Pangalimango

Meaning: Crab Hunting

Dance Culture: Lowland Christian
Place of Origin: Aroroy, Masbate
Ethno Linguistic Group: Masbateño
Classification: Occupational Dance

Background / Context:

The town of Aroroy in the Province of Masbate is known for its crab
abundance. Crab hunters in this place spend most of their time in tidal shores,
mangrove areas even in muddy swamps. However, many engaged themselves
in catching crabs at the fish pond where crabs are being cultured for bigger
quantity of production. The municipality has a total of more than 709 hectares
of mangrove areas and more than 175 developed fish pond where crabs thrive.
Throughout the course of catching crabs, hunter uses trap to avoid from
being attacked by crab’s grasping pincers. The trap is commonly called “Bintol”
which is made of two (2) bamboo sticks bended across each other and ends
attached to four (4) corners of a square-shaped net. Bintol is sunk into the water
with bait. Once a crab enters and steps-in on to the net, legs are entangled by
the meshes and has no chance to come out but quivers on the net. Bintol is then
taken up from the water by hooking it with “Saraw”, a long bamboo stick with
hook at one end. Carefully, hunter ties the crab while in the bintol, making sure
oincers are clasped and fastened tightly before putting it in the basket.
The dance “Pangalimango” shows the skills of crab hunters in Aroroy on
how they entrap and capture the injurious and live crabs using “bintol” and
“saraw”. Thus, the dance was developed to put into life the crab hunting skill to
an occupational dance.
Although it demands considerable effort and skill, crab hunting is fun and
arouses emotional feeling.

Dance Properties:

Costume:
Female: Loose pants, baro, tapis and pañuelo
Male: Camisa de Chino, colored trousers and scarf
Hand Props:
Girl: Basket with strap
Male: Bintol and Saraw, with buri strips on the right tip

Music: ¾ composed of three parts: Introduction, A, B, and C.

Count: One, two, three to a measure
 Formation: Dancers are sets of two pairs arranged in square formation (Girl
stand at the right side of the Boy). One or more sets may take
part in this dance.

INTRODUCTION

Music Introduction
Partners face audience. Boy holds saraw and bintol with both hands in front
(Bintol head level). Girl places strap of basket on the R shoulder. R hand holding
the strap, L hand holds the skirt.
(a) Take two close steps forward R and L.............................................................2 M
(b) Raise heels (1M). Heels down and bow to audience (1M)................................2 M

I
Music A1
Partners face audience. Boy holds saraw and bintol on the left side with both
hands parallel to the ground, waist level. Girl holds strap of the basket with both
hands stretched to side.
(a) Lunge R sideward right, bend trunk to left, and raise R hand upward..............1 M
(b) Repeat (a) to left and right, change position of the arm and body...................2 M
(c) Pivot turn left about and close R foot to L. Arms as in starting position...........1 M
(d) Repeat (a, b, c). Finish facing away from audience. Face partner after the pivot
turn................................................................................................................4 M
(e) Repeat all (a, b, c, d) facing partner and away from partner............................8 M

II
Music A2
Partners face each other. Boy holds saraw and bintol with both hands and places
it on the R shoulder. Girl holds basket as in Figure I.
(a) Step R forward (ct.1), raise L foot and tap twice on the air..............................1 M
(b) Repeat (a) six more times L and R alternately moving forward to partner’s place
passing R to R shoulder..................................................................................6 M
(c) Take one close step L to turn left about..........................................................1 M
(d) Repeat all (a, b, c) to proper places. Look right and left on the last measure as if
avoiding from falling into the dike. Finish facing away from partner...............8 M

III
Music B
Boy holds saraw and bintol infront at waist level. Girl holds basket with both
hands in front overhead.
(a) Take four close steps to the right, moving arms sideward right and left
alternately......................................................................................................4 M
(b) Repeat (a) to the left......................................................................................4 M
(c) Partners face audience. Repeat (a) and (b).....................................................8 M
 IV
Music B
Boy facing audience holds saraw and bintol as in introduction. Girl facing away
from the audience holds basket as in Figure III.
(a) Step R forward (ct.1), swing L foot to front (ct.2 ,3).........................................1 M
(b) Swing L foot backward (cts.1, 2, 3)..................................................................1 M
(c) Step L forward (cts.1, 2), close R to L (ct.3)......................................................1 M
(d) Bend knees (cts.1, 2), unbend (ct.3).................................................................1 M
(e) Repeat (a, b, c, d) two more times moving forward.........................................8 M
(f) Take four waltz steps moving backward to proper places. Finish facing audience.
Girls wear strap of the basket to place it on her back......................................4 M

