The dance’s origins are numerous, from regional Spanish folk dances to classical ballet. Boleroīolero, the slowest of the American rhythm dances, is often referred to as the “Cuban dance of love.” Similar to Swing dancing in America, Bolero had many different forms in 18th century Spain as it was first gaining popularity. The dance continued to increase in popularity as American tourism to Latin America also increased. This dance came to America by Rumba musicians and dancers that were brought up by already established musicians like Emil Coleman. By World War 2, the 16th century Afro-Cuban dance had morphed into the slower and more refined “Son” in middle-class Cuba. So, how did it evolve into its current form? The answer lies in the progression of music and how the dance transitioned through Cuban society. Rumba started out as an Afro-Cuban folk dance with aggressive percussion and even more powerful hip movements. Its origin, however, was not always as amorous. This iconic dance is very often referred to as the “dance of love” because of the sensual, music paired with the flowing hip motion. To anyone who knows Spanish, you may relate this word to the verb rumbar, which means to go out, dance, and generally have a good time. Let’s move on to the more romantic Latin dances. In the mid ’40s, instructors worked to combine and water down all these regional dances into one syllabus. During that time, the styles taught varied greatly from region to region. During the ‘40s, the media used the terms Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, Lindy and Swing all to describe the same dance that was taking place in the streets, clubs and movies.Īrthur Murray studios took ahold of what was called Swing in their area and instructed it. Swing dancing came about from the black community in the 1920s while they danced to contemporary jazz music in America. Mambo wasn’t the only dance born from jazz music. In 1954, the craze for this dance rose above its predecessor at such a rate that in 1959, it was reported the most popular dance in America! Swing This new dance, because of its origin, was first named the “Triple Mambo.” Legend has it that the Cha Cha got its name from the sound that the dancers’ feet made as they shuffled across the floor in the triple step action. As this music became popular, Jorrin saw the dancers add a triple step to the dance. He decided to branch off in his compositions by changing the rhythm to make it easier to follow. The Samba frame is similar to a bolero frame with more separation between the partners.Enrique Jorrin, a Cuban composer and violinist, noticed at his gigs that many of the dancers were having trouble with the syncopated rhythms in Mambo music. It is characterized by its syncopated timing, bounce, rolling hip action and pelvic tilt and a great deal of rhythm is expressed throughout the torso. Samba is a fun, upbeat, lively dance that progresses counter-clockwise around the floor. ![]() In Brazil however, samba remains a solo form, danced at street festivals and other celebrations with nationalistic pride. In the US, Samba evolved into a couple’s dance performed in most ballroom and was standardized as a ballroom dance in 1956. These bossa-nova standards combined samba rhythms with “cool” jazz. In the 1960’s Brazilian music became widely popular with the release of Stan Getz “Jazz Samba” and “The Girl from Ipanema”. ![]() ![]() Fred Astaire and Dolores del Rio danced to a Brazilian beat in “Flying down to Rio” and Carmen Miranda shook her hips in films such as “That Night in Rio”. Samba was introduced to the US in the late 1920’s via the Broadway play, Street Carnival and more widely exposed through films. The dance is a solo art form with rapidly moving hips and quick transfers of weight. This new Samba music served as a kind of oral history, relating current events, aging against inequities or simply celebrating the joys of a great party. Samba music originated on the Brazilian plantations where the African rhythms of slaves fused with European music. This style of Samba is not a partner dance unlike Ballroom Samba. Samba is the national dance of Brazil, celebrated every year during Carnival where hundred of thousands of costumed revelers parade in the streets singing, drumming and dancing.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |