Bachata

After an entire summer of attending Salsa nights at a local Manhattan club, I finally began to recognize both the music and dance moves associated with bachata. Needless to say, bachata become one of my favorite dance styles. The basic steps are not complicated, and once you master them, you have the ability to add your own flair.

Bachata is a style of dance and music that originated in the Dominican Republic. The dance is generally performed in a simple side-stepping motion now rather than a small square when it was first created in the 1960s. The dance consists of 3 steps and a tap step that is normally accompanied by a "pop" of the hips and can be danced in an open or closed position.

Just like many other dance forms, bachata has evolved over time. The style that is performed in the Dominican Republic is often referred to as "Dominican bachata." Bachata has gone through various fusions with other dances such as tango, salsa, and ballroom. The music that accompanies the dance has not really changed over the years. It still has the obvious "accent" (the bass)in the rhythm that falls on the fourth count. The only changes that may have occurred in the music is the tempo. Bachata started out as a slower, social dance but has since evolved into a quicker, flamboyant dance.

I really enjoy dancing bachata. It reminds me of contra dancing in some aspects because it is simple enough that beginners can quickly pick up the basic step yet allows those that have more experience to add their own flair. Bachata, can even be danced solo, although it is much more fun to perform with a partner. I, like many others that enjoy bachata, can't escape the urge to dance once I hear the musical "accent" of bachata come across the radio.

Clogging

For many years, I thought clogging was the same thing as tap dancing. However, as I grew older I started to learn there is a distinct difference between the two dances. My Mom helped me in understanding this difference because in her youth, she had participated in clogging while growing up in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina.

Clogging is a type of folk dancing that involves percussive strikings of the heel, toe, or both. It has its origins in Wales and England and was brought to the U.S. with European immigration. Clogging is the state dance of both Kentucky and North Carolina. Clogging is often associated with "old-time" music that  takes from Irish and Scottish fiddling; while, the dance movements are tied to German, English, Irish, Cherokee and African dances, rhythms and movements. Tap dancing actually developed out of clogging, but with different musical accompaniments and movements.

Even though clogging started as a social dance for the people living in the Appalachian regions of the U.S., it has not remained that way. In recent years, clogging competitions have sprung up across the nation; they have become a recent phenomenon. The competitions are extremely competitive, and there have even been reality TV series depicting the lives of those on clogging teams. It's is immensely fascinating to me how a social, joyous dance that was highly participatory in its origins has moved to become a presentational, competitive dance.

Gregorian Chant

As an individual who was raised as Roman Catholic, there were certain times of the year when Gregorian Chant would permeate through my house. Most often, the music was played during the Lenten season (time between Ash Wednesday and Easter). I always found the chanting of the monks captivating. I generally didn't understand all that they were saying since Gregorian Chants tend to be in Latin, but I enjoyed the music nonetheless. 

Gregorian chant was developed in the 6th century and is often associated with St. Gregory. The chants are musical repertoires used to accompany liturgical parts of the Roman Catholic mass. Gregorian chant can be related to a "sung Bible" because it comes from sacred Latin text of the New and Sacred Testament. The whole purpose of the chants is to encourage spiritual growth and reveal the full gifts of God. 

Gregorian chant in its inception was an aural music. I have often heard of music being passed down orally or through manuscripts but rarely through hearing. The Gregorian chants were heard and committed to memory. This aural tradition was much more common in the early centuries of music-making. As Gregorian chant became widespread in the 8th century, we began to see more manuscripts of the music. This initiated quite a change in the past traditions of Gregorian chant. The music became less interpretive and no longer required the use of memory. During the Renaissance, melodies that used to contain long vocalises were reduced to a few notes; while, literary compositions representative of the Roman liturgy were "corrected" against verbatim biblical readings. These changes continued for two hundred years and came to be known in English as "plainsong." 

In the 19th century, a young monk, Dom Prosper Guéranger, took it upon himself to restore Gregorian chant back to its pre-Renaissance state. He was successful in his mission, and the chants we hear today are reminiscent of his work. I'm especially glad that Guéranger restored the music back to its previous state. If he had not, I don't know that the Gregorian chant would have continued to touch so many people and achieve the objectives it was designed for (i.e. spiritual growth). Listening to the Gregorian chants during Lent helps me achieve a greater understanding of my religious background and enriches my Lenten devotions. 

