Bayambang's Binasuan Dance

 

Binasuan

 

6.

Binasuan Folk Dance
Binasuan is a folk dance that originated in Bayambang, Pangasinan. The word “binasuan” means “with the use of drinking glasses.” The dancers balance glasses on their heads and in their hands as they move. The glasses are filled with rice wine, which makes any misstep a messy mistake. People dance binasuan at weddings and festivals. A group of dancers generally performs binasuan, moving in unison, but occasionally breaking into smaller groups and performing different choreography. For example, they can begin in a circle, then form two columns, which then bend into semicircles, and one follows the other to reform the circle. The music is in three-quarter time.

Binasuan Cups
At the beginning of a binasuan performance, one of the dancers may fill each individual cup with rice wine and pass them out to the other performers. The dancers can also come onstage with the cups already filled and balanced on their heads and hands. For your binasuan dance, make sure you fill each cup about half full of rice wine. You can also use water. To balance the cups, place one on the flattest part of your head, just behind the crown of your head. Now place another on one palm. You’ll need another person to place the last glass on your other palm. Keep your head level and high, and look straight ahead. Keep your palms facing up and slightly cupped, to hold your glasses in place.

Binasuan Steps
Binasuan footwork looks remarkably similar to waltz steps. First, step out to the side with your right foot. Next, move your left foot up to your right foot. Third, tap your right foot. Now repeat this sequence, this time stepping to the side with your left foot.

To move along when you and the other dancers are moving in a circle, step to the side with your right foot. Now kick your left foot out: This is a small motion, so make sure your foot is only coming about three inches off the floor. Point your toe. Third, tap your left toes on the ground. Because the music is in three-quarter time, your steps should go like this: step, kick, tap, step, kick, tap.

To perform an arm balance, hold your arms up and out to the sides, with your palms up and your elbows slightly bent, held at about waist level. Your arms should look like you’re carrying a large log, balancing it on your palms and the insides of your forearms. Now, as you kick your left foot out in the waltz step, make a large circle in the air with your left arm. This circle should be horizontal–that is, all its points should be at the same height. You’ll make the circle by first bringing the heel of your hand close to your bicep, then moving your hand out to the left, keeping your hand flexed so your glass stays level. Straighten your elbow gradually as you keep moving your hand out and to the left. Keep a slight bend in your elbow as you reach the widest part of the circle, which will place your hand in front of your bicep again, but this time about two feet away from it. Keep moving your hand in this circle until it’s all the way back close to your bicep again. This entire arm movement should take up one three-count in the music. Now, as you kick out your right foot, perform the same motion with your right arm.

 

Reference: Binasuan Folk Dance – Archive-Balon Bayambang

Binasuan is a folk dance that originated in Bayambang, Pangasinan. The word “binasuan” means “with the use of drinking glasses.”

Binasuan is a very colorful and spectacular dance from Bayambang, Pangasinan from the word baso, meaning drinking glass. Binasuan in Pangasinan means "with the use of a drinking glass." Dancing to the tune of "Pitoy Oras," the dancers balance glasses on their heads and hands as they move. The glasses are filled with rice wine, which makes any misstep a messy mistake. People dance binasuan during weddings and festivals. A group of dancers generally performs binasuan, moving in unison but occasionally breaking into smaller groups and performing different choreographies.

In this dance, the dancer displays good balance, graceful movements, and unusual skill. The dancer shows her skill in maneuvering the glasses, particularly when she executes continuous fast turns, sitting, and rolling on the floor without spilling the water or dropping the glasses.

In what looks like the original version of the dance, according to PSU professor Januario Cuchapin’s research, the dancer dances with three glasses half-full with water, one on her head and one on each held on the palms of her hands. Binasuan is usually danced only by one girl, but sometimes two or three more girls may dance it in group formation.

The dance, through time, evolved to include male dancers and male-female partners.

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The dance remains a popular form of intermission numbers during official and cultural programs in the town. It is also a favorite performance of the local dance group called Matalunggaring Dance Troupe based in PSU-Bayambang Campus. The dance troupe was founded by Prof. Januario Cuchapin and is now under Jordan Neri.

With the fast semestral and yearly changing of the membership of the dance troupe, the knowledge and skill is regularly transferred to the younger generation.

The LGU also helps by occasionally promoting the dance through hired presentations by the Matalunggaring Dance Troupe and recently through a dance workshop facilitated by the abovementioned trainors from PSU-Bayambang.

 

 

8. Historical Significance. Francisca Reyes Aquino’s research work traces the origin of binasuan dance to a certain woman from Brgy. Sancagulis, this town, and this serves as a basis of Bayambang town for claiming the dance as among its pride as intangible cultural wealth or property.

Social Significance. People dance binasuan during weddings and festivals. The dance thus provides entertainment to the community during special occasions and serves as a tool of community interaction and social cohesion. Being a Bayambang original, it also serves as a cultural identity marker for the town.

 

 

11b.

 

The dance is documented in a lot of YouTube videos online, so it is not in danger of being forgotten, but authenticity can be an issue if interpreted and embellished outside of the town and province.

The active presence and promotion of Matalunggaring Dance Troupe is an essential preserving tool/element/mechanism, but this is dependent on the director of the troupe – what if another one takes over and changes the preservation thrust? The group is also not directly under LGU jurisdiction.

Without an active mechanism of regular, that is yearly, technology transfer from one batch of students to the next, this dance may in fact be in danger of vanishing in just one generation.

Fortunately, the original version of this dance has been documented in a notated version by Prof. Cuchapin in his NCCA-sponsored book “Bali-Balin Pangasinan” which is stored in the Bayambang Municipal Museum. This documentation, however, has no known copies outside this resource center.