Pasikat na Baso

(Ed Tapew na Bangko)

Source: PANGASINAN FOLK DANCES
By JOVITA SISON FREISE
Presentor: Franco M. Velas

Meaning: To show-off unusual skill in manipulating the glasses

Dance Culture: Christian lowland
Dance Origin: Lingayen, Pangasinan
Ethno linguistic Group: Pangasinense
Classification: Skill Dance

Background/Context:
This is a very colorful spectacular dance from Barrio Pangapisan, Lingayen,
Pangasinan. Baso means drinking glass. Pasikat in Pangasinan means to show off.

In this dance, the dancers display good balance, graceful movements, and unusual skill
on top of a bench (tapew na bangko) with the use of four glasses half full of water or
wine. Girl carries three glasses, one on the head and one each held on the palms of her
hands and one on the forehead of Boy and sometimes on the back of his fingers.
Partners show off their skill in manipulating the glasses, particularly in the turning,
exchanging places, kneeling, and rolling over on top of the bench, without spilling the
water or dropping the glasses and without falling from the bench.

This is usually danced during wedding party, baptismal party, and other special
occasions, by one pair.

Dance Properties:
Costume:
Female: Balintawak with tapis and soft panuelo over the L shoulder.
Male: Camisa de Chino with a kerchief around neck and any colored
trousers
Hand Props: Four thick glasses half full of water or wine/
Equipment: A wooden bench about three yards long, eight to nine inches
wide, and two feet high. The bench has sturdy leg supports to
make it steady and heavy to withstand the dancers.
Music: ¾ Composed of three parts: A, B and C
Count: One, Two, Three to a measure
Formation: Partners stand about four feet away from each side of the bench.
The girl on the right side and the Boy on the left side when facing
obliquely towards the audience (See diagram below). This is a
dance for one pair, but two or more pairs may dance if desired.
 INTRODUCTION
Music Introduction
Partners face bench
a) Waltz sideward R and L. Girl holds skirt, Boy`s hands on waist (2 M)
b) Three step turn R (1 M)
(c) Point L foot in rear R foot, bend trunk sideward right, arms sideward and kewet hands
alternately in every count (1M). Pause (1M). Close feet together on the last count…(2M)

I. KINEWETAN
Music A
Partners face the bench
a) Execute kinewetan step with a waltz sideward R and L (4 M)
b) Starting with R foot, take four waltz steps going around the bench clockwise. Finish
in partner’s place. Arms in lateral position, sway sideward right and left alternately,
kewet hands in every measure (4M)
c) Repeat (a) (4M)
d) Repeat (b) going to counter clockwise, but girl goes up the bench at end a facing
audience, and picks up glasses 1 and 2 on the last measure. Boy finishes in proper
place (4M)
 II GIRL MAKES PASIKAT
Music B
Partners do movements simultaneously. Girl on top of the bench facing audience. Boy
below facing the bench.

GIRL:
a) Step swing sideward right, sway glasses on hands (palms up) sideward right. Finish
with R hand over head with fingertips pointing towards left, L hand in front of chest
with finger tips pointing toward right in the last count (1M)
b) Repeat (a) sideward L, reverse hand position (1M)
c) Whirl turn R. Cross arms in front of chest, R over L on the first measure and open
arms sideward on the second measure (2M)
d) Repeat (a-c) starting to L side. Whirl turn L, reverse arms and hands position (4M)
e) Starting with R foot, execute 2 waltz step going toward end B , arms in lateral
position, sway sideward R and L (2M)
f) Raise R foot and go over glasses 3 and 4 on the bench. Arms sideward at shoulder
level(1M) g) Turn R about, arms as in (f). Finish facing End A (1M) h) Repeat (f) and
g) Finish facing End B (2M)
h) Put down the 2 glasses in their former places (1M) go down the bench and return to
proper place. Finish facing the bench (1M)

BOYS
a) Starting with R foot, execute 4 waltz steps R and L alternately going around the
bench clockwise. Clap hands on counts 2 and 3 of every measure, sideward R and L
alternately. Finish in former Girl`s place, facing the bench (4M)
b) Repeat (a) in place, trying to provoke the Girl (4M)
c) Repeat (a) going counterclockwise. Finish in proper place, facing the bench (4M)
d) Repeat (b) but go up the bench on the last measure and get glasses 3 and 4. one on
each hand, hold glasses with palms up (4M)

III BOY MAKES PASIKAT

Music B
Partners do movements simultaneously. Boy on top of the bench facing audience. Girl
below facing the bench.

