- The 5 most important typical dances of the Pacific region of Colombia
- 1- Abozao
- 2- Bunde
- 3- La jota chocoana
- 4- Mazurca
- 5- The currulao
- References
Some typical dances of the Pacific region of Colombia are the abozao, the jota and the currulao. These representations are part of the culture and art of the region.
In these dances the history, beliefs and cultural expressions of the Afro-Colombian community are involved, which has shaped the culture of the Pacific region.
These dances are usually prepared to celebrate the different festivities in which they originated. They are characterized by their cheerful movements and colorful clothing.
They have their own musical compositions typical of the departments of Chocó, Nariño, Cauca and Valle del Cauca. Typical costumes are used for different types of dances.
The 5 most important typical dances of the Pacific region of Colombia
1- Abozao
This dance is typical of the department of Chocó and comes from African roots. It is an unorthodox dance and is accompanied by a type of flute called “chirimía”, which plays a melody.
It has a strong and fast pace. It does not have any choreography: it is a kind of game in which a couple incites each other with spontaneous and wild movements to the beat of the music, always maintaining eye contact.
It is considered an erotic dance because its movements are provocative in nature.
2- Bunde
This is a religious dance adapted from African culture. It was offered as a tribute to the saints.
Originally it was used in mortuary rites when a child died. It is performed by drums with a slow rhythm and dances in rounds of a circular shape. Over time it lost its meaning and was adapted to different children's songs.
3- La jota chocoana
Coming from the Chocó region, this dance is characterized by being complex and varied. It takes a minimum of 4 people to run it.
It alludes to love and confrontation between couples. It has a complicated choreography in which diagonal movements, figures in the form of eight and lateral movements stand out.
The man must wear white and wear a straw hat with a red scarf around his neck. He must also be barefoot in order to represent the slavery of the African race.
The woman wears a headscarf, a colorful skirt and a tray-necked shirt. She must also be barefoot honoring the African race.
4- Mazurca
This dance dates back to the celebrations of the slaves in colonial times. Unlike other dances of this origin, this one has a great level of elegance in its choreography.
It represents a love game between the dancers. The melody is played with native instruments and reproducing melancholic sounds.
5- The currulao
The most important dance in the north of the Pacific region is the currulao. It represents a dance of love in which the man must woo the woman through dance.
It is one of the most important legacies of the African culture that populated the region. It is an agile and choreographed dance.
The man uses a handkerchief to show his most delicate movements while doing turns, push-ups and zigzags to conquer his partner without unbalancing his dance or overshadowing it.
It consists of rotational movements and direct movements, which give this dance a great plastic beauty.
References
- Colombian Dances. Rescued October 20, 2017, from Danzas Jocaycu: danzasjocaycu.com
- Dances of Colombia. Rescued October 20, 2017, from Wikipedia: wikipedia.org
- Jota Chocoana. Rescued October 20, 2017, from Wikipedia: wikipedia.org