Dance of the Week: Argentinian Malambo

Malambo is an Argentinian dance that combines a dancer's step skills (zapateo) with usually a drum( bombo) and a guitar. The dance consists of three elements:

cepillada- slide the sole of the foot on the floor

repique- strike the floor with the heel

floreos- creative movements chosen by the dancer

Malambo used to be a competition between gauchos (south american cowboy). One dancer would start by showcasing a routine and end with a salute. Then the other dancer had to repeat the same routine, add new moves, and end with a salute. Little by little, each dancer had to copy each other and add new movements until one dancer couldn't repeat the other's movements. The winner would then be thought of as the better dancer.

TWO MORE THINGS BEFORE YOU SEE THE DANCE!

1. Boleadoras

Sometimes dancers choose to use boleadoras in their routine. A boleadora is a string with a ball at the end. Sometimes, the ball is made out of stone or wood. Boleadoras used to be weapons to hunt animals. Now they are used to show more creativity and skill in performances.

2. Cuchillo

Dancers may also choose to use cuchillos (knifes) during their performances.

AND HERE IT IS!

For more information check out:

http://worldartswest.org/main/location.asp?i=6

http://www.hobbsschools.net/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6/File/History-of-Tango-Gaucho-Salsa.pdf

http://www.aquifolklore.com.ar/English/emalambo.htm

*videos found on youtube.com

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