| Nearly 400 years of Spanish rule left an unremovable mark on the Philippines. Spain brought them all aspects of their culture to the islands. This includes the Catholic faith, clothing, music, and dance. European ideas spread and the Filpinos adapted and blended to meet the local conditions. These dances read their zenith in popularity around the turn of the century, particularly among urban Filpinos.
They are so named in honor of the legendary Maria Clara, who remains a symbol of the virtues and mobility of the Filipina woman. Maria Clara was the chief female character of Jose Rizals’ Noli Mi Tangere. Displaying a very strong Spanish influence, these dances were, nonetheless, “Filipinized” as evidence of the use of bamboo castanets and the abanico, or Asian fan.
Typical attire for these dances are the formal Maria Clara dress and barong tagalong, an embroidered long-sleeve shirt made of pineapple fiber. |
