Music of South America

Samba is Brazil's national dance. Samba is commonly associated with Carnival. Samba is so respected in Brazil that there are schools dedicated to teaching samba. Today, samba comes in many varieties.  Samba can be danced with a partner or individually. Samba is based on a standard duple meter and emphasizes the third beat by inserting a short pause just before it. The samba dance emphasizes the hips shaking to the rhythm. Samba's rhythm is very energetic and tempts everyone to dance along. Originally, Samba came from the slaves of Western Africa brought over by the Portuguese. Samba has African-derived characteristics, like polyrhythm and call-and-response vocals. The majority of instruments in Samba are percussion. The most recognizable instrument in samba is the cuíca (a friction drum). European influences are also apparent in samba. Sometimes guitars or pianos are played during sambas. Overall, samba doesn't fail to capture the attention from all parts of the world wit...

The most popular form of traditional music in Ecuador is Pasillo.  As with almost all the other musics of South America, it has been influenced greatly by Africans and Europeans. However, the thing about Pasillo is that every region/town has given it its own characteristics. Pasillo is played with a guitar and rondin (a flute-like instrument). Pasillo is usually at a slow tempo and descends from the waltz. Lyrics are usually sentimental and poetic, describing melancholy themes. Yarabi is also very popular in Ecuador. It originates from the the Andes mountain region of Ecuador. It is characterized by its sadness and slow tempo as well. The mood of Yarabi comes from the sufferings of the Indigenous and African populations from the European conquerors. It was these sad songs that helped them dance and be happy. Nevertheless, with its melancholy melody, Yarabi tends to have an upbeat tempo. Another traditional form of Ecuadorian music is Marimba. Marimba is a unique form of music b...

Cumbia is one of the most popular musics from Colombia. Cumbia also consists of a dance that goes with its music. It's considered the national dance and represents the heritage of Colombia. It originated as a courtship dance practiced by the indigenous people of Colombia. Throughout the years, it became influenced by African and European characteristics. Cumbia often consists of one of two ensembles; a cumbia or gaita ensemble. A cumbia ensemble consists of five instruments; the millet cane or pito (type of clarinet), tambor mayor (hand drum), llamador (drum), the bombo (two-headed drum), and a rattle. The gaita ensemble has two gaitas (duct flutes), tambor mayor, llamador, and a rattle. Cumbia is usually danced by couples and is characterized by dancing in circles. The women dance in shuffled steps (from slaves dancing with shackled legs) and the men zig-zag around her. Cumbia itself is a simple and straightforward dance with minimal movement. Traditionally, bundles of can...

Tango has been influenced over time by the many cultures and peoples passing through the port city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. A large portion of the immigrants who've helped influence tango are the Spanish and Italian. The most common instrument used in tango, bandoneón, was originally invented in Germany and brought over by the Europeans.  The tango is a very seductive dance with moves of passion and intimacy. Tango is quite complex and consists of many styles. It fluctuates greatly in dynamics and tempo relating to the indecisive actions of passion. Tango is all about romance and the seducing of the partner. This type of tango is much different to the revised version of ballroom tango. Tango is such a sensual dance that Europeans and Americans originally shunned this dance. Because of this low perception of tango, the ballroom tango was invented.  The Argentine tango is the original seductive form of tango straight out of Argentina. Now let's explore what makes tango. T...

The term "Joropo" refers not only to the music, but to the dress, dance, and poetry as well. It originates from the rural plains region of Venezuela. Joropo is usually a dance for couples, but groups of only women also occur. Instruments played in Joropo vary by region, but the sounds and rhythm stay the same. The dance is characterized by the woman doing sweeping steps while the man stomps his feet to the rhythm. It greatly resembles a waltz, in which the dancers dance in triple meter who turn rhythmically as a pair around the dance floor. Joropo also can be fast paced and complex with a wide variety of instruments, like guitars, bandolas, and maracas. A four-stringed guitar called the cuatro is typically played in Joropo. There are 36 variations of the dance. Joropo is very highly regarded in Venezuela, especially in Los Llanos (the plains), where it originated. Joropo represents Venezuela's heritage and culture. Elementary school students are taught this dance. Jor...