Music of the Philippines more mainstream after performers such as Atang de la Rama, Jovita Fuentes, Conching Rosal, Sylvia La Torre and Ruben Tagalog introduced them to a wider audience. The Tinikling is a dance from Leyte which involves two individual performers hitting bamboo poles, using them to beat, tap, and slide on the ground, in co-ordination with one or more dancers who steps over and in between poles. This is one of the more iconic Philippine dances, and is similar to other Southeast Asian bamboo dances. The Cariñosa (meaning "loving" or "affectionate one"), is the national dance, and is part of the María
National Dance Week National Dance Week National Dance Week (NDW) is an annual event in the United States sponsored by the United Dance Merchants of America to increase public awareness and appreciation of various forms of dance. The event is coordinated by an organization under the same name headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA which operates under the sponsorship of the UDMA and currently seeks for the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization status The Coalition for National Dance Week was formed in 1981 by a group of dance related organizations to bring greater recognition to dance as an art form. Since 1991 the NDW is sponsored by