine in Dr. Jose Rizal’s novel, the Maria Clara Suite captures the elegance and charm of the mestiza Filipinas as well as the gallantry and boldness of the mestizo Filipino. Courtship, love, and flirtation are all evident in this suite of romantic dances.

III.                Learning Content:

1.       Imunan (San Jacinto, Pangasinan)

Imunan, a courtship dance, means jealousy. The dance depicts a love triangle; two girls and one boy. In this dance, the boy tries to please the girls who are trying their best to get his attention and favor. The boy shows an admirable attempt to please both girls by paying attention, flirting, and dancing with them, one after the other.

2.       Jota de Paragua (Cuyo, Palawan)

Named after the old name of Palawan province, this dance retains the fiery flavor of the Jota, coming from the once popular Spanish capital of Seville and adapted by the local dancers of Palawan. The ladies wave their manton, or decorative shawl, while the gentlemen keep brisk pace with bamboo castanets.

3.       La Estudiantina (Antimonan, Quezon)

Performed by the daughters of privileged Filipinos during their days at the convent schools. The "estudiantinas" or female students are seen holding a book in hand throughout this very gay and lively dance.

4.       La Gallina Ciega (Manila)

Meaning "the blind chicken," La Gallina Ciega was a popular game of the 1800s in which a person was encircled by many people and left to find themselves blindfolded. In the Philippines, this game was adapted to a polka style dance that featured a blindfolded guitarist as he is teased and flirted with by many women.

5.       La Jota Isabela (Cuayan, Isabela)

La Jota dances were the most popular during and after the Spanish regime. Named after Queen Isabela of Spain, Isabela province in northwestern Luzon is home to a very lively adaptation of the Spanish Jota.

6.       La Jota Manileña (Manila)

Originating from the capital city of Manila, La Jota Manileña is an adaptation of the Spanish jota. It is performed with the use of bamboo castanets.

7.       La Simpatika (Pangasinan)

Simpatika means demure, charming, and lovable; qualities of a señorita deeply in love. The flavor and context of La Simpatika centers on love exploits of gentlemen suitors who are after the love of their life. In the Philippines where moral rules are strict and binding, society calls for the ladies to be impeccably demure and gentlemen to be prim and proper.

8.       Lanceros de Tayabas (Tabayas, Quezon)

Lanceros takes its name from the chivalrous knights and lanciers of King Arthur's fame. Taking off from the tournament grounds, the lanciers was reinterpreted into a form of dance performed in great ballrooms of majestic palaces where noble gentlemen crossed lines with graceful ladies. In Tayabas, the dance came to be known as Lanceros de Tayabas, noted as a divertissement for the comedia stage-play, also a Spanish import.

9.       Mariposa (Libsong, Pangasinan)

Mariposa is Spanish for butterfly. The males in the dance are the butterflies and the females are flowers. This dance depicts a butterfly flirting from one flower to another. When he makes his way back to his favorite flower, he is disliked and snubbed for his infidelity. The butterfly is sad and learns the lesson not to make love to many girls. The girl pities him and later accepts his pleas so that in the end, the two are happy once again.

10.   Noche de Gala (Manila)

One of the many adaptations of the Spanish jota, this version found favor among the elite in the grand ballrooms of old Manila. Castanets made of bamboo utilized by the performers add to the excitement and climax of the dance.