DANCERS: Christian Biso, Pj Babano, Rudy Corral, Arly Ditan, Rio Sumallo, Lumar Larosa, Vonn Jeffrey Garcia,Cindy Leoncito, Krishea Mae Lorica and Dazzle Azas.

Pockets of cultural minorities live in the style of their fore bearers in the hills and mountains throughout the Philippine Archipelago. The hillside and interior of Mindanao in the southern part of the Philippines are inhabited by non-Christian Filipino tribes whose culture and animistic beliefs predate both Islam and Christianity. Dance for them is a basic part of life, still performed essentially "for the gods." As in most ancient cultures, unlike the Muslim tribes in their midst, their dances are nonetheless closely intertwined with ceremonials, rituals, sacrifice, and life.

http://pw1.netcom.com/~ntamayo/tribal.html

LAWIN LAWIN The Lawin-Lawin from Habing Sayawit features males of the Bagobo tribe mimicking high flying eagles or Lawin. Tribal shields are used to imitate wings of an eagle as it swoops and glides through the open sky.

Kadal Taho *

Tribe: T'Boli

Origin: Lake Sebu, South Cotabato

The T'boli tribe lives among an assortment of wildlife, most notably birds. Kadal Taho, which means "True Dance of the T'boli," recounts a story of a flock of sister birds that wandered too far in search of food. Finding themselves lost, one of the birds breaks her leg and loses her ability to fly. The flock encourages the injured bird to test her wings once more and they successfully fly to safety.

This is a dance-drama centering on a bird with a broken leg, coached by the rest of the flock in an effort to try her wings and fly again. In the end, the flock of Blilah birds fly again.

http://www.likha.org/Kadal-Taho

Blit B'laan is a courtship dance of the B'laan people of Davao del Sur in which the dancers mimic the behavior of forest birds in the mating season. Two male dancers that represent richly-plumed male birds eye three females. The females try to hide from the males, burying their heads under their wings, which are represented by their malongs. Still, the aggressive males pursue them.

http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Blit_b'laan

Makatod (also spelled Makatud), a rite of passage of Tagabawa sub-tribe of Davao-Mandaya focuses on a young prince who is born high by courtiers and given a place of honor by his people. A notable prop in this dance is a dried palm frond shredded to tiny separate pieces. The palm leaves give a faint hissing sound when shaken.

http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Makatod