There is no dancing in connection with the private ceremonies; but
the tayo, a dance by one man and woman at a time, forms a part of
nearly all public ceremonies. The dance is the same as the tayau of
the Nabaloi except that the Kankanay dance to faster time. The time
is faster among the northern than among the southern Kankanay.
While the dance is in progress the mambunong shouts the following at
intervals of about ten minutes to the man who is dancing:
Baliwatak sika; matagoga, maganakka; bomaknangka; bomaknang
abu tomoi mansida; bamaknang abu babayi manadong tauwadi,
kasinsinopantaka si oaoay.
I give you this blessing: may you live long, may you have children;
may you be rich; may the giver of this ceremony also be rich;
may the women dancing also be rich, so that there will be our
gathering together always.
While the mambunong is reciting the baliwak, the man stops dancing,
but the woman continues. The baliwak corresponds to the datok of
the Nabaloi.
The typical dances of the Nabaloi and the Kankanay are very similar,
but this can not be stated of the dances of any of the other Igorot
tribes. The Bontoc, Ifugao, Apayao, and Kalinga dances all differ
considerably, and even the most common dances in various towns of
the same tribe differ to such an extent that an inhabitant of one
town can not take part in a dance of another.
Sacred songs form a part of the worship in connection with the Kankanay
mandit, palis, tamo, and bindian. The badio, which is an extemporaneous
chant similar to the badio of the Nabaloi, is always sung in connection
with all ceremonies if there is sufficient tapuy on which to become
intoxicated, but it is not regarded as a part of the worship.