Philippine Folk Dances at Barbara's: Tinikling, Singkil & More Explained

/blog/the-complete-guide-to-spending-a-night-in-intramuros,-manilaYou're sitting in a beautifully lit Spanish-era dining hall in Intramuros. The buffet has been generous. The lechon was everything it promised to be. And now the lights dim slightly, a gong sounds from somewhere offstage, and a group of performers in traditional costumes walks onto the floor.

If you've never seen Philippine folk dance performed live before, the next hour is going to surprise you.

The Kultura Filipina Dinner Show at Barbara's Heritage Restaurant isn't background entertainment. It's a proper cultural performance and one that has been running every single night for over a decade showcasing dances from across the Philippines, each one tied to a specific region, people, and story. The more you know going in, the richer the experience coming out.

Here's your guide to the dances you're likely to see.

Tinikling

Origin: Leyte, Visayas 

What it represents: The movement of the tikling bird stepping between grass stems and bamboo traps in the rice fields

No dance in the Philippine repertoire is more iconic or more recognisable than Tinikling. It's the national folk dance of the Philippines, and for good reason: it's athletic, rhythmic, joyful, and deceptively difficult to execute!

Two performers hold bamboo poles flat on the ground, clapping them together in a steady beat while one or two dancers step in and out of the gap between the poles, timing each footstep to land in the space between claps. The footwork is quick and precise, and the best performances make it look almost effortless. Spoiler alert: it isn't.

What makes Tinikling special at Barbara's is how you can participate and try it at the end of the show. Everyone’s invited onto the floor to try it themselves. Most people approach with confidence and leave with a deep respect for the performers. It's a highlight of the evening and is genuinely funny, surprisingly physical, and the kind of moment that ends up in a lot of travel videos.

What to watch for: The synchronisation between the pole holders and the dancer. The rhythm and beat of the poles. Once you hear it, you can't unhear it.

Singkil

Origin: Maranao people, Lake Lanao, Mindanao

What it represents: A princess navigating a forest during an earthquake, guided by a royal attendant

If Tinikling is the most fun dance of the evening, Singkil is the most breathtaking.

Rooted in the epic poem Darangen, the Maranao retelling of the Hindu Ramayana, Singkil tells the story of Princess Gandingan making her way through a forest shaken by an earthquake. The bamboo poles are arranged in a cross pattern on the floor, clapping in multiple directions simultaneously. The dancer moves between all four quadrants with a fan in each hand, her movements fluid and unhurried, as if the quaking earth beneath her is simply a minor inconvenience.

The costume is equally spectacular with layers of silk in jewel tones, a gold headdress, and the wide silk fans that the dancer uses to frame and punctuate every movement. Singkil is the kind of dance where you find yourself holding your breath without realising it.

What to watch for: A well-trained Singkil dancer maintains perfect composure throughout with serene expression, steady gaze, complete stillness in the upper body while her feet navigate the poles below. The contrast between the chaos of the clapping bamboo and the calm of the dancer is the whole point.

Pandanggo sa Ilaw

Origin: Lubang Island, Occidental Mindoro

What it represents: A folk dance of flirtation and grace, performed by candlelight at fiestas

Pandanggo sa Ilaw translates literally to "Dance of Lights," and the name does most of the explaining. Performers balance three oil lamps. With one on each hand and one on top of the head, they dance a waltz-like routine that involves dips, turns, and gestures that should not be physically compatible with keeping three small flames upright and lit.

The dance has roots in the Spanish-era fandango, adapted into something distinctly Filipino over generations of fiestas in Mindoro. At Barbara's, it's typically performed with candles or small electric lights in place of open oil lamps. The effect is the same, and the skill required is no less impressive.

What to watch for: The head lamp. The hand lamps are challenging enough. Keeping a lamp balanced on top of your head while executing a full turn is a thing that should not work. And when it does, it's stunning.

Maglalatik

Origin: Biñan, Laguna What it represents: A mock battle between Moros and Christians over latik (coconut milk curd) and, in some interpretations, an offering to the patron saint of Biñan

Maglalatik is unlike anything else in the Philippine folk dance tradition. Male performers wear coconut shell halves strapped to their bodies — chest, back, hips, thighs — and the entire dance consists of striking these shells together in rhythmic patterns, producing a percussion performance as much as a visual one.

It's loud, physical, and joyful in a way that purely graceful dances aren't. The mock combat choreography is athletic and energetic, and the coconut shell percussion gives the whole thing a driving, infectious rhythm. If the crowd has been quiet during the more formal dances, Maglalatik usually fixes that.

What to watch for: The coordination of the shell strikes across multiple performers. Individual technique is impressive; group synchronisation is the real achievement.

A Note on the Full Show

The specific dances performed on any given night may vary as the Kultura Filipina show has a rotating repertoire that may also include other regional dances beyond the ones covered here. What stays constant is the quality of the performance and the intention behind it: to give every Filipino or foreign guest a genuine, living encounter with the breadth of Philippine cultural heritage.

The performers at Barbara's are trained dancers who take this work seriously. They've been doing this every night for years. That consistency shows.

See It for Yourself

Reading about Tinikling is one thing. Watching a dancer step between clapping bamboo poles at full speed, in perfect time, while making it look like a Sunday stroll… Well, that's something you have to be in the room for.

The Kultura Filipina Dinner Show runs nightly at Barbara's Heritage Restaurant in Intramuros, Manila. Dinner starts at 6:30 PM, show at 8:00 PM. Reservations recommended.

Book your seat at the show →

Continue exploring:

• The Complete Guide to Spending a Night in Intramuros, Manila

• What to Expect at the Kultura Filipina Dinner Show — A First-Timer's Guide

• The Best Filipino Food at Barbara's Heritage Restaurant