HISTORY

In this research, the origin of the Kuradang has been associated with another dance called
Kuratsa, the counterpart of the dance in the Eastern Visayas regions especially of those of the
Warays. The origin of the dance was influenced by a similar Mexican courtship dance called La
Cacuracha which translates to “The Little Cockroach” in Mexican. Like the Kuratsa, According
to Adams, the foreign dance was also performed during social gatherings that involves imitating
the movements of animals, specifically a cockroach that cannot walk, in this case (2001). In fact,
C. Andin and B.E.S Villaruz write that the dance was introduced by the Mexican soldiers and
traders at the time when Mexico and Philippines had trade and administrative relations (1994).
However, a closer comparison of both dances revealed that they the Kuratsa and the La Cucaracha
are of not the same kind as observed in its dance positions, rhythm, and music- In Kuratsa, the
dancers imitate the movements of fowl birds like the hen whereas the La Cucaracha mimics that
of a cockroach. Even the "basic" Kuratsa music is not based on Mexican or even Spanish melodies
but just bolero-inspired lilting music.
Philippine dance researchers, however, point either to the "Kigal" and the "Bikal" as the
ascendant of the Kuratsa. Their observations of the aforementioned terms are stated below:
The Kigal (spelled "Quigal" in early Spanish writings on Samar culture and
lifeways) is a sort battle-of-sexes couple dance that imitate mating birds. The Kigal is in fact
called by another name: Binanug or Kiglun (Kigalun?) that's according to a 17th century
Samarnon dictionary by Jesuit missionary to Samar, Fr. Alcazar. It is interesting that Banug
uis the Waray word for the hawk. Meanwhile, the Bikal is rather believed to be the fore
runner of the Waray Balitaw because of the strict emphasis on "joust" of impromptu songs
interspersed with dancing. The bikal is survived by the Ismaylingay and many versions of
this art is preserved by aging "magsiriday" in Samar and to a lesser extent Leyte.
The Kigal dance step called 'sabay' is in fact very similar to the Kuratsa dance
step called 'dagit' or when more daring the 'sagparak'. Dagit means swoop while sagparak
is descriptive of a heated 'bulang' (cockfight). The block and chase portion of the Kuratsa
(called 'palanat') is never seen in the Mexican social dance La Cucaracha but is very
common among Samar 'amenudo' (or couple dances) like the Ismaylingay, Amoracion,
Alimukon, Kuradang and Pantomina.
Going back to its Bohol roots, the Kuradang, according to historian and former Bohol Arts and
Cultural Heritage Council chair Marianito Luspo, is a native Visayan dance practiced in Bohol,
Cebu, Leyte and Panay, which he theorized as sinu’og or Sinulog in its purest form. What’s unique
about Bohol is that kuradang is widely practiced there and has become part of daily celebrations,
from house blessings to weddings, the historian said. Luspo also explained the adoption of the
dance is part of Bohol’s “self-discovery” as a people. “This is the true ancestral dance of the
Visayans, performed to the accompaniment of such percussion instruments as the drum and the
gong, and set to the 2/2 time signature that is truly reflective of ethnic music,” Luspo said. “It does
not have a fixed pattern of movement, thus, makes rooms for improvisations, the same way
Visayan poetry unravels verses.”
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
At present time, Kuradang is considered as the unofficial national dance of Bohol because
of its popularity and familiarity in the island. Many social gatherings like a wedding feast are said
to be incomplete and lifeless without the performance of this vivacious dance. According to
Boholano belief, a happy gathering is not truly a happy occasion and seems to be like funeral wake without
this dance. There are various versions of the dance in many parts of the Visayas but those of the towns of
Sevilla and Loboc are probably the best- a trip in the Loboc River via the floating restaurants would not be
complete without a Kuradang performance by the locals themselves.
In 2016, the organizers of Bohol’s Sandugo Festival were noted for revolutionizing the dances the
contingents will perform. One of the factors that induced the organizers to resolve such is because of the
Boholanos’ laments that the Sandugo festival which should have focused on their local artistry and cultural
expressions, has become a copycat of Cebu’s Sinulog. Hence, Instead of a street-dance competition à la
Sinulog and Panay’s “Ati-atihan,” Labad Lurgado, the Sandugo 2016 artistic head committee of the event,
said that Sandugo 2016 used the native Kuradang dance “as the main basis and inspiration for this year’s
contest, being the most local of Boholano traditional dance expressions.” (Sembrano, 2016)

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Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook Adams, Cecil. What are the
words to "La Cucaracha"?. The Straight Dope. Chicago Reader. 27 July 2001.
http://www.ichcap.org/eng/ek/sub3/pdf_file/domain2/021_Kuratsa_Dance.pdf Joycie Y. Dorado
Alegre
https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/234038/bohol-fest-seeks-to-be-more-historically-faithful-less-show-
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