An invitation to Bogota!?

I can't believe that!! One day, when we were waiting for a class, Gosia, my best classmate, said me that she had listened our trainer with his deputy, Martyna, talking about the next holidays' plans for the group. And she related that they had mentioned a folk festival in... Bogota, Colombia!!

Ok, I should explain my euphoria first. It's easy - I love Colombia for years, I visited this country, not Bogota but its Carribean region and I felt in love in it! I didn't came back yet, but, how you can suppose, it's my dream, I try to save money for that. And, although I'm in Poland, I read and write about this lovely place (just have a look at the right of my blog - there are two other blogs, in Polish, I dedicate to Colombia), I know its culture, learn Colombian dialect, listen Colombian music... Yea, that's the point - music, instruments and dance of Colombia and my motherland are things I would like to connect!

There were a moment when I knew more about Colombian music that about Polish. Quite sad, don't you think so? But actually, when I was saying to my friends from the university that I started my folk experience, I realized that many people don't have any reference of Polish folk. That folk dance for them is something strange, rare, it arouses laugh.

In Colombia, instead, the folk dance is something deep-rooted. The Colombian people are proud of their mixed Spanish, Indian and African legacy. Let me know you the most important Colombian music genres and dances.

We will start with the most famous one, cumbia, from the Carribean.

In general, the music tradition from the Northern regions is more common, recognizable in the hole country. It's also the case of vallenato, a genre based on the sound of accordion. In this case there is no traditional dance, but only a few steps which do this music able to dance.

One of the genre more influenced by the African rythms is mapalé, from the Carribean region too.

In the region of the Andes the most particular one can be bambuco (yes, it's the same word that in Polish expression "zrobić kogoś w bambuko").

And my latest discovery, joropo, traditional dance from the region of llanos, it means, Colombian cowboys' land. Every time I see this people dance I am on the watch! The velocity of theirs movements... Wow! Extremly good and difficult too! Have a look:

I really hope you enjoyed and known something new. It could be one of the most beatiful moments in my life if I go with the gropus to the festival to Bogota and present my own culture in the country I love so much. The question is: will the trainer accept the invitation or not?

Don't suffocate, please

The title is a request of Marta, one of my friend from the dance class. Yes, I remember it very well... We were excercising the oberek in pairs. There are no enough boys, so many times the girls dance with other girls. During a lot of classes I didn't feel firmly in this dance and for this reason I tried to concentrate on do good the steps. I was so concentrated that I didn't realize I was clasping the neck of my friend and that she was feeling a little of pain...

Then I undestrood: the dance is not only the steps... In my own experience I know that it's a pleasure to see a dance show, but only if the people who is performing express their emotions. You can see them in their facial expression, gesture and also in if they sing. What I am doing is to prepare me to an art performance where I will have a role, a costume... Maybe that's why I was treating it so seriously?

Lately my attitude changed. Right now I'm quite laid-back, I don't scare to ask if I don't know something, I don't worry so much when I make a mistake, turn in other side I should or loose one or more class, and even I help to learn the steps to two new girls who joined the group recently. I took it easy. Undoubtedly, it's a change I note in me. And it's a positive change :)