Binislakan

• One of the top producers of bangus (or milkfish) in the nation is Pangasinan, a province in northwest Luzon. Mangoes and ceramic products are also produced in great quantities in the area. Aside from its known agricultural products, the province also has a rich culture.
• The binislakan is a well-known cultural legacy in the province.
• Sticks are used in the social dance to make it more engaging and lively.
• It also goes by the name Lingayen, which comes from the Chinese term Li-King-Tung.
• Lingayen, the name of the province's capital, indicates having to look both ahead and back.
• The residents of Almazin, a small settlement between Pulong (barrio Pangasinan) and Maniboc, danced the binislakan to commemorate the presence of the Chinese pirate Limahong, who established an empire and stayed for a while in the area.
• The dance is also known as “Lingayen” because it involves gazing both forward and backward. It uses rhythmic sticks that resemble Chinese chopsticks.
• This gave rise to the alternative name for the dance, binislakan, which is the Pangasinan word meaning “wielding sticks.”
• This dance requires a simple outfit. For female dancers, they don soft pañuelos and flowy, long-sleeved siesgo, and kimonos. The male dancers are dressed in camisa de chino and red trousers.
• It has two portions, A and B, each having a 2/4 beat with a count of 1, 2, 1, 2, and so on. At the beginning of the dance, male and female dancers are paired and placed six feet apart. A set may dance in any desired arrangement with one or more of its couples.