Cariñosa This flirtatious dance called Cariñosa is known throughout the Philippines. Cariñosa ('kah-reehn-YOH-sah') means affectionate, lovable, or amiable. With a fan or handkerchief, the dancers go through hide-and-seek movements and other flirting acts expressing tender feelings for one another. There are many versions of this dance, but the hide-and-seek movements are common in all. The first ever published notation of the Cariñosa dance steps was from the book Philippine Folk Dances and Games by Francisca Reyes-Tolentino (later became an Aquino). Mrs Tolentino's master's thesis which has the same title was revised and was later published in 1927. However, the most common of the many Cariñosa found in the country is the one from the book "Philippine Folk Dances v1" by Francisca Reyes Aquino, published sometime in 1940. The version integrated all the common dance figures among the many versions throughout the land. Three versions of this courtship-festival dance were found in Panay Island, the "Home of the Carinosa". Three different dance researchers discovered three equally beautiful Cariñosa dances. Petronila Suarez had her Carinosa Binggawan, Jose Balcena's informant; an old dancing virtuoso name Casimiro earned him the identity of Balcena's cariñosa version: Tatay Meroy Cariñosa. Tatay Meroy was an old bachelor from Roxas City who because of old age became aggressive in his courting of a future partner. This version dramatizes Tatay Mero's pursuit of his partner who teases him by flirting. Prolific Visayan dance researchers Libertad Fajardo and her daughter Joanne discovered a Cariñosa version from San Joaquin, Iloilo. The San Joaquin cariñosa is probably the most flirtatious of all known versions. Here, the couple does not simply do some hide-and-seek in a vertically spread handkerchief but also does the combing of each partner's hair and even putting a powder puff! This version is ended with a ballroom waltz where the couple goes around the dance floor in close ballroom position. The Cariñosa was also very popular in Samar where it is called Pandanggyado Cariñosa or simply Pandanggyado in' Samar. A cariñosa from Bicol discovered by Ramon Obusan in Rapu-rapu, Albay is a very unique song-dance or sayawit. The hide-and-seek uses a folding fan rather than the common prop: handkerchief. A very unique Bicolnon dance step called binanog is prominent throught the dance where it was originally used as an intermission. The Cariñosa is believed to have replaced the popular Tinikling as the "National Dance of the Philippines" in 1992. However, according to the Philippine Information Agency, the Tinikling is indeed the "National Dance of the Philippines".
Source: http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Cari%C3%B1osa

Cariñosa Cariñosa (Spanish pronunciation: [kaɾiˈɲosa], meaning the loving or affectionate one) is a Philippine dance of Hispanic origin from the Maria Clara suite of Philippine folk dances, where the fan or handkerchief plays an instrumental role as it places the couple in romance scenario.
History and Emergence as a national folk dance The dance was originated in the Panay Islands on the Visayan Islands and it was introduced by the Spaniards during their colonization of the Philippines. It is related to some of the Spanish dances like the bolero and the Mexican dance Jarabe Tapatio or the Mexican Hat Dance.
Bicolano Cariñosa According to the book of Francisca Reyes-Aquino, Philippine Folk Dances, Volume 2, there is a different version of the dance in the region of Bicol. In the Bicol Carinosa, hide and seek movement is different. In the original version, the dancers used the fan and handkerchief as the way to do the hide and seek movement, in Bicol they used two handkerchiefs holding the two corners of the handkerchief and doing the hide and seek movement as they point their foot forward and their hands go upward together with their handkerchief following the movement. It is a complicated step however it is still used in Bicol region during festivals and social gatherings.
Costumes
Originally, Carinosa was danced with Maria Clara dress and Barong Tagalog for it is a Maria Clara Spanish Dance when it is introduced. However as the Filipino people saw and imitated this dance, they wore the patadyong kimona and camisa de chino to reveal their love as a Filipino and other steps was revised to make it more Filipino but the music didn't change at all and reveals a Spanish Influence to the Filipinos. As listed by the book of F.R. Aquino dancers may wear balintawak style (a native dress of the Tagalog regions), camisa (a white sleeve) or patadyong kimona (a dress of the Visayan of people) and for boys a barong tagalog and colored pants. Because it is a national dance, the dancers may wear any Filipino costumes.
Music
The music of Carinosa shows a great Spanish influence to the Filipinos. It is 3/4 in rhythm like some of the Spanish dances. The Philippine Rondalla are playing this music of the dance where it is an ensemble or an orchestra of string instruments in the Philippines similar to the Spanish musicians in Spain that comprises bandurrias, mandolins, guitar, basses, drums, and banjos. Mostly men are playing rondalla instruments but women may also take part.
Origin
Cariñosa (Spanish pronunciation: [kaɾiˈɲosa], meaning the loving or affectionate one) is a Philippine dance of Hispanic origin from the Maria Clara suite of Philippine folk dances, where the fan or handkerchief plays an instrumental role as it places the couple in romance scenario.
Music
The music of Carinosa shows a great Spanish influence to the Filipinos. It is 3/4 in rhythm like some of the Spanish dances. The Philippine Rondalla are playing this music of the dance where it is an ensemble or an orchestra of string instruments in the Philippines similar to the Spanish musicians in Spain that comprises bandurrias, mandolins, guitar, basses, drums, and banjos. Mostly men are playing rondalla instruments but women may also take part.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cari%C3%B1osa

