Danza
Encyclopedia
Danza is a musical genre
that originated in Ponce
, a city in southern Puerto Rico
. It is a popular turn-of-the-twentieth-century ballroom
dance genre slightly similar to the waltz
. Both the danza and its cousin the contradanza
are sequence dances, performed to a pattern, usually of squares, to music that was instrumental. Neither the contradanza nor the danza were sung genres; this is a contrast to, for example, the habanera
, which was a sung genre. There is some dispute as to whether the danza was in any sense a different dance from the contradanza, or whether is was just a simplification of the name. Through the first part of the 19th century the dance and its music became steadily more creolized. The music is creolized because composers were consciously trying to integrate African and European ideas; and the dance because many of the people themselves were creoles, that is, born in the Caribbean, accepting their islands as their true and only homeland.
Some well-known composers of danzas are Manuel Gregorio Tavarez
, "The Father of Puerto Rican Danza", and Juan Morel Campos
, considered by many to have raised the genre to its highest level. Others are Cuban Ignacio Cervantes
, and Curaçaoan Jan Gerard Palm
.
, La Borinqueña
, was originally a danza that was later altered to fit a more anthem-like style. Danzas can be either romantic or festive. Romantic danzas have four sections, beginning with an eight-measure paseo followed by three themes of sixteen measures each. The third theme typically includes a solo by the bombardino
and, often, a return to the first theme or a coda at the end. Festive danzas are free-form, with the only rules being an introduction and a swift rhythm.
The first part of the romantic danza, the paseo, had 8 measures of music without a fixed rhythm (a snare
drumroll may be played as background), when the couples circled the room elegantly, giving the lady the opportunity to display her beauty. The second part, called the merengue, grew from the original 16 measures to 34, in 1854. Here the couples held each other in a proper stance and executed turns that looked very much like a waltz.
While the origins of the danza are murky, it probably arose around 1840 as a sort of reaction against the highly codified contradanza
and, according to Cuban sources, was strongly influenced by Cuba
n immigrants and their habanera
music. The first danzas were immature, youthful songs condemned by the authorities, who occasionally tried ineffectively to ban the genre.
In Puerto Rico, the genre continued evolving until it was taken up by the young pianist Manuel Gregorio Tavárez
, who had just arrived from his studies in Paris
, and took it to a new artistic level. His disciple, Juan Morel Campos
adopted it also and developed it further to its maximum expression, composing more than 300 danzas, most of them masterpieces of an exquisite beauty. The danza that evolved was inspired mostly by women and romance and their titles reflected that change.
and Manuel Saumell
. This type of dance was eventually replaced by the danzon.
The following account from 1840 might have been written today:
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
that originated in Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, a city in southern Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. It is a popular turn-of-the-twentieth-century ballroom
Ballroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
dance genre slightly similar to the waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
. Both the danza and its cousin the contradanza
Contradanza
The Cuban contradanza was a popular dance music genre of the 19th century.- Origins and Early Development:...
are sequence dances, performed to a pattern, usually of squares, to music that was instrumental. Neither the contradanza nor the danza were sung genres; this is a contrast to, for example, the habanera
Habanera
Habanera may refer to:*"Habanera" , an aria from Bizet's Carmen*Habanera , a 1984 Cuban film*La Habanera , a 1937 German movie...
, which was a sung genre. There is some dispute as to whether the danza was in any sense a different dance from the contradanza, or whether is was just a simplification of the name. Through the first part of the 19th century the dance and its music became steadily more creolized. The music is creolized because composers were consciously trying to integrate African and European ideas; and the dance because many of the people themselves were creoles, that is, born in the Caribbean, accepting their islands as their true and only homeland.
Some well-known composers of danzas are Manuel Gregorio Tavarez
Manuel Gregorio Tavarez
Manuel Gregorio Tavarez , was Puerto Rico's first renowned classical and danza composer and the inspiration behind future generations of composers.-Early years:...
, "The Father of Puerto Rican Danza", and Juan Morel Campos
Juan Morel Campos
Juan Morel Campos , sometimes erroneously spelled Juan Morell Campos, was a Puerto Rican composer, considered by many to be responsible for taking the genre of danza to its highest level.-Early years:...
, considered by many to have raised the genre to its highest level. Others are Cuban Ignacio Cervantes
Ignacio Cervantes
Ignacio Cervantes Kawanagh was a Cuban virtuoso pianist and composer. He was influential in the creolization of Cuban music....
