AuDnT or somen] SOCIAL ENJOYMENTS 135 



THE ORDINARY SOCIAL DANCE 



By the social dance is meant the dance which takes place on an occasion of rejoicing and 

 which is indulged in by men, women, and children, one at a time. It is exceptional that two or 

 more persons dance simultaneously. A striking peculiarity in dancing is the wearing of a 

 woman's skirt by males during the dance. No reason is assigned for the practice except the force 

 of custom. It is customary, also, to array the dancer in all the available wealth of Manoboland — 

 waist jacket, hat, necklaces, girdle, hawk bells, and, in case of a female, with brass anklets. Two 

 kerchiefs, held by the corner, one in each hand, complete the array. No flowers nor leaves are 

 used in the decoration of the person during dancing. 



The drum, and when it is available, the gong are the only musical accompaniments to the 

 dancing. When these are lacking an old tin can, if such a thing by some good luck has made its 

 way into the house, answers the purpose of a musical instrument. Even the floor is sometimes 

 beaten to produce an accompaniment for the dance. On the upper Agiisan bamboo stampers 

 are occasionally used, in imitation of Mafigguangan custom, to impart more animation to the 

 dance. 



The dance is never accompanied by vocal music unless the constant scream of approbation 

 and encouragement from the spectators be included under that term. 



The time to which the dancing is performed is the same as that described under "the drum" 

 at the beginning of this chapter. It corresponds somewhat to that of our waltz when played 

 ■presto, although the movements of the feet do not correspond to those of that dance. 



The dancer names the rhythm he desires and it is the rule, rather than the exception, that 

 several starts are made, and several drummers tried before a good dancer feels satisfied with the 

 method of playing. This is an indication of the excellent ear which the Manobo has developed 

 for this apparently rude and primitive form of music. 



The women in dancing are more gentle in their manner than the men; they make fewer 

 bending motions and do not posture so much. In other respects the dancing of the men and 

 women is identical. 



The step may be called daetyllic 28 in that a long or accented beat is struck with one foot and, 

 in immediate succession, two quick short steps are taken with the other. This is varied at recur- 

 ring intervals by omitting the two short steps, especially in mimetic or dramatic dances when the 

 dancer desires to return to the center or to execute some extra evolution. 



To give a satisfactory description of the attitude and movements of the dancer is impos- 

 sible, as the skill and grace of the dance consists essentially in postures and gestures, and each 

 individual has his own variations and combination. In fact no two men dance alike, though 

 the women are much alike in their style of dancing, due to the fact that they bend the body and 

 gesticulate comparatively little and that they display less force and exertion. Suffice it to say 

 that the dancer moves his feet in perfect time to the rhythm of the drum and gong, at the same 

 time keeping the arms, hands, fingers, head, and shoulders in constant movement. Now one 

 hand is laid upon the hip while the other is extended upward and at an oblique angle from the 

 shoulder. Again both hands are placed upon the hips and the dancer trips around a few times 

 when suddenly turning, he retires hastily, but in perfect time, with both arms extended upwards 

 and at an angle from the shoulders, the two kerchiefs waving all the time to the movements of the 

 body. During all his movements the arms, hands, and fingers are twisted and turned with 

 graceful and varied, but measured, modulation. Now he raises one shoulder and then another. 

 Now he gazes up with a look of defiance upon his countenance, as if at some imaginary foe, and 

 then down, as if in quest of something. At one time he stops and gently moves his feet to the 

 rhythm of the music for several seconds, at another he circles around with uplifted arms and 

 flying kerchiefs, and scurries to the other end of the dancing space, as if pursued by some foeman. 

 At this point he may circle around again and, the music of the drum and gong surging loud, 

 stamp defiance as if at an imaginary enemy, in measured beat and with quick, wild movements of 

 the legs and the whole body. 



» A term borrowed from Latin and Greek versification. 