Carinosa Dance Steps Carinosa, the national dance of the Philippines, is a romantic, flirtatious folk dance set to a waltz-like 3/4 rhythm. A couple expresses their feelings for each other with coy moves, including playing hide-and-seek behind a handkerchief or a fan. 1. Carinosa was introduced to the country by Spanish colonizers. Panay Island, located in the Visaya island group, is considered the home of the carinosa. Dancers perform carinosa to Spanish-style music played by a string ensemble, in 3/4 time. Carinosa usually involves two dancers, one male, one female, who dance facing one another. The word "carinosa" means "affectionate" or "lovable" in Spanish, and this is a courtship dance. The dancers don't touch each other, but their dancing indicates their romantic interest: They peek at each other around a handkerchief, exchange coy little waves, and drop to one knee while one partner dances around the other.
Carinosa Steps 2. The basic footwork is similar to the steps used in a waltz: You move around the floor by stepping to the side with your left foot, then moving your right foot next to your left. You finish off this series of three movements by tapping your left foot on the floor. Repeat this sequence of steps, this time beginning by stepping to the side with your right foot. Spins are another fundamental element of carinosa. They take up the last two bars of an eight-bar sequence. If you're the male half of the dancing pair, you either fold your hands behind your back or put your hands on your hips. The best way to think of this modified hands-on-hips pose is to make sure your thumbs point inward toward your waist and your knuckles rest on your love handles, even if you don't have them. If you're the female, hold your skirt up a few inches off the floor by taking each side of your skirt between your thumb and forefinger. You can either do two turns, one for each three-beat bar, or one turn on the first three-beat bar. For the latter, you simply stand still for the last three-beat bar. You'll always turn to the right.
Carinosa Props 3. Female carinosa dancers often use fans. If you're the female dancer, you open your fan by giving it a firm shake. Once it's open, simply fan yourself to the music, matching each downward movement of the fan with one beat in the three-beat bar.

The handkerchief hide-and-seek is a key element of carinosa. Each partner holds two corners of the handkerchief and stand facing each other, holding the handkerchief so it blocks the view of the other partner's face. On the first beat of the three-beat musical bar, both partners lean to the right side and peek at each other around the handkerchief. They hold for a beat, then, on the third and final beat of the bar, they return to an upright position, holding the handkerchief so it is blocking the faces again. On the first beat of the next bar, the partners flip the handkerchief while still holding it, so if one partner had been holding the top two corners, he's now holding the bottom two corners, or vice versa. As they do so, they lean to the side and peek at the other partner around the handkerchief again. This series of movements continues for six bars in total; for the last two bars of the eight-bar section, the partners switch places by waltzing around each other while still holding the handkerchief. This entire sequence repeats. The hide-and-seek sequence can be performed with a fan instead of a handkerchief. The female dancer of the carinosa pair holds her skirt with one or both hands, pinching the fabric of the skirt with the thumb and forefinger, at the side, at about mid-thigh level.
Source: http://www.ehow.com/way_5434282_carinosa-dance-steps.html

