Dancing with Meaning

Tinikling is one of the traditional dances of the Philippines. It involves two people clapping long poles/sticks (usually bamboo) horizontally on the ground while others dance between them. The dance imitates the movement of the tikling bird gracefully avoiding bamboo traps set by farmers in the rice fields.

Image found here.

I learned how to dance Tinikling when I was a freshman in high school--eight years ago. One day each year, we would have a celebration of sorts, known as Ethnic Bazaar. Students would bring in various dishes for people to try and there would be performances--dancing, singing, poetry, etc. In other words, it was awesome. I went to an all-girl Catholic high school and one of the coolest things about it was the diversity that could be found there. Students were of many backgrounds: Mexican, Jewish, Chaldean, Black, Muslim, Catholic, White, Filipino--the list goes on and on.

Throughout my years in high school, I remember going to and/or leading dance practices, whether they were at 7 in the morning or 3 in the afternoon...sometimes both in one day. The amount of dedication that we put into the dance each year was quite impressive--and to this day, I am thankful for my friends who put up with my numerous practice sessions! Dedication is pretty much key when learning how to dance Tinikling. I once was the timid one, afraid to get my foot caught in the sticks, but I learned not to be afraid rather quickly...maybe it's my stubbornness and/or determination. Anyway, I digress.

Tinikling does have its dangerous side. I can't even count how many times my feet have landed on the poles or how many times my foot/ankle has gotten caught in them. At one point, we used real bamboo--the problem was that the bamboo that we borrowed had definitely been used for many years and was taped up a lot because the bamboo had cracked...well, if you get your foot/toes caught on one of the cracks, it leads to a cut(s)--and fun neon bandages so that you can continue practicing! Dedication, folks. Tinikling is quite the workout, and every time I have to get back into practicing for the dance I realize how out of shape I really am. I also remember that the dance is somewhat strenuous on the knees and calf muscles...yay, charley horses? Thankfully, though, I've never gotten seriously injured while dancing Tinikling. The only notable injury was suffered by one of my friends who was watching us practice and just wanted to try it out...she fractured her foot somehow. :( She was a trooper though!

Every time I dance Tinikling (or any other traditional Filipino dance), my sense of Filipino pride is definitely strengthened. I am proud to show others an aspect of the Filipino culture. Being American born but raised in a Filipino household taught me to embrace my uniqueness, embrace my roots--and at the same time, embrace the uniqueness and roots of others.

In college, I have been able to share the joy of Tinikling with others. Unfortunately, due to my university's fast-paced schedule, I haven't had the same flexibility to schedule enough practices to teach people how to dance. But something is better than nothing, I suppose. Each year, we have two celebrations: Destination Diversity and Taste of Diversity, with Destination Diversity being the larger event of the two. They follow the same premise as Ethnic Bazaar. I have danced Tinikling at these events at one point or another, and I have also performed poetry, have played my guitar, and have sung the Filipino national anthem.

This year's Destination Diversity will take place on today and I will be dancing Tinikling (and a Korean pop dance). This time though, Tinikling has even more meaning for me. For one, this will be my last time performing in my undergraduate career. But even more importantly, I will be dancing while especially thinking about the Philippines, the Filipino people, and what happened to their country about 2 weeks ago.

As you may have heard, the Philippines was devastated by Typhoon Haiyan/Typhoon Yolanda earlier this month. The extent of destruction is unfathomable. Not a day has gone by where I haven't thought about/prayed for the people of the Philippines. At school, we've started a fundraiser to donate money to the American Red Cross to help with the relief effort. There are other organizations out there collecting donations as well, and I encourage you to help out if you can. If you are unable to monetarily support, all I ask is that you keep the Philippines in your prayers and keep positive thoughts that the Philippines can bounce back from this disastrous event.

Peace. Love. Happiness.
--TR