What does the dance cumbia represent?
Legend has it that cumbia functioned as a courtship dance between Afro-Colombian men and Native Colombian women when they began to marry one another. In this case, the dance represents ethnic mixture, which was looked down upon by the Spanish colonial authorities.
How can you describe cumbia?
Cumbia is a style of Latin music that originated in Colombia and became popular throughout South America, Central America, and the United States. Traditional cumbia music uses a blend of African, Amerindian, and European styles and uses musical instruments such as drums, flutes, maracas, and accordions.
Is cumbia a dance or music?
Cumbia is Colombia’s national dance, one of its most representative rhythms and the source and inspiration behind much of the country’s popular music. Cumbia has been with Colombia from the beginning but, thanks to bands like Bomba Estereo, it’s once again emerging onto the international stage.
What does cumbia mean in Spanish slang?
A traditional style of Colombian dance and music, or a piece in this style.
What is the melody of cumbia?
Three flutes are used in traditional cumbia. The melody is played on the five-hole gaita hembra, or female flute. A gaita macho, or male flute, with one hole provides rhythmic and harmonic support. These two gaitas have a mouthpiece of hardened beeswax and use a turkey feather to blow air through them.
Why is cumbia so popular?
One of the theories we’ve heard about why cumbia is so popular is that it is a fairly simple, straightforward dance step — as opposed to salsa music, which is more intricate and difficult to master.
Why is cumbia music popular?
Where is the cumbia from?
Colombia
Engraved in each vertebra of cumbia is the history of Latin America itself. Brought to Colombia around the time it became a Spanish colony, it was heavily influenced by the instruments of native tribes, such as the gaita flutes and the guacharacas.
What is the difference between salsa and cumbia?
Cumbia and Salsa are both stationary dances. Cumbia tends to move in a circular or spiraling shape, whereas Salsa is a slotted dance. The basic Salsa step has dancers stepping straight forward or backward on their breaking step.