Zarabanda

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This article is about the dance. For the pagan god, see Ogoun.

The zarabanda is an old Spanish dance related to the sarabande especially popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. It is believed to have originated in Native American dances. In its time it was rather controversial since it was thought too indecent – Miguel de Cervantes once said it was "invented in Hell" (this didn't stop him from using zarabandas himself, though). It was banned several times, but it was still performed by many people and even by clerics during the mass.