The traditional dances of Ecuador are very diverse, which is mainly due to the fact that their rhythms have been mixed or fused with foreign rhythms as a result of colonialism and the mixture of races.
Most of these dances originate from the Ecuadorian highlands and although some arose in pre-Columbian times, the European influence in some cases and African in others is quite remarkable in its evolution over the years.
In the traditional dances of Ecuador, the religious aspect stands out since many of these rhythms have links with ancient rituals carried out in religious celebrations promoted by devotion.
Although today many of the instruments used to execute these rhythms have foreign origins, the natives of the region had their own before the arrival of the Europeans, such as the pingullo, the rondador, the dulzaina, among others.
Here are five traditional dances from Ecuador.
1- The Hall
Of European origins (to be more precise, of the Austrian waltz), this musical genre had its beginnings in the neighboring country, Colombia, during the war for independence in the Colombian Andes, then moving to Ecuador and later moving to other countries of the American continent, how to be:
- Panama
- Costa Rica
- The Savior
- Nicaragua
- Venezuela
- Peru
The name «Hall» is a diminutive of the word «step», referring to the short steps of the dance routine, and has three representative ways of putting it into practice:
1- Slow instrumental aisle: strongly related to serenades, the slow instrumental aisle is usually linked to nostalgia, mourning, memories, love, disappointments and moments of peace and rest.
2- Party instrumental hall: with a much more lively rhythm, this version is linked to all kinds of parties and events, such as weddings and bullfights.
3- Choreographic Hall: very similar to the instrumental party hall used for group choreographies. Currently, this representation of the Hall is in disuse.
The most common musical instruments in this dance are the guitar, the piano, the flute, the violin, the tambourine, the harp, among others.
2- The Sanjuanito
This dance exists before the arrival of the Spanish thirds to the American continent and was performed by the Incas during the rituals of worship to Inti (God of the Sun).
The name "Sanjuanito" has Spanish influence due to the date of birth of San Juan Bautista (the twenty-fourth of June).
Sanjuanito became popular in the 20th century, and it is a festive and joyful genre that is heard in all festive events (urban and rural) in Ecuador dancing in groups holding hands in circles. Some very popular Sanjuanitos are:
- Sanjuanito from my land
- hope
- Poor heart
- The cry of my quena
To interpret the Sanjuanito, both native instruments (bandolin, dulzaina, rondaror, pingullo, etc.) and foreign instruments (guitar, bass drum, quena, zampoña, etc.) are used and the usual dance clothing consists of red outfits, espadrilles white hats, hats of various colors and accessories such as necklaces.
3- The Albazo
The name "Albazo" derives from the serenades that were played at dawn to announce the beginning of popular festivals and its origin dates back to the Spanish when they played music at dawn on pilgrimage days and religious festivals.
The Albazo's rhythm is lively and lively, played by local bands in its entirety, and the most common instruments used are the requinto (small guitar with four strings) and the creole guitar. Some of the most popular topics are:
- This old guitar
- Little bird
- Taita Salasaca
- My life is going
The albazo has influences from other Spanish-speaking countries of the continent such as Argentina (the zamba), Chile (the cueca) and Peru (the Peruvian marinera).
4- Chota pump
This musical rhythm has its origins in Valle del Chota, and its creators are the Afro-descendants of the area.
The Bomba de Chota is a moving rhythm and is danced in an erotic way; hip movements are also a complement to this rhythm. The basic instruments used are string (guitar and requinto) and percussion (güiro).
In particular, this music is not very popular throughout the country; it is heard and danced only in the Chota Valley festivals in its local festivals, and its audience is generally of indigenous and mestizo origin.
As for the wardrobe, the men wear a shirt (long sleeves) and black pants. On the women's side, they are dressed in pompous blouses, pleated skirts, petticoats, bottoms and bottles on the head on some occasions.
5- The Capishca
Capishca is a moving rhythm heard mainly in the provinces of Azuay and Chimborazo (inter-Andean region of Ecuador). The name "Capishca" means "to squeeze" and comes from the Quichua (verb "capina").
This rhythm is very similar to that of the Sanjuanito. During this dance, the male dancer must test his physical condition to dazzle his partner with skillful movements.
Men's clothing is quite simple: a shirt and pants with samarras. On the women's side, they wear two skirts (one raised and one below), they wear various accessories on their heads, nylon stockings on their legs, and cowhide shoes.
Present
Although at present in some regions the traditional spirit of the country's history is still discussed, the adolescent public tends more to identify with other types of musical genres.
Musical genres such as reggae, rock and roll, pop, jazz, blues or electronics, have an important demand more than anything in the Ecuadorian youth, especially in the inhabitants of urban areas, prioritizing this type of art before the traditional.
In addition, the Colombian cumbia should not be forgotten, a musical rhythm that has audiences of all ages and social classes in the country.
References
- Coba Andrade, C. (1994). Dances and dances in Ecuador. Quito, Ecuador: Abya-Yala Editions.
- Carvalho. (1994). Anthology of Ecuadorian folklore. Quito: Ecuadorian Association of executives of Abya-Yala tourism companies.
- Rasines, P. (2001). Afro-descendants in Ecuador: race and gender since colonial times. Quito, Ecuador: Abya-Yala Editions.
- Paz, H. (2000). Legends and traditions of Ecuador. Quito, Ecuador: Abya-Yala Editions.
- University of Cuenca. (nineteen ninety five). The indigenous religious festival in Ecuador. Quito: Abya-Yala EBI Project.