Tinikling facts for kids
Tinikling is a traditional Philippine dance. It started a long time ago when Spain ruled the Philippines. This exciting dance uses two long bamboo poles.
The dance involves two people who move the bamboo poles. They tap, beat, and slide the poles on the ground. They also hit the poles against each other. One or more dancers then step over and between the moving poles. It looks like a fun game of jump rope, but with bamboo!
The name "Tinikling" comes from a bird. This bird is called tikling in the Philippines. The dance movements copy how the tikling bird moves.
Contents
What is Tinikling?
Tinikling is one of the most famous traditional dances from the Philippines. It is known for its fast pace and the skill of the dancers. The dance shows the grace and speed of the tikling bird.
Where Did Tinikling Come From?
This dance began on Leyte, an island in the Visayas. The Visayas is a group of islands in the central part of the Philippines.
The movements of the dance are inspired by the tikling bird. These birds walk carefully between grass stems. They also run over tree branches. Sometimes, they even dodge bamboo traps that rice farmers set. Dancers try to move with the same grace and speed as these birds. They skillfully step between the large bamboo poles.
The Legend of Tinikling
There is a story about how Tinikling started. It is said that the dance began during the time when Spain ruled the Philippines. During this period, many native people worked on large farms. These farms were controlled by the King of Spain. The dance might have been a way for people to express themselves.
Images for kids
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Members from the Philippine Cultural Dancers group perform Tinikling.
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The buff-banded rail (Gallirallus philippensis) is one of the birds known as tikling in the Philippines. These birds inspired the dance movements.
See also
In Spanish: Tinikling para niños
