Buzz
Dance serves as a crucial element of cultural identity, which explains why certain dances boast remarkably rich and distinctive histories. Often, these dances did not originate from festive occasions but from challenging periods in a community's history.
Dance provided a means to resist oppression or voice one's identity when societal constraints sought to silence individuals. Even when a dance appears purely recreational, some manage to reinterpret it in ways that deviate from its original intent.
10. Gumboot Dancing
In the era of apartheid in South Africa, where racial segregation laws were enforced to maintain white dominance, black miners endured perilous working conditions. Beyond being prohibited from communicating, workers were provided gumboots (rubber boots) by mine owners who prioritized cost savings over addressing mine flooding, aiming to prevent health issues that could disrupt labor.
The inability to speak hindered communication, prompting workers to invent a Morse code-like system by tapping their boots with their hands to convey messages. This method proved so engaging that it evolved into a unique dance form centered around rhythmic gumboot slapping.
Miners, hailing from various regions across Africa, brought diverse cultural influences to the development of gumboot dancing. Despite the prohibition of traditional tribal attire during South Africa's oppressive era, the essence of these dances was preserved and blended into a new, vibrant dance style.
Since dancing fell outside the regulations enforced by mine operators, it became a creative outlet. Songs were seamlessly integrated into the dance, transforming it into the full-body expressive art form it is recognized as today.
9. The Dance Of Death?
Originating in Jamaica, the dutty wine dance features vigorous neck movements. Its intensity has led Jamaican medical professionals to warn against performing it, citing potential spinal strain and injury from the rapid neck rotations.
Certain doctors argue that with proper training, the dance can be performed safely, while others insist that the movements are inherently risky regardless of preparation. They caution that the strain on the neck and spine is too severe to avoid potential injury.
Despite these concerns, the dance gained widespread popularity after Jamaican DJ Tony Matterhorn released a track named after it. Its influence extended beyond Jamaica, reaching international audiences, and even Beyonce featured it in one of her music videos.
This surge in popularity occurred despite claims linking the dutty wine to the death of an 18-year-old, who allegedly collapsed while performing the dance at a dance house. However, it remains uncertain whether the dance directly caused her death or if other factors were at play.
8. The Hokey Pokey 200 Years Old And Hotly Contested
It’s surprising that “The Hokey Pokey” (also known as “The Hokey Cokey”) isn’t just a lighthearted song everyone recognizes and enjoys with a playful dance. In reality, it has a complex, disputed history that spans centuries.
One of the earliest renditions of the song was the “Hinkumbooby,” a Scottish folk tune referenced in the 1826 publication Popular Rhymes of Scotland. This version closely resembled the modern song, and numerous adaptations emerged over the years.
Some argue that “The Hokey Pokey” was not merely a playful activity but a satirical jab at Catholic mass, with its name allegedly derived from “hocus pocus.” However, tensions escalated when songwriters in the UK and the US both asserted ownership of the song.
A legal dispute arose in the UK after two individuals each claimed to have authored a song titled “The Hokey Cokey.” Both insisted they initially named it “The Hokey Pokey” but altered the title after a Canadian soldier suggested “cokey,” a slang term for “crazy,” would resonate better.
The dispute was ultimately resolved outside of court.
A similar legal clash occurred in the United States, with two separate groups asserting they had composed “The Hokey Pokey.” This conflict reportedly concluded with the royalties being divided between the parties.
7. The Hula Tells a Story
Although films frequently portray hula in a clichéd manner, featuring grass skirts, coconut bras, and rhythmic hip movements, these elements fail to convey the true essence of hula. Traditional hula was performed alongside chanted poetry, with every motion carrying profound significance.
It served as the sacred scripture of the Hawaiian people, expressed through movement—a timeless way of preserving legends and collective histories across generations. Hula is, at its core, a narrative.
Missionaries arriving in Hawaii during the 1800s prohibited hula, deeming it a pagan ritual. This suppression led to the gradual decline of hula and broader Hawaiian culture until a cultural resurgence in the 1970s breathed new life into the traditional dance.
Today, hula is divided into two main forms. Hula kahiko adheres to ancient traditions, employing percussion instruments and chants to narrate tales of gods and ancestral ways. Hula ‘auana, on the other hand, is the more modern version, characterized by elegant movements accompanied by contemporary music.
No matter the style performed—and there are numerous variations—hula was never meant to be just a dance. It is a spiritual practice of expressing one’s innermost stories, which likely explains its global appeal and the growing number of practitioners worldwide.
6. Dance or Brawl?
The tinku, Bolivia’s national dance, originated from a tradition where communities would gather in a specific location to ease tensions through a dance that often escalated into a ritualized fight.
The tinku featured gender-separated dance circles. It started with rapid movements, shifted to rhythmic stomping, and culminated in ceremonial combat. Spilled blood was considered an offering to the gods for a bountiful harvest, and any fatalities, though rare, were viewed as sacred sacrifices.
The contemporary tinku resembles its historical roots, though the combat has been softened into symbolic, dance-like motions. However, the festival where tinku is performed often includes excessive drinking, and disputes between communities or neighbors can still escalate from dance to physical altercations.
Tourists visiting Bolivia during the festival have remarked that while the tinku is a fascinating spectacle, it’s not an experience they’d care to repeat. Emotions can run high during the event, and visitors are cautioned against making provocative gestures to avoid being drawn into the tinku themselves.
