Columbia Rumba – Dance
Columbia is the fastest rumba style: a virtuoso solo dance in a triple pulse (6/8 or 12/8), rural in origin and traditionally danced by men. Its hallmark is the dialogue between the dancer and the lead drum, the quinto.
Origin
- Matanzas: according to EcuRed, columbia arose in the countryside of Matanzas, around Unión de Reyes and villages such as Sabanilla and Alacranes. It grew as peasants went to work as dockers in Matanzas and Cárdenas, places controlled by Abakuá potencias. The name is said to come from a hamlet called Columbia on the railway near Chucho de Mena.
- Congo and Abakuá: the fighting dances of the Congos at the sugar mills, the baile de maní, are seen as an early form of columbia. The Abakuá íremes also contributed steps, though many researchers also point to a similar Congo tradition.
- Men and women: originally men danced alone or in couples; in the city it became a male solo dance. Some women became famous for it.
The music
- Rhythm: triple pulse, in 6/8 or 12/8, often with a guataca (hoe blade) or metal bell. Rural rumberos also struck farm tools, a cowbell or a piece of an old plough.
- Instruments: three drums, quinto, salidor and tres golpes; the quinto player wears rattles (nkembí) on the wrists, and the singer plays the claves.
- Course: the percussion starts fast; the lead singer (gallo) sings laments (lloraos); then comes the refrain or montuno, influenced by the mambos of the Congos and also called capetillo. That is when the dancers enter the circle. The quinto must underline every movement of the dancer.
The dance
According to EcuRed, the dancer first greets the drums, sometimes lying down flat on the ground, and then walks around the space. His basic movement is in the shoulders and legs, with an upright, elegant, challenging posture and circular figures. He shows his skill with acrobatic steps: sometimes he balances a glass of water or a bottle on his head, imitates ballet or circus, a baseball game or a boxing match, or dances with knives. Some dancers tie knives to their feet, like rooster spurs.
Notes for learners
- Feel it in threes: even if you count "6/8", the groove rides on a triple grid. Clap the underlying triplet before you step.
- Dialogue: the dancer proposes, the quinto answers.