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Home culture Surtido Banna: A Comprehensive Study of an Ilocano Folk Dance

Surtido Banna: A Comprehensive Study of an Ilocano Folk Dance

Wednesday, September 03, 2025
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Surtido Banna (often written Surtido-Banna or Surtido Banna (Espiritu)) is an Ilocano folk dance from the province of Ilocos Norte in the Philippines. It is most frequently described as a festival or social dance and is commonly characterized as a variation of the waltz with a mixture of steps and cadences — the Spanish-influenced triple-time social dance form adapted to local performance aesthetics. The dance is associated with the municipality of Banna (formerly called Espiritu) in Ilocos Norte and is typically presented at fiestas, cultural festivals, and dance presentations that showcase Ilocano heritage. Honolulu FestivalYodisphere


Historical origins and etymology

  • Place of origin: Surtido Banna is attributed to Banna (historically Espiritu), Ilocos Norte, and is presented as a local festival dance in Ilocano repertoires. The town’s cultural events and local troupes regularly present it as part of Ilocano dance showcases. Honolulu FestivalYodisphere

  • Name and meaning: The term surtido is Spanish in origin meaning “assorted,” “mixed,” or “varied.” In the dance context, surtido signals a mixture of steps or dances (a “sampler” of movements) — hence, Surtido Banna can be read as “the assorted (or mixed) dance of Banna,” reflecting the dance’s variety of cadences, steps, and changes in tempo. This naming convention mirrors other Philippine folk-dance labels where Spanish/Tagalog descriptors are applied to local forms. HathiTrust Digital LibraryYouTube


Sources and documentation

The dance is documented in modern compilations of Philippine folk dances and is referenced explicitly in Francisca Reyes-Aquino’s collections (the foundational ethnographic/dance documentation that shaped much of the mid-20th-century scholarship and pedagogy on Philippine folk dances). Many contemporary presentations cite the Philippine Folk Dances volumes as the basis for staged choreographies and music adaptations. Video performances, festival programs (such as Tan-ok ni Ilocano and local cultural troupes), and academic articles on Ilocano dance repertory also reference and demonstrate Surtido Banna. HathiTrust Digital LibraryYouTubeResearchGate


Musical accompaniment and rhythm

  • Meter and feel: The movement vocabulary is generally performed in triple meter (consistent with waltz influence), though choreographed presentations incorporate tempo shifts and rhythmic accents to highlight transitions and stylized figures. Musical arrangements used in staged presentations frequently derive from or are inspired by tunes catalogued in folk-dance compilations, sometimes arranged by contemporary folk dance groups for performance. HathiTrust Digital LibraryYouTube

  • Instrumentation: Traditional ensembles for Ilocano festival dances typically use bandurria, guitar, accordion, flutes, and percussion (or modern folk-dance orchestration). For staged versions, local orchestras and recorded arrangements provide the rhythmic support, often tailored to the needs of staged choreography and competition timing. Honolulu FestivalYouTube


Choreography: structure, steps, and figures (dance literature)

Note: Surtido Banna is presented in published folk-dance compilations as a choreographic set (often adapted for stage). The following is a consolidated and literature-informed description synthesizing documented versions and observed performances.

General structure

  • Form: Group social dance typically staged for mixed couples or ensembles. Performances present sequences of short phrases (8–16 counts) that are repeated and varied, with alternating couples and group formations. HathiTrust Digital LibraryYouTube

  • Mood/character: Festive, elegant, with social waltz elements and occasional sprightly accents. The choreography often alternates between smooth, gliding waltz-like sequences and brisk, ornamented figures — reflecting the meaning of surtido (mixed/varied). YouTube

Principal steps and movements

(These step descriptions are presented in neutral instructional language so they can be used as a technical reference in dance notes and teaching materials.)

