Conserving Philippine traditional dances in higher education to foster students’ cultural competence through dance engagement

This study investigated the conservation and preservation of Philippine traditional dances as intangible cultural heritage and their role in fostering students’ cultural competence (cultural knowledge, sensitivity and awareness) through engagement in physical education within higher education. A total of 270 second-year college students enrolled in Physical Education courses at a selected state university in the Philippines participated in the study. Cultural competence was measured using an adapted Cultural Appreciation of Martial Arts Scale, and dance engagement was assessed using an adapted Sports Engagement Scale (vigor, dedication and absorption). Using a correlational-predictive design with multiple regression analysis, the study found that participation in traditional dance showed significant associations with students’ cultural competence outcomes. The regression models explained substantial proportions of variance and demonstrated large effect sizes: competence (R² = .535, f² = 1.15), knowledge (R² = .440, f² = 0.79), sensitivity (R² = .536, f² = 1.16) and awareness (R² = .346, f² = 0.53). Across these outcomes, the absorption dimension of dance engagement consistently emerged as the strongest correlate, emphasizing the importance of deep, experiential participation. These findings underscore the need to integrate traditional dance into physical education curricula not only to preserve cultural heritage but also to enhance students’ cultural competence and equip them to navigate a globalized world. Educational institutions are encouraged to create experiential learning opportunities that promote cultural awareness and sensitivity, fostering social cohesion and respect for cultural diversity.