Muslim Dances
Aside from the rich Christian history of the Philippines, the Muslim culture in certain parts of the country show their influence in ways of speech, dress, and mood. The beautiful patterns and designs on Muslim clothing show a sense of royalty and properness.
Singkil
The SingkÃl originated from the Maranao people who inhabit the shores of Lake Lanao. It is derived from a story in the Darangen, the Maranao interpretation of the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana. The name of the dance itself means "to entangle the feet with disturbing objects such as vines or anything in your path". It is a popular dance performed during celebrations and other festive entertainment. Originally only women, particularly royalty, danced the SingkÃl, which serves as either a conscious or unconscious advertisement to potential suitors.
While often erroneously referred to by non-Maranaos as a "Muslim dance", the SingkÃl is in fact secular in nature, performed by the Ummah communities of the Maranao and Maguindanao. Initially, the dance was performed with just one pair of bamboo poles, eventually adopting the use of two criss-crossing pairs.