Sublian refers to whole event when religious Batangueños perform religious ritual that involves singing in verses with strict punto or skeletal melody, praying, eating and dancing the Subli. Subli is performed by the people in nearly all the barangays of Bauan and Alitagtag, Agoncillo and to some extent Calaca and Taal in Batangas province. Usually held during the month of May to coincide with the Elenahan and during town and barrio fiestas. Strictly speaking, the Subli is a ceremonial worship dance performed as a tribute to the Holy Cross referred to in the vernacular as Mahal Na Poong Santa Cruz. Subli is derived from two Tagalog words subsub (stooped or in a crouching position) and bali (broken). Thus, the men dancers seem to be lame and crooked as they are in trunk-forward-bend position throughout the dance.
The Subli dance steps provide very rich dance terminology. Popular among these terms are the bilao(winnowing basket-like), bayle (Spanish for 'dance'), paypayan,(fanning), liguid, pagtatalik,(small refined gestures with wrist and fingers), laban, (advance and retreat) kadena (chain), and pamumupol(picking up).
One popular version is danced using buntal hats and kalasteng buho (bamboo castanets) as dancing implements. The Subli is also performed using abaniko (fan), baso (wine glass) and wide bandannas.
The Subli is danced accompanied by a tugtugan- a standing drum made of hallowed out nangka wood covered with a bayawak (monitor lizard) skin.
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