Belly Dancing

Belly dancing has an extensive history across the Middle East. It can be dated back to 500 BC during the times of the Egyptian pharaohs. Many Westerns assume that it is something that is found in every Middle Eastern culture and is purposefully performed in a sensual way. In fact, the term belly dance is a Western coined term meaning "solo, improvised dances based on torso articulation." There are two main forms of belly dancing--Raqs sharqi and Raqs baladi. Raqs sharqi is generally performed by women and is the form of belly dancing we are more familiar with; while, raqs baladi is the local type of belly dancing that is performed socially by both men and women at festivities such as weddings. Belly dancing consists of percussive and fluid movements as well as vibrations, shimmies, and shivers. 

Belly dancing is either performed in a social or presentational aspect. In a social aspect, individuals of all ages will dance and wear their typical clothing. Performances are just polished versions of the social dance and include costumes that will showcase the part of the body generating the movements (i.e. the hips). Women who decide to pursue belly dancing professionally in the Middle East are looked down upon because they're displaying their bodies in public. 

The history of belly dancing is reminiscent of the reading we read in the first few days of class discussing whether ballet should be considered an ethnic dance. Ballet like belly dancing has been influenced by various cultures and ethnicities. I don't think this undermines belly dancing's 'authenticity' or being classified as 'ethnic.' Instead, I think this part of the dance's history makes it more appealing. It not only showcases its origins in the Middle East but reflects the influences of all the peoples who've developed the movements over time. I find these types of dances the most intriguing because they still preserve their origins while molding to encompass aspects of other cultures. 

Bhangra--Bollywood Sensation!

Bhangra is a type of dance that originates in the Punjab region of Southeast Asia. This style of dance originally developed as part of harvest festivals but has since transformed into a lively dance that is performed at weddings, New Year celebrations, and many other occasions. Bhangra has seen the greatest change in the last 30 years. It has been made famous worldwide through Bollywood movies as well as it's merging with more contemporary music such as hip-hop, house, and reggae. 

Bhangra may have origins dating back to 300 B.C.; however, it was in the 14th and 15th century that harvesters began this style of performance in order to pass the time during harvest. It quickly gained popularity and moved up the social ladder. Bhangra today has continued to evolve and the term "Bhangra" encompasses many subclasses of dance. During professional performances, traditional costumes are adorned by both men and women. The men wear a long Punjab-style shirt with a colorful piece of cloth wrapped around their waist and a turbin on their head. Women wear traditional Punjab attire, consisting of long colorful shirts and vibrant pants. They often wear a colorful piece of cloth wrapped around their neck known as a duppatta. 

I was first introduced to Bhangra while watching a Bollywood movie entitled "Bride and Prejudice." I was fascinated by the vibrant colors, hand gestures, and body movements that were being performed. It's indeed a very lively form of dancing. I do know some of the basic movements, which I learned from a follow-along TV fitness program. Participating in an actual Bhangra performance, is one of my life-long goals. I can't help but get up and dance what movements I know whenever I hear the Punjab-style music that is often associated with Bhangra. 

Jarabe Tapatío--Mexican Hat Dance

This image depicts a traditional dance of Mexico known as the Jarabe Tapatío or more commonly, the Mexican Hat Dance. The Jarabe Tapatío originated in the state of Jalisco as early as the 18th century. Prior to the War of Independence, the dance was banned because it was seen as defiant to Spanish authorities and morally offensive. The dance grew in popularity following the War of Independence; it was a uniting force for the Mexican people. With it's growth in popularity, it became the "national dance" of Mexico. It is a symbol of the Mexican people and their culture both inside and outside the country. The Jarabe Tapatío was introduced to the world after the famous Russian ballet dancer, Anna Pavlova, made it a permanent part of her dance repertoire. This dance is still taught to school children in Mexíco today.

The dance signifies the courtship between a man and woman. At the start of the dance, the woman rejects the man's advances, but as the dance progresses, she willing accepts his gestures. The man and woman are dressed in traditional Mexican garb. The large flowing dresses the women wear is known as the "China Poblana," and the dress of the men is that of charros, or what we would call Mexican cowboys.

I have seen this dance performed on several occasions and performed it once myself many years ago. I can't help but start moving when I hear the familiar tune of the Jarabe Tapatío. This dance represents my culture, and more importantly, where my family comes from...Jalisco! (I have also included a video of the dance.)