Rumba - Cuban dance imbued with the spirit of freedom

Rumba - Cuban dance imbued with the spirit of freedom

Rumba attracts attention with original movements filled with flirtation and passion. But do the unrestrained emotions of two lovers really form the basis of this dance? The history of style is fraught with interesting moments that we propose to learn right now.

What is rumba, the distinctive features of dance

Rumba is a multicultural phenomenon. Speaking in modern language, this is a separate subculture like dudes, hippies, etc. This is a conversation about the unity of music and dance, while the melody sets the rhythm for the dancers.

Those who are barely familiar with this dance style can get the impression that this is a dance of love and passion. But it is not. Real Cuban rumba is a celebration, joy and desire to enjoy life. Lyrics of songs revolves around two themes: politics and social order. There is little love here, but many energetic movements and a frenzied rhythm set by African drums.

Where did the distorted perception of the dance come from? Thanks to the assignment of style of international status. Ballroom rumba is distinguished by a calmer, more romantic musical accompaniment, as well as more graceful choreography. Watching the dancers flirting on the stage, one involuntarily gets a feeling of sadness and longing for a bygone love.

But even this does not end the rumba. The Cuban direction is divided into three types, each of which is endowed with specific features.

• Guaguanko - the most common rumba. She recalls flirting between two partners. In this case, the man tries to touch his partner with a handkerchief, and she effectively defends herself by performing beautiful movements with her hips.

• Yamba is the oldest rumba, where the flirting of a partner with its partner also comes to the fore. But everything proceeds much softer and not so audacious as in guaguanko.

• Colombia. Unlike previous varieties, this rumba originated in rural areas of Cuba. The style is distinguished by a fast paced, energetic and obligatory presence of a male dancer-soloist.

In general terms rhumba is:

• pair dance;

• spectacular movements of the hips, body and hands;

• special atmosphere of the tropics, which have to rest and bliss on the ocean.

History of rumba

Cuba is considered the birthplace of this dance genre. Under the hot rays of the sun, scorching the island of Freedom, and rumba appeared, which was destined to conquer the hearts of millions around the world.

It all began in the 60s of the XIX century, when the blacks who were freed from slavery poured from the eastern suburbs of Cuba to the major cities: Havana and Matanzas. Thousands of Africans, brought to the lands of Liberty two centuries earlier, began to spread their culture among the local population. Former slaves settled the working-class neighborhoods next to immigrants from Europe and filled life around with African rhythms and dances.

It is noteworthy that at the heart of the rumba are not just African traditions, but the culture of individual African peoples. To be precise, these are the Bantu tribes. It was they who settled Havana and became the progenitors of the dance. Interestingly, the Bantu dances are secular, that is, they were performed at various festivals. Ritual roots are traced in them, but they are not fundamental.

The Europeans, most of whom were Spaniards, and Africans are two cultures, at the junction of which the Rumba was born. From the Spaniards, the style inherited the poetic size and vocal style of the songs, from the Africans - drum sound and energy.

The abolition of slavery in Cuba did not mean the onset of a quiet life for blacks. Hard work has not disappeared, as well as discrimination. Unlike the USA, on the island of Freedom, the black population lived easier: Africans were endowed with the rights of whites. But at the same time, they were prohibited from occupying the position of engineer or doctor, as well as ... playing national instruments - drums. If the police saw musicians playing tumbadors or kahonakh in places where people gathered, they immediately confiscated them.

It is impossible to make people filled with rumba rhythms to live without music and dancing. Witty Cubans invented to perform "Rumba de Bemba" on the lips. In fact, they extracted sounds with the help of mouth and lips, driving the authorities into confusion. Thus, the style continued to live at the beginning of the 20th century.

In the 50s, the performance of the rumba could be seen only in urban solares. They represented the living quarters that surrounded the inner courtyards. Also, the dance energy accompanied the workers at sugar refineries and local taverns. People who knew each other well gathered in these places. Therefore, they gladly gave themselves to music and dance to forget about the hard everyday life.

It turns out that rumba was originally a genre inherent in the poor people of Cuba. But around 1952, the style began to emerge from the "underground", from the backyard of Solares to theatrical scenes. His appearance among intellectuals is connected by a group of friends who decided to form the Rumbu Ensemble "Guaguanco Matansero". The inspiration for them was the recordings of rumba, accompanying gatherings of local people in the tavern "Rooster".

