Kiriwkiw Folk — Dance History

No history of Philippine folk dance is complete without mentioning Dr. Francisca Reyes-Aquino, the Mother of Philippine Folk Dancing. In the 1920s and 1930s, Aquino and her team traveled to remote barrios to document dances that were at risk of disappearing due to Americanization and modernization.

The other women joined in, creating a rhythm by clapping their hands and stamping their feet on the damp earth. They sang a nonsensical, catchy phrase: “Kiriwkiw, kiriwkiw, talikod, abante, balik!” (“Turn, forward, back!”). What started as a spontaneous jest soon became a regular pastime. kiriwkiw folk dance history

During this era, the dance transitioned from a solitary or group harvest activity into a social courtship dance. Young men and women in the barrios would perform the Kiriwkiw during town fiestas. The playful footwork became a language of flirtation; the light, tapping steps symbolized the tentative nature of romance, while the snapping of fingers or the clapping of hands mimicked the joyous beat of a heart in love. No history of Philippine folk dance is complete