Singkil

The most celebrated dance sequence, a courtship dance from the province of Lanao, is now a classic in the company’s repertoire. This is the most exotic among Muslim dances that transform into a fairy tale. The bride becomes a princess and the groom a prince. An entire entourage enters criss-crossed bamboo poles that are clapped at syncopated rhythm. An Arabic chant of conversion precedes the dance. The princess wears a “singkil,” an anklet with bells attached.