The newly minted team began to actively speak at various holidays, to participate in various television programs and radio. After 2 years, "Guaguanko Matansero" released the first record with the record "Dolls" ("Los Muñequitos"), which became a national hit and is still perceived as a characteristic rumba style, born in the province of Matanzas.

Closer to the 60s, the Cuban government is "taken" for the rumba. The style becomes politicized. The Ministry of Culture begins to create organizations dedicated to teaching dance, to take part in the development of "folk" and professional dancers, to actively promote the style at various events.

What caused such interest from the ruling ranks? The desire to change the values ​​of the people. After all, the history of rumba is first of all the history of dark-skinned Cubans. If the government is loyal to this dance, then all racial prejudices are a thing of the past. Politicization of rumba is an attempt to change social prejudices.

What happens to the rumba today? The dance has not disappeared anywhere. Moreover, the direction is included in the program of Latin American ballroom dancing, along with samba, cha-cha, pasodoblom and jive.

Outside of Cuba

In the USA, rumba was heard in the population in 1914. But the dance did not arouse much delight. It took about 20 years for the style to find a new form called "American Rumba". A peculiar degeneration of the genre occurred under the influence of jazz - the choreography was filled with simpler figures and a clear rhythm of steps.

Europeans are obliged to the appearance of rumba in their homeland dance teacher Pierre Lavella. Traveling to Cuba, he was so inspired by the country's dance culture that he could not leave it without the attention of his students in London. The style caused heated debates among the prudish English, but this did not prevent its standardization in 1955. By the way, besides rumba, Lavell enriched the culture of the Old World and cha-cha-cha.

Interesting Facts

• The main instruments that are used for the execution of the rumba are the pedestals, clave and kahon. They all belong to the drums. But for the Cubans, the story of the appearance of the kahon is particularly remarkable. In its present form, this tool is a wooden box on which the musician sits. In the past, the role of kahon was performed by large wooden boxes used to transport fish from Spain to Cuba. As soon as the boxes were released, they were picked up by local music lovers to extract low rumba sounds.

• Rumba became the latest foreign style, which was included by Soviet choreographers in the ballroom dancing program. The teachers of the USSR times were confused by the provocative nature of the style.

• Admire the performance of rumba in the cinema is possible thanks to the popular tape "Mask" (1994). Incendiary movements of Jim Carrey in the scene with the police can not be watched while remaining motionless. Shoulders begin to move by themselves.

• Regarding the origin of the name of the style there are several versions. The first one says that the term "rumboso orquestra" is at its core. At the beginning of the XIX century, so called musicians performing dance melodies. The second is closely related to Spain, where the word "rumbo" is used to mean "way."

The best melodies in rhythms of rumba

• "Guantanamera" - one of the most popular songs created in the rumba genre. The exact date of its appearance is unknown. Poems were written by José Martí around 1891. The musical accompaniment appeared almost 40 years later thanks to José Fernandez Diaz. What is the song about? About a girl from Guantanamo who throws the main character after a romantic relationship.

"Guantanamera" (listen)

• "La Paloma" or "Dove". It's hard to believe, but this composition is over 150 years old. Despite her advanced age, she is recognizable from the first chords. It was written by Sebastian Iraradière, a Spanish composer. What is more remarkable about this song? The fact that at the moment the number of its records exceeds the mark in 2000. Among the famous performers who sang "La Paloma" are Elvis Presley, Julio Iglesias and Mireille Mathieu.

"La Paloma" (listen)

• "Paxi Ni Ngongo" - a sensual and soulful song performed by Bonga, an Angolan composer. And although this singer was born far from the Island of Freedom, African motives and the struggle for independence can also be traced in his work. After all, Angola, located in South Africa, fought for freedom from the Portuguese.

"Paxi Ni Ngongo" (listen)

• "Cantinero de Cuba" performed by Cuban singer Velfo Gutierrez. The song is literally saturated with the history of the Cuban people, who loved to relax in taverns. "Tavern in Cuba" - this is exactly the way the song is remembered, remembered by a light and beautiful melody.

"Cantinero de Cuba" (listen)

Rumba will always be associated with Cuba and the spirit of freedom with which the first dancers of African and Spanish descent filled it. This spirit still lives in the streets of Havana, where dark-skinned Cubans enjoy dancing to the exciting sounds of African drums.