Music of Philippine

Festivals and Theatrical

Forms
Festivals of Aklan, Cebu, Batangas,
Marinduque, Davao, and Bicol
 FESTIVAL DANCE
are cultural dance performed
to the strong beats of
percussion instruments by a
community of people sharing
the same culture usually done
in honor of a Patron Saint or
in thanksgiving of a bountiful
harvest
 Nature of Festival Dances
Festival dances may be:
✔Religious ✔Secular or Non- Religious
Religious Festival
Dances
 ● known as the wildest of the Philippine
festivals which means “make-believe Atis”
Ati-atihan Festival wherein participants portray the natives of
Kalibo, Aklan called, “Ati or Aetas”.

● It is a week- long festival held annually every

third week of January that consists of a tribal
dance parade with drum music, costumes and
indigenous accessories to honor the Santo
Nino or the Holy Christ Jesus.

● People cheer and shout “Hala Bira!” and

“Viva Santo Nino!” to encourage enthusiasm
and continuous dancing for the duration of the
festival
Sinulog Festival ● An annual cultural and religious festival
held on the third Sunday of January in
the city of Cebu to honor the Santo
Nino, commemorate the Filipino
rejection of their former religious views,
and acceptance of Christianity.
● This festival is famous among local and
international tourists for its grand street
parade which imitates the type of
dancing done by the natives of Cebu
before they were baptized as
Christians.
 Sinulog Festival
● The petitioners often yell out “Pit Senior”. They flock to the festival
for prayer requests and thanksgiving while dancing,believing that
Santo Nino will hear them. Different groups of dancers dressed in
colorful attire are accompanied by rhythmic music of the drums,
trumpets, and native gongs.
 Moriones Festival
Moriones Festival. The Moriones is an annual festival held on Holy Week on
the island of Marinduque. The “Moriones” are men and women in costumes
and masks replicating the garb of biblical Roman soldiers as interpreted by
local folks – Morion means “mask” or “visor,” a part of the medieval Roman
armor which covers the face.
 Moriones Festival
The Morions wear their costumes for an entire week. Only when they eat
or sleep, that they take it off. They perceive this as a form of sacrifice as
they must stand and walk around on thin strap slippers under the hot sun
while wearing the heavy wooden masks. The Moriones scare children
away and court the ladies by singing and dancing for them.
 Non-Religious
Festival Dances
 Kadayawan Festival
● Kadayawan Festival is held in Davao every third week of August in
celebration of thanksgiving for good harvest with parade floats of
fresh fruits and flowers, and street dancing with colorful tribal costumes,
and accessories.
 Kadayawan Festival
● Kadayawan comes from the word “Madayaw” meaning thanksgiving for
nature’s gift; warm and friendliness greeting; and to describe things that
are good, valuable, superior, and beautiful.
 Sublian Festival
● The Sublian Festival is an annual celebration on the twenty third day of July
reflecting the Batanguenos’ commitment and great love to their town’s
patrons, the holy Cross of Bauan and Agoncillo, and the Santo Nino of
Batangas City. It was originally a religious ceremony that involves prayer,
eating, dancing the “Subli”, and singing verses with strict skeletal Melody.
 Sublian Festival
● Subli come from two words: “subsub” (bending your body forward or
downward) and Bali or (broken.) Thus, throughout the dance, male dancers are
in trunk forward bend position to give the impression of broken bodies.
● At present, the Sublian Festival features street dancing, harana (singing of
Filipino courtship song), indigenous people games, and Lupakan (sharing of
“Nilupak” a delicacy made from cassava, sweet potato, or banana).
 Ibalong Festival
● Ibalong Festival is held in the Bicol Region, aims to express friendliness,
enthusiasm, and goodwill to all people. Bicolanos and tourists celebrate
the festival to commemorate the three heroes of the Bicol epic in the town
of Ibalong namely Baltog, Handyong, Bantong.
● In this festival, the people parade in the streets wearing masks and
costumes like the heroes and villains of the epic.
Philippine Theater
Komedya, Sarsuela and Bodabil
 Komedya
● Comes from the 16th century Spanish comedia (play).
● It is one of the colorful theatrical traditions in the
Philippines used by the Spanish as the method to spread
Christianity. This theatrical form describes the conflicts of
Christians and Muslims.
Two Types of Komedya
1. Secular Komedya
2. Religious Komedya
 Two Types of Komedya
1. Secular Komedya - performed at local fiesta. An example
popularized in 1600’s is the “MoroMoro” that use stories that
revolve around kings, queens, princes, princesses, animals, and
supernatural beings. Most of the time, it portrays the clash
between Christians and Muslims.
 Two Types of Komedya
2. Religious Komedya - mostly performed to enhance religious
festivities. It focuses on the life of religious icons. Examples are
Siete Palabras, Comedia De San Miguel and Senakulo, the
Lenten presentation of Passion of Christ.
 Sarsuela
● Sarsuela is an art form of lyric theater drama, comical in
nature and it is incorporated with singing, dancing, and
dialogue.
 Sarsuela
● Sarsuela originated in the Philippines in the 1800’s.
It portrays the typical Filipino realities stories and
social relations which viewers can relate in their lives
such as elections, marriage and family, vices, and
values.
Walang Sugat is one of the
most famous Sarsuela in
the country.
 Bodabil
Bodabil is another stage shows that became popular
during Japanese period based on the French Vaudeville.
It was developed because city growers wanted to uplift
their emotional stability from the usual stage acts to a
stage presentation featuring comedy, musical,
monologue, skits, impersonators, acrobats, and
even magical acts.
Bodabil Stars
Bayani Casimero
Bodabil Stars
Dely Atay-Atayan
Bodabil Stars
Togo and Pugo
Bodabil Stars
Chichay
Bodabil Stars
Rogelio Dela Rosa
Bodabil Stars
Leopoldo Salcedo
Bodabil Stars
Katy Dela Cruz
Thank you for
listening!
 MY CREATION
Directions: Create an improvised headdress used in festivals
(Ati-Atihan, Sinulog or Sublian). Use any materials that can be found or
available at home. Take a photo of your work and submit it to your
teacher through the given platform. Example outputs are shown below.