  1. Basic waltz pattern (foundation): The standard triple-time forward–side–close sequence (1–2–3 count) forms the foundation. In Surtido Banna this may be performed as:

    • Weight transfer forward on the first beat, side or close on the second beat, and step or close on the third — executed as a smooth gliding step for couples. HathiTrust Digital Library

  2. Promenade and counter-promenade figures: Partners or groups move in sweeping promenades around the performance floor, often executing long-distance glides and coordinated turns. Promenades are used to change lines or to create circular formations in the stage presentations. YouTube

  3. Turning patterns (pairs and solo turns): Rotational elements (single and double turns) are integrated frequently, with partnered turns on one foot or two, including alternating solo spins for women that highlight skirt-work in staged costuming. These turns can be quick (accented) or extended (sustained), depending on musical phrasing. YouTube

  4. Surtido (assorted) variations: Short choreographic inserts — small hops, syncopated chassés, stamping motifs, or polka-like steps — are interleaved to provide variety and showmanship. These are the “surtido” elements that give the dance its name, and in performance they are used to punctuate phrases or lead to formation changes. HathiTrust Digital LibraryResearchGate

  5. Figure sequences (group formations): Couples form lines, circles, or facing lines; occasionally the choreography includes call-and-response sequences where one couple performs a short improvisatory sequence and others respond, producing a social-dance atmosphere. Honolulu Festival

Technical teaching notes

  • Timing and phrasing: Teach the basic triple-time phrasing first (count of three). Emphasize weight shifts and the glide quality of the waltz before introducing surtido ornamentations.

  • Partnering principles: Focus on frame, lead–follow clarity, and safe turning technique — particularly for long-axis turns and promenades.

  • Performance adaptation: For stage, many groups increase clarity of rhythm, enlarge gestures, and accentuate skirt or prop work for visibility. Field/traditional versions may be more intimate and social. HathiTrust Digital LibraryYouTube


Costume, props, and visual aesthetics

  • Women's costume: Staged versions often dress women in terno-inspired or regional Ilocana dresses—modest blouses with puffed sleeves and ankle-length skirts (or abel-woven fabrics when showcasing Ilocos weaving traditions). Skirt work is emphasized during spins and promenades. Honolulu Festival

  • Men's costume: Men typically wear barong Tagalog variations or camisa (shirt) paired with trousers—sometimes with rebozos or scarves used for ornamentation in performance adaptations. Honolulu Festival

  • Props: Some staged renditions incorporate handkerchiefs, fans, or woven items to emphasize regional identity or to create visual rhythm during promenades and figure-work. These are usually introduced for spectacle in festival performances rather than in purely social settings. YouTube


Performance context and cultural significance

  • When it’s danced: Surtido Banna appears in fiestas, cultural festivals, school presentations, and folk-dance competitions. It is used as a representational dance of Ilocano social life (i.e., weddings, baptisms, fiestas) in staged and educational contexts. ResearchGateHonolulu Festival

  • Meaning: As a “surtido” or varied dance, it showcases adaptability and sociability — qualities associated with community life during celebration. Performing the dance at modern festivals (e.g., Tan-ok ni Ilocano and local municipal presentations) signals pride in locality (Banna) and in Ilocano dance heritage. YodisphereHonolulu Festival


Variations and related dances

  • Related Ilocano forms: Surtido Banna is one of several Ilocano dances that show Spanish and social-dance influence, alongside polka and waltz-derived repertory such as Pandaggo, Polka Ilocana, and other surtido labels in Philippine folk dance practice. Stage choreographers sometimes blend figures from related dances when creating routines for cultural showcases. HathiTrust Digital LibraryResearchGate


Notable recordings, demonstrations, and sources for practice

  • Numerous video recordings of Surtido Banna exist (local cultural groups, municipal cultural offices, festival programs, and school troupes). Several dance troupes and cultural groups (for example, Bin-I Cultural Troupe of Ilocos Norte and university/school groups) have presented Surtido Banna at festivals and international cultural showcases. Modern recordings often state that the choreography is “based on Francisca Reyes-Aquino’s Philippine Folk Dances” (Vol. VI) or on local Ilocano traditional material curated for stage. Honolulu FestivalYouTube


