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Traditional dances from around Burgos.
Ok, maybe the style of dance pictured above isn’t exactly what C & C Music Factory had in mind when they came out with the song “Everybody Dance Now” in the 1990′s; but, it’s still pretty cool. The above picture is actually of a traditional dance group from one of the small “pueblos” near Burgos. You see, since this weekend was a festival weekend (Labor Day), there were some special events in the city of Burgos — and one of those events consisted of this dance group performing traditional dances around the city streets.
I have seen this type of dance before in Burgos during various festivals, yet I never tire of it. It’s really interesting to me to see how well-choreographed the movements are, how meticulously detailed the dresses are, and how well-timed the music is (for those of you who don’t already know, the music usually consists of drums, a flute or two, and the dancers’ castanets). It’s obvious that these people spend a lot of time rehearsing and preparing for their shows and that they are proud of what they are doing – after all, for them this is a part of their heritage (each town/city/village has its own set of dances that are “passed down” through the generations).
The whole “preservation of tradition/heritage” idea is something that I love about Spain. Here, you’re very likely to see people participating in events like this one which date back hundreds of years. They do it to preserve their heritage; i.e., to remember where they came from. In the USA, it seems as though we have less interest in preserving our cultural heritage. Of course, this could be somewhat due to the fact that we have a much shorter history as a nation than Spain does. Or maybe it’s because we worry so much about “where we’re going” (technological advances, etc.) that we don’t take time to think about “where we’ve came from.” Of course, those are just my thoughts… I could be wrong.
What’s your opinion on all this? Tell me in the comments below.
Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com
Any idea what this genre of dance is called? I used to study flamenco for many years and I’m just curious.
In the USA, it seems as though we have less interest in preserving our cultural heritage. Of course, this could be somewhat due to the fact that we have a much shorter history as a nation than Spain does. Or maybe it’s because we worry so much about “where we’re going” (technological advances, etc.) that we don’t take time to think about “where we’ve came from.”
I can’t speak for the entire population of the USA. I am a first generation Filipino-American and now an American expat living in Northern Ireland. My parents emigrated to the states in the 60′s. There has been a resurgence in the younger generation to rediscover and preserve our culture and heritage. It is like this with a lot of my other friends who are of other ethnic backgrounds(Hispanic, Irish, Jewish, etc.) whose parents have emigrated here in the last 30 or so years. I think the drive to preserve one’s culture and heritage is even stronger because the US is such a melting pot, people need something to identify themselves with other than the generic “American”.
What does being American mean anyway? IMHO, I think there is no one definition and it is relative to each individual.
@Maddy – I’m not really sure what the actual genre of dance is called. All I’ve ever heard from friends and what not here in Spain is “traditional dances.” I’m not sure if that’s a technical name or just what people call them here.
I think that you’re right that the various ethnic groups in the USA do try to preserve their background quite a lot… I guess I had people like myself in mind when I wrote that in the post. I’m “American” and my family has been in the country so long that I can’t even really trace my roots back to any one ethnic group. I know my mother is part Italian and part something else, my father is part Irish and part something else… but for someone like me, whose family has a long history in the States, it’s kinda hard to even identify a culture to preserve. So maybe what I should have said is that the American people, who often don’t share a common ethnic background, look for other things to unite them and make them feel “American” while the Spanish can use common cultural traditions (like these dances) as a way to establish a sense of unity amongst themselves.
You said it well in your comment… in the USA there is no single definition of “American.” Spain’s population is a lot more homogeneous and so they take a different stance on these types of questions….
Thanks for your comment and for sharing your opinion!
Están bailando la Jota, que es el autentico baile tradicional español, ya que se baila en todas las regiones españolas (o en su mayoría) con pequeños cambios. Al contrario del flamenco que solo es típico de Andalucía.
No es tan conocida en el extranjero como el flamenco, por que el flamenco se ha utilizado y se utiliza para atraer turistas.
En cierta forma los españoles sentimos que se nos ha impuesto el flamenco como baile típico, en pos de obtener beneficios.