A CLASSIC COLLECTION OF PHILIPPINE FOLK DANCES

SERIES XI

SINUBLIHAN

Source: PFDS SAYAW Dances of the Philippine Island Volume 1 (1990)

Researcher: Franco E. Pastor
Presented by: Franco E. Pastor
1980 National Folkdance Workshop
2018 Presenter: Noemi Marabut-Bellosillo

Meaning: To go back and forth

Dance Culture: Lowland Christian (Rural)
Place of Origin: Zambales

Background Content:
The Philippine archipelago, home to millions of fishermen has a very long shoreline
owing to its 7,100 islands. In Zambales, north of Manila, fisherfolks spend more time out at
sea than on land. But when time permits, they gather in the beach for impromptu parties. A
ball game quickly gets underway using a buslo (fish baskets). Like a volleyball, the bulso is
to be tossed back and forth between players standing in strategic positions while an “it”
frantically tries to retrieve the basket.
In time, this game began to have routine steps and formal sequences, thus the
beginning of a new dance. Rondalla music came later. Thus was born the Sinublihan.

Movements/Steps Particular to Dance:

Steps put to music as bulso is to be tossed back and forth.

Dance Properties:

Costume:
Female: Peasant baro’t saya with fish container (bulso) barefoot
Hand Prop: Fish container (bulso)
Footwear: Barefoot
Male: Long sleeves Camisa de Chino shirt, colored peasant pants.
Footwear: Barefoot

Music: 2
4 compose of two parts A and B.
One two or one and two to a measure
Formation: Girl stands in front of Boy, both facing audience. Any number of couples
may participate in this dance.

ENTRANCE

Music Entrance:
Girls enter form the right side of the stage or dance area. Boys enter from the left.

Girls:

a. Take four change steps forward R and L alternately moving to the desired position
on stage, arms in lateral position moving sideward right and left alternately…….4M
b. Face front and take four change steps sideward R & L alternately arms as in (a).4M

Boys: (enter after the first four (4) measures

a. Repeat movements of Girls in (a). Finish behind the Girls………………...……… 4M

Music A:
Boys stand at the back of the Girls about four feet apart, both face audience.
Partners perform their movements simultaneously.

Girls:

a. Take two touch steps R and L in front, forearm turn R and L to reverse “T”
position………………………………………………………………………………... 2M
b. Pivot turn right; right arm in reverse “T” position, back of the L hand supporting the
right elbow…………………………………………………………………………… 2M
c. Repeat (a) and (b) three times more (L,R,L)………..……………………………... 12M

Boys:

a. Take two change steps forward moving halfway clockwise to finish in front of Girl,
hands on waist………………………………………………………………………... 2M
b. Quarter turn right and take three cut steps forward (L,R,L) (cts. 1,2;1) close L foot
to R (ct. 2). Hands as in (a)…………………………………………………………... 2M
c. Repeat (a) and (b) moving forward to proper places……………………………… 4M
d. Repeat (a-c) ………………………………………………………………………….. 8M
 II

Music B:
Girls:

a. Repeat Figure 1 (a-c), arms in fourth position, L and R arm high alternately in the
pivot turn…………………………………………………………………………… 16M

Boys:

a. Repeat Figure 1 (a)…………………………………………………………………. 2M

b. With L leg extended sideward, hop R three times, turning right in place, trunk
slightly twisted to the left (cts. 1,2;1), close L foot to R (ct. 2)……..………………. 2M
c. Repeat (a) and (b) moving forward to proper places……………………………… 4M
d. Repeat all (a-c) ………………………………………………………………………. 8M

III

Music A:
Girls:

a. Take two change steps forward R and L, arms in lateral position moving sideward
right and left………………………………………………………………………….. 2M
b. Pivot turn right, arms in fourth position, L arm high……………………………... 2M
c. Repeat (a) starting with L foot moving backward…………………………………. 2M
d. Repeat (b) turning left, reverse position of arms………………………………….. 2M
e. Repeat all (a-d) ………………………………………………………………………. 8M

Boys:

a. Starting with L foot, take 32 cut steps forward clapping hands in front of chest once
on every count………………………………………………………………………..16M
 IV

Music B:
Girls:

a. Starting with the R foot, take three steps forward, arms down at sides (cts. 1,2,1),
point L foot in rear of R (ct.2)………………………………………………………. 2M
b. Bring R hand close to chest (ct.1), extend it forward and move it to sideward-
backward in a circular motion (cts. 2,1,2)………………………………………….. 2M
c. Repeat (a) starting L moving backward……………………………………………. 2M
d. Repeat (b) with the L hand………………………………………………………….. 2M
e. Repeat all (a-d) ………………………………………………………………………. 8M

Boys:

a. Starting with the R foot, take four cut steps sideward L and R alternately hands on
waist…………………………………………………………………………………… 2M
b. Point R foot across L in rear and twist trunk to the right………………………….. 2M
c. Repeat (a) and (b) three times more………………………………………………… 12M

Music A:
Boys and Girls:

a. Take two change steps forward R and L, arms in lateral position moving sideward
right and left (2M), pivot turn right, arms in fourth position, L arm high……….. 4M
b. Repeat (a) three times more moving clockwise, ending up in a quadrille formation
with pair 1 opposite pair 3 and pair 2 opposite pair 4 facing center……………... 12M

VI

Music B:
Girls:

a. Girl 1 holds buslo with both hands (cts. 1,2)……………………………………….. 1M

b. Girl 1 throws the buslo to Girl 3 (cts. 1,2)………………………………………….. 1M
c. Girl 1 executes pivot turn right, hands holding skirt……………………………… 2M
d. Girl 3 executes movements of Girl 1 (a-c) throwing bulso to Girl 2 in (b)………... 4M
e. Girl 2 repeats movements of Girl 3 throwing bulso to Girl 4……………………… 4M
f. Girl 4 repeats movements of Girl 2 throwing bulso to Girl 1……………………… 4M
Boys:

a. Take two change steps forward to center, hands on waist…………………………. 2M

b. Four cut steps forward L and R alternately………………………………………… 2M
c. Repeat (a) and (b) moving backward in (a) …………………………………………4M
d. Repeat all (a-c) ………………………………………………………………………. 8M

VII

Music A:
Girls:

a. Take two change steps sideward R and L hands holding skirt…………………….. 2M

b. Pivot turn right, arms in fourth position, L arm high……………………………… 2M
c. Repeat (a) starting L going to center………………………………………………… 2M
d. Repeat (b) to the left, reverse position of arms……………………………………... 2M
e. Repeat all (a-d) moving backward in (c) …………………………………………… 8M

Boys: Bend trunk forward, hands on waist

a. Take two change steps forward R and L……………………………………………. 2M

b. Four cut steps sideward L and R alternately……………………………………….. 2M
c. Repeat (a) and (b) moving backward in (a)…………………………………………. 4M
d. Repeat all (a-c)…………………………………………………………………….. 8M

EXIT

Music B: (play twice)

a. With pair one leading, take two change steps forward. Boys hands on waist, Girls
holding skirt………………………………………………………………………... 2M
b. Pivot turn right, arms in fourth position, Larm high………………………….... 2M
Note: Girl 1 twist trunk to the right and passes buslo to Boy 1 immediately after
the pivot turn.
c. Repeat (a) and (b) until the last performer gets the buslo…………………… 28M
Note: The movements are done moving to exit from a clockwise direction.