, and Curaçaoan Jan Gerard Palm
Jan Gerard Palm
Jan Gerard Palm was a 19th century composer. Palm is often referred to as the "father of Curaçao's classical music".-Biography:...
.
Danza in Puerto Rico
Danza is a form of music that can be varied in its expression. The Puerto Rican national anthemNational anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
, La Borinqueña
La Borinqueña
La Borinqueña is the official anthem of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. After Puerto Rico became the "The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico" in 1952, the first elected governor, Luis Muñoz Marín, signed law #2 of July 24, 1952 that stated that the musical composition known as "La Borinqueña" was to...
, was originally a danza that was later altered to fit a more anthem-like style. Danzas can be either romantic or festive. Romantic danzas have four sections, beginning with an eight-measure paseo followed by three themes of sixteen measures each. The third theme typically includes a solo by the bombardino
Bombardino
Bombardino is a drink popular in Italy during the Winter, especially in the ski resorts. It is made by mixing 1/2 Advocaat or eggnog and 1/2 Brandy. It is served hot and with whipped cream on top. It has several variations: with coffee , with rum or whiskey...
and, often, a return to the first theme or a coda at the end. Festive danzas are free-form, with the only rules being an introduction and a swift rhythm.
The first part of the romantic danza, the paseo, had 8 measures of music without a fixed rhythm (a snare
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
drumroll may be played as background), when the couples circled the room elegantly, giving the lady the opportunity to display her beauty. The second part, called the merengue, grew from the original 16 measures to 34, in 1854. Here the couples held each other in a proper stance and executed turns that looked very much like a waltz.
While the origins of the danza are murky, it probably arose around 1840 as a sort of reaction against the highly codified contradanza
Contradanza
The Cuban contradanza was a popular dance music genre of the 19th century.- Origins and Early Development:...
and, according to Cuban sources, was strongly influenced by Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n immigrants and their habanera
Habanera (music)
The habanera is a genre of Cuban popular dance music of the 19th century. It is a creolized form which developed from the contradanza. It has a characteristic "Habanera rhythm", and is performed with sung lyrics...
music. The first danzas were immature, youthful songs condemned by the authorities, who occasionally tried ineffectively to ban the genre.
In Puerto Rico, the genre continued evolving until it was taken up by the young pianist Manuel Gregorio Tavárez
Manuel Gregorio Tavarez
Manuel Gregorio Tavarez , was Puerto Rico's first renowned classical and danza composer and the inspiration behind future generations of composers.-Early years:...
, who had just arrived from his studies in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and took it to a new artistic level. His disciple, Juan Morel Campos
Juan Morel Campos
Juan Morel Campos , sometimes erroneously spelled Juan Morell Campos, was a Puerto Rican composer, considered by many to be responsible for taking the genre of danza to its highest level.-Early years:...
adopted it also and developed it further to its maximum expression, composing more than 300 danzas, most of them masterpieces of an exquisite beauty. The danza that evolved was inspired mostly by women and romance and their titles reflected that change.
Danza in Cuba
This, the child of the contradanza, was also danced in lines or squares. It was a brisker form of music and dance which could be in double or triple time. A repeated 8-bar paseo was followed by two 16-bar sections called the primera and segunda. Two famous composers of danzas were Ignacio CervantesIgnacio Cervantes
Ignacio Cervantes Kawanagh was a Cuban virtuoso pianist and composer. He was influential in the creolization of Cuban music....
and Manuel Saumell
Manuel Saumell
Manuel Saumell Robredo , was a Cuban composer of the highest importance for his invention and development of genuinely creolized forms of music...
. This type of dance was eventually replaced by the danzon.
The following account from 1840 might have been written today:
- "The women of Havana have a furious taste for dancing; they spend entire nights elevated, agitated, crazy and pouring sweat until they fall spent."
See also
- Music of CubaMusic of CubaThe Caribbean island of Cuba has developed a wide range of creolized musical styles, based on its cultural origins in Europe and Africa. Since the 19th century its music has been hugely popular and influential throughout the world...
- Music of Puerto RicoMusic of Puerto RicoThe music of Puerto Rico has been influenced by the Spanish, African, Taíno Indians, France, and the United States, and has become very popular across the Caribbean and across the globe...
- Guamanique de Puerto Rico*http://www.broekmans.com/nl/product_details.cfm?ArtikelId=720270