Sounds a lot like the Phillipine Tinikling Dance, done with two bamboo poles that are held at both ends, and alternately struck on small wooden blocks and against each other, while the dancer dances in and out, and over the two poles. http://tinyurl.com/mfyh3 - The linkmaker is down right now. The story that I was told was that the dancer imitated the step of a Tinikling bird, something like a stork or heron, as it walked around getting food.

Dave