GIRL:
a) Repeat movement of boy in figure II (a-c) but go up the bench and get glasses 1 and
2 on the last measure (16M)Repeat (a) sideward L, reverse hand position (1M)

BOYS
a) Repeat movement of girl in figure II (a-d) (8M)
 b) Raise R foot and go over glasses 1 and 2, place weight on the both feet. Arms
sideward at shoulder level (2)Repeat (a) going counterclockwise. Finish in proper
place, facing the bench (4M)
c) Starting from arms sideward, turn at the same time R hand counterclockwise and L
hand clockwise, going gradually upward overhead. Reverse turn of hands, going
gradually downward to original position. Bend trunk forward and bend knees slightly
(2M)
d) Repeat the turning of hands in (c) but turn R hand clockwise and L hand
counterclockwise. Finish with arms as in (b) (2M)
e) Repeat (b). Finish facing partner (2M)
Note: The trunk and knees are bent during arms turning.

IV
Music A
Partners are on top of the bench and do movements at the same time. Hold glass as in
figure III. L shoulders toward audience
a) Step R foot sideward right (ct. 1,2), close L foot to R (ct. 3), arms sidweard, shoulder
level, both hands are moving slightly upward and downward alternately at every count
(1M)
b) Step R foot sideward R (ct.1), point L foot in rear of R (cts. 2,3), bend trunk slightly
sideward R, bend knees slightly, turn L hand clockwise under L arm (1M)
c) Repeat (a) and (b) to sideward L, reverse position of feet and turn, trunk R hand
counterclockwise under R arm in (b) (2M)
d) Repeat (a) and (b) (2M)
e) Whirl turn L, arms sideward at shoulder level, move hands slightly upward and
downward at every measure, finish facing left of the bench (2M)
f) Repeat (a-e). Finish facing partner (8M)

V
Music C
Partners face each other. Hold glasses, one on each palm.
a) Execute waltz steps sideward at shoulder level, move hands in R and L alternately going
toward partners. Arms sideward at shoulder level, move hands as in Figure IV (a) (4M)
b) Partners face left. Execute mincing steps going to partner`s place passing back to back,
arms sideward at shoulder level (2M)
c) Whirl turn R, move hands as in Figure IV (e). Finish facing partner (2M)
d) Repeat (a-b). Finish facing (near) partner (6M)
e) Girl bends knees, arms sideward, palms up, while boy places glass with R hand on her
head. Girl straightens knees, and boy steps backward with his R foot on the last count
(2M)

VI GIRL AND BOT MAKE PASIKAT TO EACH OTHER

Music C
 Partners do movements simultaneously. Girl holds one glass on each hand and one
glass is n her head. Boy holds one glass.

Girls
a) Step R foot forward (cts. 1,2), both arms are in front at shoulder level, gradually raise L
hand and lower R hand, raise L knee in front (ct. 3) (1M)
b) Step L foot forward (cts. 1, 2), raise R knee in front (ct. 3). Arms as in (a) but raise R
hand and lower L hand (1M)
c) Cross R foot over L and turn L about to face End A of the bench. Bend knees slightly
while turning, cross arms in front of chest, open arms and straighten knees on the last
count (2M)
d) Repeat (a-c). Finish facing End B of the bench (4M)
e) Point R foot in rear of L, bends knees slightly. Turn R hand under R arm
counterclockwise, L hand sideward at shoulder level, bend trunk slightly to the left. Feet
together on the last count (2M)
f) Repeat (e). Reverse position of feet, turn L hand under L arm clockwise (2M)
g) Whirl turn R. Arm position and hand movement as in Figure IV (e). Finish facing partner.

Boys
a) Kneel on R, half stand on L knee, place glass from L hand at the back of the 3 middle
fingers of R hand in front of chest (thumb and small finger support glass) (1M)
b) Bend trunk forward and pass the glass from R hand under L knee and get glass with L
hand passing it to R hand while turning left about to face End B of the bench (1M)
c) Straighten both legs towards End B of the bench, lie down on back and place glass
between forehead and nose with R head (2M)
d) Raise legs upward and bend knees, bending trunk and bringing knees gradually towards
glass on forehead, arms sideward, kewet hands R and L alternately every measure (4M)
e) Clip glasses with both knees and support it well (2M). Slowly put glass on the bench
behind the head (without spilling contents) so that body is turned or rolled over. Support
body by hands, holding on bench overhead. Finish in a siting position with glass in front
and facing End B of bench (4M)
f) Kneel on R and repeat movements as in (a) and (b). Finish facing partner and with glass
at R head, stand on the last count (2M)

SALUDO
Music Finale
Partners face R of the bench
a) Waltz sideward R and L, sway glasses sideward r and L at shoulder level (2M)
b) Three-step turn R, arms sideward. Finish facing right of the bench (1M)
c) Girl point L foot sideward L (1M). R hand sideward, L hand in front, bend trunk slightly to
sideward L. Pause and look at partner (1M). Boy kneels on L, open arms sideward and
look up at partner (2M)