The History of the Carinosa Cultural Dance Dances in the Philippines are a melting pot of indigenous, Asian, American, Latin and European styles. The Cariñosa is a popular folk dance that was introduced to the country by the Spaniards when they arrived in the 16th century. It is performed at social gatherings and festivities.
History
1. The Cariñosa dance has Spanish origins and is performed throughout the Philippines. Cariñosa literally means "she that is loving" (the verb ending indicates it refers to a woman). As such, it is a slow dance where a man and a woman dance together. Its style bears resemblance to a bolero or a waltz.
Features
2. This flirtatious dance features a female dancer that appears to be shy and retiring, supposedly mimicking the character of a Philippine woman. A fan or handkerchief is used to mimic a game of hide and seek between the couple, as the woman hides behind the prop and the two seem to repeatedly pull back and then show affection for one another. Dancers take steps around the room; the male dancer has his hands behind his back or on his hips, while the female holds her skirt up by a few by a few inches with both hands. The dancers do not touch each other throughout their performance.
Identification
3. Originally, a Spanish costume was worn; however, more traditional Philippine costumes are now worn, such as a white shirt and colored trousers for men and native dress for women. Music is very Spanish-influenced, with ¾ rhythms, and ensemble orchestras comprising banjos, mandolins, strings and drums are typical. Mostly men make up the orchestra; however, women commonly take part.
Types
4. A few different versions of the dance exist, depending to the region. In Bicol, two handkerchiefs are used and both dancers point their feet forward as their hands go up at the same time. In Visayan, the couple go as far as combing each other's hair. The hide and seek movements are common to all the versions. One variation performed at weddings involved the man dancing around the woman until she consents to dance with him.

Considerations 5. School textbooks and tourist websites often state that cariñosa is the national dance of the Philippines; however, the Philippine Information Agency maintains that it is tinikling, as the cariñosa is really a Western dance that derives from the Spanish colonialists.
Source: http://www.ehow.com/about_6553939_history-carinosa-cultural-dance.html

Lesson2: Let’s dance the Cariñosa
By Karen B. Velasco
Carinosa
* One of the national dances we should be proud of is the CARIÑOSA. This is a courtship dance known throughout the Philippines with its flirtatious movements. The word “Cariñosa” means affectionate, amiable, or lovable. There are many versions of this dance but hide and seek movements using a fan (abanico) and a handkerchief (pañuelo) are the most common.
What are the basic steps of the Cariñosa?
1. Three steps and point time signature: 3/4 count: 1, 2, 3 to a measure. movement: with the R (L) foot; take three steps sideward right, ct.1 (count 1, 2, 3) point L (R) foot in fourth position in front (ct.1, 2, 3)
2. Touch step.
Time signature: 3/4
Count: 1, 2, 3 – 2m.
Movement: point R (L) foot in fourth position in front (ct. 1, 2, 3)
3. Waltz step movement: touch R (L) toes forward (cts. 1, 2) close R (L) ct.3
4 .Manipulation of fan(abanico).
What is the Cariñosa?
A. Background/Context This flirtation dance is known throughout the Philippines. Cariñosa means affectionate, lovable or amiable. With a fan and a handkerchief, the dancers go through hide and seek movements and other flirting acts expressing tender feeling for one another. There are so many versions of this dance but the hide and seek movements are the most common.
B. Dance properties
Costume:
Female: either patadiong kimono, Balintawak style costume or patadiong and camisa. Girl has a fan hanging at the right side of waist.
Male: either barong tagalong or camisa de chino (any color of trousers). Boy has a handkerchief in his pocket.
Music: 3/4 composed of two parts : A and B
Count: one, two, three to a measure.
Formation: partners stand opposite and facing each other about six feet apart. When facing the audience girl is at right side of boy. One or more number of couples may take part in this dance.
C. Movements 1. Introduction 2. Three steps and point 3. Pointing 4. Back to back 5. Hide and seek with fan 6. Kneeling and fanning 7. Hide and seek with handkerchief 8. Flirting with handkerchief 9. Flirting.
Dancing the Cariñosa http://www.slideshare.net/dawavaler/carinosa *abanico = fan in Spanish
*pañuelo = handkerchief in Spanish