Southern Mexico is very rich in culture. States ubicated here are famous because of their food, music and dance. In this space we are going to talk about dance in states like Campeche, Veracruz, Michoacan, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Tabasco.
Campeche
This state counts with lots of typical dances. Carnivals and verbenas are practiced there year by year; they dance fandangos, caconas, pavanas, jaconas, and other dances that are liked by many people in Campeche.
The Spanish influence is unmistakable, at first this carnivals were offered by “important people” and they were presented at twilight in the houses of the “main” families.
Campeche has a famous festival which is called Fiesta del Palmar; in this “party” we can see a lot of this state culture and we can get surprised by watching great and popular dances there like Son del Pavo, which is a tap dance (zapateado) that lasts few minutes, but it’s very energetic and cheerful. This typical dance was generalized by the middle of S. XIX. It was danced in pairs; they had to be caught by the arm of the waist, while the other is free and raised. This dance is popular because of its agility and joy.
Son del Pavo
Campeche
Michoacan
There’s a place called Tierra Caliente that is located in this state. This place is popular because it’s very rich in culture and in the art of dance; here we can enjoy a typical dance that is named: El Huaco Son de Imitación. This dance is called just like the animal, and the violins imitate the sound that the animal shouts, the animal that gives the name to this son. It’s known that the dancers imitate the movements of the courtship of male and female.
The choreography is characteristic of the region like the rumble. The movements done are lyrical, because there’s no a particular rule.
Michoacan
Oaxaca
We will talk about an enormous festival located in Oaxaca, it has been presented year by year, it’s an important traditionand people like it a lot, it shows culture and it let us know about the joy of the natives. This festival is called “La Guelaguetza”.
In this festival we can fin lots od typical dances, one of them is the Jarabe Mixteco, which is famous because of the song of it, that is very nostalgic and tender.
El Jarabe Mixteco is characterize for its sensibility, passionated, romantic and bold.
The costume of the woman is about a floral full skirt, adorned with strips in colors, white T-shirt with stripes at the top, and sandals; they use braiding with color stripes, necklaces and earrings.
The man uses pants and a jacket, a blanket by the arm and sandals.
This jarabe like all, is the conjuction of the different steps of each one of the 7 regions of Oaxaca.
Jarabe Mixteco
Son del Pavo
Huapango Huasteco
Las Chiapanecas
Dance in Veracruz
Veracruz counts with a famous celebration called "fandango", in it participates lot of groups of soneros and jaraneros who interpret some of their music, while several dancers show us how this songs can be danced.
A famous rate in Veracruz is the one denominated Huapango Huasteco , that is interpreted by violin, jarana and huapanguera guitar. This dance is danced with a similar structure to the zapateados.
Huapango Huasteco
Veracruz
Dance in Chiapas
The marimba is the mos typical music used in this state, a lot of the traditional dances of here are based on this rate.
Dance in Chiapas is also famous because people use the courtship in the dances to represent some love.
A famous and very popular dance in Chiapas is "Las Chiapanecas". This dance is dedicate to the women that are from this state. The choreography of this dance is very happy and energetic, and it includes a lot of clapes that makes this dance more special and popular.
The women's costume concists in a black dress with many flowers of different colors.
Las Chiapanecas
Chiapas
Dance in Tabasco
The famous son calleda fandango in Tabasco takes the name of fandanguillo and it origins the zapateado or zapateo. When the fandanguillo is interpreted it is similar to the jarana, they use a lot of blown and outdoor steps; they show a lot about some dances of Chiapas.
This sones are interpreted by marimba and like it happens in Yucatan and Chipas the song stops when someone shouts "bomba", this makes the boy stop and tell the girl something beautiful, and the girl has to listen and talk too.
The sones are danced in pairs, without personal contact, and some present in their zapateado something similar to dialogue. There are some sones that describe love, or are dedicated to animals.
Some prehispanic dances were identified with the animals that were engaged; some of the oldest zapateados follow this costum of the cultures that created it, and were in contact with nature.
Some of them are....El jilguero, la gallina, La tutupana and El tigre. This dances are cheerful and energetic, the last one is a representer of the Chontal culture.
Dance in Tabasco
Tabasco
Diana Rangel Rodriguez :D