Preservation, research, and pedagogy

  • Ethnographic documentation: Francisca Reyes-Aquino’s Philippine Folk Dances collections remain the primary textual reference and pedagogical source for many Philippine folk dances, including Surtido Banna as presented in compiled volumes. Contemporary scholars and teachers rely on these compilations for steps, music cues, and source notes while also adapting dances for stage. HathiTrust Digital Library

  • Contemporary scholarship: Academic inquiries into Ilocano folk dance (including articles that analyze movement, social contexts, and even pedagogical crossovers with physics and movement studies) demonstrate continuing interest in the form. Local festivals and tourism offices also curate performances as part of regional cultural programming. ResearchGateHonolulu Festival


Comparative analysis: Surtido Banna and the waltz influence

  • Waltz lineage: The core triple-meter walking-and-turning patterns of Surtido Banna recall the waltz’s basic structure, which arrived in Philippine social dance vocabulary via Spanish and European contact. However, Surtido Banna integrates local polyrhythms, ornamentations, and ensemble figures that distinguish it from a pure waltz. The dance therefore functionally sits in a hybrid category: European social-dance underpinnings adapted for local idioms and festival performance. HathiTrust Digital LibraryYouTube


Recommendations for practitioners and teachers

  1. Start with musical counts: Teach triple-time counting before any ornament. Emphasize weight changes and the smooth transfer characteristic of waltz-style glides. HathiTrust Digital Library

  2. Use primary sources: Consult Francisca Reyes-Aquino’s Philippine Folk Dances volumes for documented notation and descriptions; use recorded performances from reputable local troupes to study visual phrasing. HathiTrust Digital LibraryHonolulu Festival

  3. Respect local variants: If teaching as “Ilocano tradition,” credit the town (Banna/Espiritu) and clarify whether your stage arrangement is an adaptation for performance rather than a verbatim traditional social form. Yodisphere


Conclusion

Surtido Banna occupies an important place in Ilocano folk-dance repertory as a festive waltz-variation that celebrates social life and local identity in Banna, Ilocos Norte. Documented in canonical compilations of Philippine folk dances and continually performed by local troupes and festival ensembles, the dance exemplifies how European social dance forms were indigenized in the Philippines and reworked into local expressive practices. Continued documentation, careful teaching rooted in primary sources, and festival presentation ensure Surtido Banna’s visibility in the living repertory of Ilocano cultural heritage. HathiTrust Digital LibraryHonolulu Festival


References

  1. Reyes-Aquino, F. (1976). Philippine folk dances (Vol. 6). Kayumanggi Press. Available via HathiTrust/Bibliographic collections. HathiTrust Digital Library

  2. Bin-I Cultural Troupe of Ilocos Norte. (n.d.). Group profile and repertoire notes (Bin-I Cultural Troupe — festival description). Honolulu Festival / group listing. Retrieved from festival/troupe program materials. Honolulu Festival

  3. Surtido Banna — Ilocano Folk Dance [Video]. (n.d.). Performance filmed at cultural presentations (cited as “based on Francisca Reyes-Aquino’s Philippine Folk Dances, Vol. VI”). YouTube. YouTube+1

  4. (Author unknown). (2021, Feb 16). Tan-ok ni Ilocano Festival and the celebration of Guling-Guling: Surtido Banna note [webpage]. Yodisphere (Ilocano cultural blog). Yodisphere

  5. (Authors). (2024?). Physics concepts reflected in Ilocano folk dances: implications to contextualized physics teaching [PDF]. ResearchGate / IJOR (conference/journal paper). This study includes Surtido Banna in its survey of Ilocano dance movements and contexts. ResearchGate

Short usage & citation note

  • The inline citations above point to the exact web findings I used while compiling this article; you can follow those references for videos, festival descriptions, and the primary compiled source (Francisca Reyes-Aquino). If you need the full direct URLs added into the APA references (for example for YouTube videos or festival pages), tell me which specific items you want URLs for and I’ll append them in exact APA format.

 

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