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Culture Days will return September 20 – October 13, 2024.

Somos Colombia Dance Group at Culture Days

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Date and time

Location

Rotary Centre for the Arts

Kelowna, BC

Access

Free.

Offered in English and Spanish.

About

We will be performing 4 typical dances from the Caribbean and Pacific coast of Colombia:

1. Cumbia: Is one of the most melodic representative expressions of Colombia. It brings together three cultures - African, Indigenous and European. The origin of Cumbia music comes from the days of slavery in the late 17th century and is derived from the African word Cumbe which means dance.

2. Currulao: Is the most popular dance style for many Afro-Colombian communities along the Pacific coast. It represents the African influences brought in during the colonial period by miners in the basins of the rivers in the western part of the territory. In practice, you can observe references to a sacramental rite of ancestral strength and magic. The dance involves loose pairs, with themes of love and nature.

3. Bullerengue: Is one of the Colombian dances and genres most closely tied to our African heritage. Traditionally, only women – who are normally dressed entirely in white – perform this dance, which is meant to be symbolic of female fertility. The rhythm of Bullerengue dancing is always defined by the drums, and the dancers usually clap to complement the beats and the rhythm.

4. Tamarindo seco: The last dance is called Tamarindo Seco. If there are any Colombian’s in the audience, you will know this song because of its popularity at the Carnaval de Barranquilla and its frequent use during the ‘hora loca’. The Carnaval de Barranquilla is one of the biggest carnivals in the world and it takes place in the city of Barranquilla in the month of February. Hora loca refers to the time of the party where everyone stands up and dances for a whole hour with carnival prompts, live music, sombreros vueltiao and masks. This is a carnival song that invites everyone to join us in dancing together and having fun to close our performance.

Organizer

Somos Colombia Dance Group

“Somos Colombia” is a dance group formed with members of the Colombian Community in Kelowna. Our 15 members range from ages between 5 to 80 years old and include: kids, secondary and university students, housewives and working professionals.

Our group came together in December 2018 to engage in ongoing learning of Colombian folklore and culture through dance performances and participation in community events. Our traditional dresses were all made in Colombia by artisans from different regions in the country.

Contact

This event is part of a hub:

A SIGNATURE IN TIME - Kelowna Arts and Culture Festival 2019

Rotary Centre for the Arts Kelowna, BC

As time continues to tell its story, we, the inhabitants of the unceded and traditional territories of the syilx/Okanagan People are painting a picture with our daily activities. This year we are looking to celebrate our SIGNATURE IN TIME...