- The 5 main typical dances of the island region
- 1- The calypso
- 2- The shottish
- 3- The mentor
- 4- The polka
- 5- El quadrille (The gang)
- References
Among the most important typical dances of the insular region from the folk point of view, the calypso, shottish, polka, mento and quadrille stand out. The culture of this region has been influenced by the Caribbean and Pacific region of Colombia.
To this influence is added the rich heritage of the English, French and African settlers and immigrants, which can be seen mainly on the islands of San Andrés and Providencia.
In addition to these five dances, there are other dances that are performed in the region, such as the aisle, the mazurca, the cumbia and the vallenato, as well as the foxtrot and the juba of Antillean origin.
The 5 main typical dances of the island region
1- The calypso
This dance came to the island of San Andrés from the islands of Trinidad and Jamaica. It is the most important and representative of the Insular region.
This dance represents the quiet and uncomplicated weddings that the islanders celebrate.
Couples perform it freely, since it is danced separately, and with a strong hip movement.
The calypso is generally performed at island festivals and festivities. It had its greatest popular reception between the 40s and 50s.
2- The shottish
This dance came to the islands of San Andrés and Providencia in the 19th century, coming from France.
There are several versions of this dance in some areas of Colombia. It is danced in pairs that almost always go hand in hand.
According to the original choreography, two steps are taken to the right and three steps to the left. It is a dance in pairs that is executed with soft and moderate movements.
It is danced in a four-by-four measure, with stamping marks to the rhythm of the music and taking several turns.
3- The mentor
This dance is originally from the Antilles and has great similarity with the Antillean rumba. The women set the beat and execute it smoothly, while the men hunt and woo them in a suggestive way.
It is an elegant and lilting dance, similar to the cumbia, performed by women keeping their skirts held up.
It is danced loose, with small movements of the feet, hips and shoulders thrown forward.
4- The polka
It is of European origin, specifically from Prague. In the islands there are two versions of this dance.
There is the original polka and the jumping polka. In the latter, you start with your right foot on a 1-2-3 count, leaning your body forward.
The version of the skipped polka is performed only by women dancing in circles, while they make small jumps with gentle movements to the rhythm of the music and beat a fan to give it more elegance.
5- El quadrille (The gang)
It is a dance of English origin that is widely practiced among the court aristocracy, which is performed with elegance and with little body movement.
The four couples involved perform five figures while dancing different rhythms.
The figures that are executed are waltzes, handrails, changes, crosses and movements in different directions with turns. The dancers are organized in rows of men and women.
References
- Sky Patricia, Escobar. To the rhythm of our folklore. Editorial San Pablo, Bogotá, 2002. Retrieved on October 25, 2017 from books.google.co.ve
- Casadiego Martínez, Jeremy. Folklore of the San Andrés and Providencia Islands (PDF). Recovered from es.scribd.com
- Island region. Consulted of regioninsular8c.blogspot.com
- Musical rhythms from the regions of Colombia. Consulted of todacolombia.com
- Insular Region. Consulted of insularregioncolombia.blogspot.com
- Colombian dances. Consulted of bajidtriveram.wordpress.com