Colombian Folkore Dance

Colombia has several folkloric/traditional music styles/dances. One of the most popular is the Cumbia. Cumbia have spread to other countries. When danced in shows for the public the dancers wear clothing that were used in old times: Men would wear white pants and shirts, a hat (usually the style that used to be hand made), a large colorful handkerchief, handmade style sandals, and a machete (a large knife used to cut plants). Women would wear colorful long skirts (often black with decorations and folds), a white short sleeved shirt with layers of wavy lines of fabric, the hair is put back, not loose, and they also wear sandals. They will follow the music that often has sounds from a flute and drums. The might carry a candle as part of the dance (most often if it is indoors and it is dark). The dance is performed everywhere in Colombia and it is often played in night clubs for older people. The significance is basically related to tradition and the beauty of the sounds. It should not be too hard to be able to get some Colombian Cumbias where you are if you search for them.

Cumbia, a traditional Colombian dance. Its shuffling steps are attributed to African slaves who wore leg irons and chains during the eighteenth century. Cumbia unlike Merengue and salsa does not require a partner. The Cumbia is one of the most popular dance rhythms in Latino community. The Cumbia is performed in many styles including tropical, Vallenato, Sonidero, Banda, and Tejano Conjunto.

Cumbia is a variant of the African Guinean cumbe music. Cumbia started in the northern region of Colombia, mainly in or around Cartagena during the period of Spanish colonization. Spain used its ports to import African slaves, who tried to preserve their musical traditions and also turned the drums and dances into a courtship ritual. Cumbia was mainly interpreted with just drums and claves (Cumbia).

The slaves were later influenced by the sounds of Amerindian instruments from the Koguis and Kuna tribes settled between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Montes de MarÐ"­a; like the millo flutes, gaita flutes and gÐ"јiros. Africans and Amerindians working together as slaves created a mixture from which the gaitero (cumbia interpreter) appeared, with a defined identity by the 1800s. (These gaiteros are not to be associated with the Venezuelan Zulian gaiteros.) The European guitars and accordions were added later, through Spanish influence. (Cumbia)

I’ve seen a live performance by Estampas Negras, in Queens and they were dancing Cumbia. Cumbia is characterized by the dancers' feet remaining directly one in front of the other more or less all the time. The dance is usually danced bare footed for both male and females. There is a lot of movement in the hips, feet and shoulder. The cumbia dance goes accordingly with the beat of the music. It can be the same routine dance, but it has its slow and fast pace on the music that is played. The females had the traditional dress with the same color of the Colombian flag (yellow, blue and red) and a thin yellow scarf wrap around their head. The male wore the white shirt and pants with a hat and the red handkerchief around their neck.

I, myself had a history of dancing cumbia music as a teenager. I would also wear the traditional dress and dance barefooted. It was so much fun and is a dance that is part of my culture, which I was born in New York, but my parents are from Colombian and they are the ones that influenced