WHEN I tell my students that folkdances are associated in the history of arnis, I cite “Tinikling” as one of the examples. My students assume the relevance is the bamboo used by the dancers and I beat them to the punch by correcting their assumptions and readily explain to them the relevance of arnis is found in the tricky steps timing to enter between the pounding bamboos and avoiding being sandwiched by it.
During the colonization of the Spaniards, Filipino fighting arts were prohibited and seen as possible spark to overthrow the Spanish Government.
Aside from Philippine Folk dances, the Art of arnis was continuously preserved in theater plays or “folk drama” like the famous “moro moro”. Ironically it was created by Spanish priest to depict the capture of Christian Army of an Islamic stronghold but as the play evolved, actors and actresses incorporated traditional and cultural dances that hides the movements and foot works of the fighting art.
The theory of folkdances discretely baring the moves and skills of arnis had its scrutiny as some said it seems odd to relate its movements that are conservative and slow. But as many historians suggests, it was the whole point of it, hiding the art in another art that would not suggest and expose any characteristic that would reveal it to be a fighting art.
In many studies and inquiries about the complicated art of arnis, evidence show that mostly preserved in the folkdances are the complex foot works and body movements that only a practitioner could interpret.
At that time, Philippine dances like the “Sayaw sa banko’” show leg workouts counterpart of today’s plyometric, the “Banga” and “Pandanggo sa ilaw” dances show movements and turns that improves balance and many other dances from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao that depicts cultural uniqueness of each region and the Filipino ingenuity of camouflaging our very own fighting art in our very own cultural dances.
Not many know about the collaboration of our Filipino dances and our national sports and martial arts in the past and not many could decipher its relevant connection, but many martial arts scholars today are getting their interest built into finding out the true story of the amazing link.