Cariñosa (Spanish pronunciation: [kaɾiˈɲosa], meaning the loving or affectionate one) is a Philippine dance of colonial era 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.
The cariñosa is a Philippine folk dance of Hispanic origin. It is closely associated with the island of Panay and the Visayas region in general. The word cariñosa is from the Spanish cariñosa meaning the affectionate one. Most Filipina women can be described as karinyosa.
This is a courtship dance that portrays acts of flirtation between a man and a woman. The dancers perform steps resembling hide-and-seek movements. The woman holds a handkerchief or sometimes a fan.
Rivaling the tinikling, the cariñosa has also been called the national dance of the Philippines, though a government declaration has never been made designating either one as official.