V
Music A2
Boy holds saraw and bintol as an introduction. Girl wears basket at the back.
Thumbs hooking the strap while free fingers are limbering.
(a) Step R forward. Boy raises saraw and bintol a little higher while Girl faces left
looking at bintol.............................................................................................2 M
(b) Transfer weight to L foot and bend trunk forward. Boy places saraw and bintol
on the floor as if waiting for the crab to be trap..............................................4 M
(c) Close R foot to L in starting position...............................................................1 M
(d) Turn right about and repeat (a).......................................................................2 M
(e) Repeat (b) for 2 measures only.......................................................................2 M
(f) Repeat (a) for 1 measure only.........................................................................1 M
(g) Turn right about and repeat (a).......................................................................2 M
(h) Repeat (b) for 1 measure only.........................................................................1 M
(i) Release bintol and repeat (c)...........................................................................1 M

VI
Music B
Partners facing right, L shoulders toward audience. Boy holds saraw with Rhand.
Hook is placed on the rim of basket of his partner. L hand of Boy on the waist.
(a) Take two waltz steps moving forward R and L alternately. Girl looks at her
partner...........................................................................................................2 M
(b) Point R foot forward (1M), point R foot backward (1M)...................................2 M
(c) Repeat (a) and (b) two more times moving forward........................................8 M
(d) Take four point steps moving backward.
(e) Point L foot forward.......................................................................................1 M
(f) Step L foot backward and point R foot forward...............................................1 M
(g) Step r foot backward and point L foot forward...............................................1 M
(h) Step L foot backward and point R foot forward..............................................1 M

VII
Music C
Partners face audience. Movements of Boy and Girl are done simultaneously.
Boy’s Part:
(a) Step R foot obliquely forward L. Get bintol with the saraw.............................1 M
(b) Raise bintol overhead.....................................................................................1 M
(c) Step R foot obliquely forward right and bring bintol to the right.....................1 M
(d) Put bintol down the floor................................................................................1 M
(e) Step L forward to squat sitting position. Pull string from the waist and tie the
crab from the bintol........................................................................................2 M
(f) Put crab inside the Girl’s basket......................................................................1 M
(g) Repeat (e) and (f) two more times..................................................................6 M
(h) Get saraw and bintol with both hands and stand. R hand on one end where
bintol is being hooked. L hadn on the other end of saraw...............................3 M
Girl’s Part:
(a) Step R foot obliquely forward L. Remove basket from the back......................3 M
(b) Step R foot obliquely forward right and raise basket overhead in front...........1 M
(c) Transfer weight to L foot and bring basket downward to waist level (1M), bring
basket upward (1M)........................................................................................2 M
(d) Bring basket downward close to L waist.........................................................2 M
(e) Bring basket upward overhead.......................................................................1 M
(f) Repeat (d) and (e) two more times.................................................................6 M
(g) Close R foot to L and bring basket to chest level.............................................1 M

VIII
Music A
Repeat movement of Figure I.
Boy makes the following movements of the arm:
(a) Second position..............................................................................................1 M
(b) Fourth position...............................................................................................1 M
(c) Second position..............................................................................................1 M
(d) Fifth position..................................................................................................1 M
(Throw bintol on the last measure)
Girl makes the following movements of the arm:
(a) Sway basket sideward R, L, R..........................................................................3 M
(b) Basket overhead while turning.......................................................................1 M

IX
Music A2
(a) Take eigth brush steps backward. Girls hold basket in front with both hands
swinging right and left. Boy holds saraw horizontally infront..........................8 M
(b) Take six steps raise and tap twice on the air moving forward..........................6 M
(c) Boy gets bintol from the floor with saraw and raise upward. Girl raises basket
upward...........................................................................................................2 M
 SALUDO
Music Finale
Boy:
(a) Step-close-step-close to the left. Both hands hold saraw vertically upward with
bintol hanging downward from the hook........................................................2 M
(b) Step R foot forward. R hand is placed inside the bintol and pull back quickly as if
avoiding his fingers from crab’s attacking the pincers.....................................1 M
Girl:
(a) Step-close-step-close to the right. (Basket is raised overhead).......................2 M
(b) Point L foot in front and pause. Point L foot sideward left. (Basket is moved to
the L)..............................................................................................................1 M