mindanao

VINTA "Vinta" refers to the boat; Royal figures balance atop the bamboo poles, which portray the movement of the vinta across the Sulu Sea. Here, dancers from the sea dwellers of Mindanao, known as the Badjaos, balance on top of bamboo poles carried my men, displaying skill and the beauty of the vinta sail.

SAGAYAN Sagayan is a dramatic war dance performed by the Maguindanao and Maranao tibes in the Mindanao region of the Philippines. The dance depicts the legendary hero, Prince Bantugan, as he fights off foreign invaders and wards off evil spirits. When Sagayan is performed, the dancers will often leap, jump, kick and roll as if fighting an enemy. The dancers will move as if in a trance, as this is believed to repel evil spirits. The dancers wear colorful, three-tiered skirts, an elaborate headdress, and will brandish a shield called a "klung" and a double-bladed sword called a "kampilan," all of which are decorated with colorful beads and shells that make noise as the peformers move. Sagayan is a dance that exudes strength, honor, and dignity. It is performed in celebration of special events such as weddings or in honor of nobility and royalty.

The Mindanao Suite is known for having overlying tones of mysticism, royalty, and beauty, representing the Muslim culture in the Philippines. Many of these dances tell elaborate stories of royalty and their interaction with nature.