HISTORY OF RUMBA
Rumba's Cafe
The word RUMBA comes from the Spanish word " rumbear" which means to party . Rumba is a generic term covering a variety of musical rhythms and associated dances. It contains both African and Caribbean influences due to the importation of African slaves to South America and the Caribbean.
RUMBA arose in the Cuban provinces of Havana and Matanzas in the late 19th century. In it's original form the RUMBA was very fast, extremely exotic, and totally uninhibited. The women would perform sensuous movements of the hip, chest and shoulders to lures the man in and then she backs off when he takes her seriously. Rumba was often suppressed and restricted because it was viewed as dangerous and immoral style.
Afro-Cuban Rumba is entirely different than Ballroom rumba, or the African style of pop music called Rumba. RUMBA was developed in rural Cuba, and is still danced in Havana, Matanzas and other cities as well as rural areas.
Cuban Rumba can be broken down into three types:
- YAMBU
- GUAGUANCO
- COLUMBIA
RUMBA YAMBU: It's the oldest and slowest known style of Rumba, sometimes called the Old People's Rumba. It can be danced alone ( especially by women ) or by men and women together.
RUMBA GUAGUANCO: This style of Rumba is faster than Yambu, with more complex rhythms and involves overtly flirtatious movements between a man a a woman .
RUMBA COLUMBIA: Rumba Columbia ( not Colombia) is a fast and very energetic Rumba style.Tradittionally, male dancers provoke the drummers to play complex rhythms that they imitate through their creative and sometimes acrobatic movements. Columbia incorporates many movements derived from Congo dances as Spanish flamenco, and more recently dancers have incorporated break dancing and hip hop moves. Women are beginning to dance Columbia, too.
The Cuban refined the Rumba's version to be less uninhibited making it slower and less overtly flirtatious, giving birth to the dance known as the SON.
513
