Zamba is the national dance of Argentina. It is a style of Argentine music and Argentine folk dance.
Zamba is very different from its homophone, the samba - musically, rhythmically, temperamentally. It is European compared to the Samba, in the steps of the dance and in its costume. It has six beats to the bar and is a majestic dance, performed by couples who circle each other waving white handkerchiefs very elegantly. (It has common elements with the cueca.)
Zambas are composed about every subject, ranging from those whose lyrics celebrate people or events from Argentine history, to those which describe the beauty of a region, or of its women; there are zambas of political protest and even one called "Aerolíneas Argentinas". The bombo legüero drum is prominent in the playing of the zamba.
Contents |
The name "zamba" refers to a colonial term for Indian mixed with black. It was a dance of seduction where a man pursues a Zamba girl. The dance originated in Peru in the Creole genre known as the zamacueca of Peru , in 1824 at the same time that Peru , under José de San Martín, obtained independence. It came to Argentina through "Alto Peru," a region that is modern day Bolivia and through Chile between 1825 and 1830.[1][2]
The Zamba is a slow dance in three-quarter time played primarily on guitar and bombo legüero. The steps of the dance are a walking step, an alternate step (two steps at one time), and a tip toe alternate step or "sobrepaso punteado" (three steps at one time). The Zamba also requires a handkerchief.
Today Zamba is frequently danced in the streets of Argentina and always danced in Argentine folklore parties and festivals.It is performed during the national holidays of Argentina.