Tinikling more specifically refers to the Slaty-breasted Rail ("Gallirallus striatus"), the Buff-banded Rail ("Gallirallus philippensis"), and the Barred Rail ("Gallirallus torquatus"). The term "tinikling" literally means "to perform it 'tikling"-like." The dance originated in Leyte, an island in the Visayas in the central Philippines. It imitates the movement of the "tikling" birds as they walk between grass stems, run over tree branches, or dodge bamboo traps set by rice farmers. Dancers imitate the tikling bird's legendary grace and speed by skillfully maneuvering between large bamboo poles. Today tinikling is taught throughout the United States. In grades K-12 the dance is used
Tinikling faster as the dance progresses, forcing the dancers closer together as their movements become more frantic. The dancers hold hands at the last part of the dance, when the tempo is the fastest. They end the dance by letting go of each other's hands and stepping out entirely of the moving bamboo poles. For the dance, females traditionally wear a dress called "balintawak" or "patadyong", and males wear an untucked embroidered shirt called the "barong Tagalog". The "balintawak" are colorful dresses with wide arched sleeves and the "patadyong" is a pineapple fiber blouse paired with checkered skirts. The "barong Tagalog"