5. The Chicken Dance Isn’t Really About Chickens
The playful, often wordless “Chicken Dance” song is a staple at parties, yet its name’s origin remains a mystery. Originally, it had no connection to chickens whatsoever.
First known as “The Duck Dance,” it was created by Swiss accordionist Werner Thomas, who played it for guests at his restaurant. The tune inspired spontaneous dancing, prompting Thomas to add more bird-inspired movements and rename it “Tchirp-Tchirp,” mimicking the sound of birds.
Despite its local success, the song remained largely unknown until a Dutch publisher discovered it, added lyrics, and introduced it across Europe. Even then, it wasn’t referred to as the “chicken dance.” Instead, it was known as the “Little Bird Dance” or “Birdie Dance.”
Both in Europe and the US, the dance struggled to gain traction before finally achieving widespread fame after years of limited recognition. Stanley Mills, who secured the US publishing rights, renamed it “Dance Little Bird” to make it more marketable compared to its European title, “Little Bird Dance.”
Mills also introduced English lyrics, but they failed to gain popularity. The dance only became widely known as the “Chicken Dance” after a record label contacted Mills about it, seemingly adopting the name out of nowhere.
4. The Sacred Dance Banned by the British
The attire worn by female Manipuri dancers is distinctive, featuring long, rigid skirts adorned with gold, silver, and mirrors, creating the illusion of elegant barrels. The dancers’ spinning movements can produce a captivating, almost hypnotic effect.
In ancient Vedic scriptures, the dance masters of Manipuri were referred to as “Gandharvas.” Their performances were dedicated to celebrating Hindu principles and spiritual beliefs.
This connection to Hinduism led Christian missionaries to oppose the dance after the British colonized Manipuri. The colonial government subsequently banned all temple dances in an effort to suppress spiritual and cultural expressions like the Manipuri dance.
Despite the ban, the dance persisted in secrecy. With the rise of India’s independence movement, it was revived alongside other traditional dances. The Manipuri dance gained particular prominence after Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore became fascinated by it.
Tagore invited a renowned Manipuri dancer to collaborate at an Indian cultural and educational institution. These dance-dramas narrated ancient Hindu stories, and his efforts played a key role in reviving interest in and understanding of this traditional art form.
3. Affranchi The Dance That Completed a Full Circle
During the French colonization of Haiti, the local population was enslaved and forced to work on plantations. While public performances of European dances were prohibited for the enslaved, their masters often demanded they perform traditional African dances for entertainment.
Following the 1804 slave revolt, class distinctions began to dissolve, leading to intermarriage between Europeans and women of African heritage. The offspring of these unions, known as Affranchi, developed a unique Haitian dance style.
The Affranchi dance, named after the class that birthed it, blended movements from their enslaved ancestors with more restrained rhythms, contrasting the vibrant dances once performed in secret during voodoo rituals.
While the final segment of the dance allowed for freestyle expression, the Affranchi aimed to maintain a sense of European elegance. The dance primarily followed European frameworks while integrating African influences.
This dance was considered a mark of sophistication. As it expanded beyond Haiti and evolved over time, Affranchi began to embrace a wider array of movements. Traditional African elements, such as voodoo drum rhythms and stronger ties to Haitian culture, were reintroduced. It transformed from a dance rooted in European styles to one deeply connected to Haiti’s identity.
2. “La Cucaracha” Lacks Standardized Lyrics
The origins of “La Cucaracha” (“The Cockroach”) are shrouded in mystery. Although it is often linked to Mexico, this is merely where it became widely popular, particularly in folk dancing. Some sources trace it back to the era of Ferdinand and Isabella in Spain, while others suggest it was brought to Mexico by Spanish sailors.
The song is most closely tied to Mexico due to its use during the Mexican Revolution, where both sides employed it as propaganda and as a way to pass the time.
The lyrics of “La Cucaracha” were adapted to reflect the beliefs and circumstances of those singing it. The song often mirrored the political and social events of the time, making it a dynamic and ever-changing piece.
The song’s lyrics typically center on a single figure—the “cockroach” referenced in the title. The identity of this figure shapes the lyrics, which serve as metaphors for the perceived wrongdoings or scandals of the era.
Given its long history, “La Cucaracha” has undergone numerous changes. It can be seen as a living record of public discontent with political leaders and others in positions of power.
1. Physically Integrated Dance
Physically integrated dance challenges traditional perceptions of dance. It brings together individuals with and without disabilities on the same stage, performing the same choreography. Rather than relegating dancers with disabilities to secondary roles, this form of dance highlights the unique abilities of all performers, creating a cohesive and inclusive artistic expression.
Physically integrated dance encompasses a variety of styles, from classical ballet to contemporary modern dance. These performances celebrate diverse body types, not out of pity or exploitation, but as explorations of the unique capabilities each dancer brings.
This form of dance often challenges both critics and audiences. Critics may hesitate to critique disabled performers, while groups like The GIMP Project confront audiences with monologues that reveal potential biases or thoughts viewers might have during the performance.
The dance style isn’t designed to compensate for disabilities but to leverage them, creating innovative dance forms that wouldn’t exist otherwise. For instance, a legless dancer might collaborate with another performer to develop a distinctive aerial silk routine.
Despite its artistic intent, directors of these dance companies frequently encounter audiences who view disabled dancers with pity rather than holding them to the same artistic standards as their peers.
