Pandag-Kitab is a provincial festival held in Calapan city. It was derived from Pandanggo (Fandango) and Dagitab which means “light”. It adapts the basic steps of Pandanggo sa Ilaw (Dance of Lights) which was told to have originated in Mindoro Island.
The style of Pandang-Gitab is the traditional “sway-and-balance”, with graceful shallow gyrating of hips and torso, complemented with a side-to-side gentle swing of hands, careful not to drop the candle-on-glass on both palms and on the head of the dancer. Props and other materials are being utilized for added attraction and modifications are allowed but must not affect the fundamental pattern of the dance (pandanggo) itself. The Pandang-Gitab Oriental Mindoro was launched as a street dancing competition and became a much applauded attraction as it was danced in Calapan City’s main avenue.
