Ballet Folklorico Dance Step

 

Ballet Folklorico is famous for intricate footwork. There are various styles and levels of difficulty. Learning Ballet Folklorico always begins with learning simplified dance steps. As a dance student learns to manipulate their feet and make rhythmic sounds, they become more capable of mastering difficult dance steps. However, this is a long process and must be approached with much patience. One of the first dance steps I learned was an easy combination of simple feet movements. The step went to the dance called “Los Machetes”.

Materials

The three most important materials required for practicing Ballet Folklorico are dance shoes and dance attire. The typical dance shoes the girls wear are character shoes that have nail heads on the heel and under the toes (similar to tap shoes) to make loud sounds in order to hear the footwork. Boys usually wear boots that have a similar heel and toe structure. These shoes are very expensive. Fortunately, for this exercise, any shoe with a hard heel will work. Dance attire includes comfortable, stretchy exercise clothing. Girls additionally wear a double-circular, ankle-length practice skirt. Serious dancer students usually wear some form of a leotard top and sleek, knit sweat pants. However, for this exercise, the most important thing is to wear something comfortable that allows easy movement. Girls will need to wear a practice skirt.

Five Steps Involved in the the Dance Step:

1. Starting Position

2. Heel-Toe-Step

3. Turn

4. Remata Step

5. Repeat

Step 1: Starting Position

In this dance step, there are two correct starting positions, one for girls and one for boys. The girls will need to grab the left edge of the skirt with the left hand and the right edge of the skirt with the right hand. Both hands should be placed on their hips. Boys should fist their right hand and have their left hand hold their right wrist behind their backs. Their elbows should be bent enough so that their hands are resting on the center of their back. During the whole step the boys will keep in this position. Be sure to not slouch especially during the performance because it looks unprofessional and sloppy.

Step 2: Heel-Toe-Step

Next, place your right foot out at a diagonal. Flex your foot so that your heel is touching the ground while your toes are off the ground, pointing upwards. From there, cross the right foot over your left foot, and this time you point your toes to the ground and lift your heel so that it points upwards. These two movements equal one sequence. Complete two

sequences. One thing to watch out for is to keep your balance. Crossing your feet can result in tangled feet.

Step 3: Turn

So far, boys and girls have done the same movements. In this next step that will change. After you have accomplished two sequences of the heel-toe-step, both genders will turn a full circle. Because the dance step was started with the right foot, you are going to turn to the right. The difference is that while the girls spin, they will hold their skirts up by

removing their hands from their hips and stretching their arms to the sides. Make sure you only do one full turn.

Step 4: Remate Step

Most Ballet Folklorico dance steps end with a “remate” step, which is an ending step. The “remate” step is like a period at the end of a sentence. The “remate” step is basically three stomps done in a marching fashion. This is probably the simplest part of the whole dance step. Once you have successfully spun a full circle, you are going to stomp three stomps, at a medium pace. Since you started with the right foot from the beginning, you are going to stomp first with the right foot, then the left, then the right again. The dance step is now complete.

Step 5: Repeat

After the “remate” all you do is repeat steps 2 – 4 four times. Each time you repeat the steps you switch feet. That means that instead of starting with the right foot you are going to start each step with the left foot. For example, place your left foot at a diagonal on your heel, cross your left foot over your right foot, spin to the left, and finally start the

“remate” with the left foot.

Well Done!

Congratulations, you have mastered a Ballet Folklorico dance step! This particular dance step may seem simple, but remember that you have to start with simple steps in order to be prepared for more challenging footwork. As you progress in dancing, you become well coordinated. Coordination is a key quality in other sports and physical activities. In addition, because dancing requires much practice, it teaches you discipline and tolerance, and as you become more advanced, you gain self confidence. These traits are useful for a myriad of future situations. Most importantly, Ballet Folklorico puts a smile on your face.

Passionate Argentina

The Land of the Gauchos



My sister Adriana in Argentine dance costume
 

Argentina is in the southern tip of South America, bordered by Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, and Chile. It is the eighth largest country in the world and encompasses a diversity of culture. Argentina’s culture is greatly influenced by its prominent immigrant population. From these assorted traditions emerged many unique and widely celebrated folkloric and popular Argentine dance forms.

Tango

The tango developed in the 1880’s in the destitute city neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, and became the characteristic expression of the lower classes, many of who were recent immigrants from Europe. Tango is a dance of passion, elegance, grace, speed and intricate steps. Starting in the local cafes, it finally made its way inside the middle and upper class Argentinean homes. The embrace is central to this dance form as partners dance very close to each other. An entire range of human emotions is expressed in tango.

During fast development in 1880-1930, the very rich often traveled to Europe at least once a year. It was they who introduced Argentine tango to the Parisian nobility. Tango became the craze of the time right away – from Paris, the dance and music rapidly migrated to other big capitals.

Tango evolved as it moved both through the societal levels within Argentina and as it mixed with other world dance cultures. The historic Argentine tango was influenced by the tango Habanera which evolved from the milonga and the tango flamenco. The milonga was danced and played by rural populations in Argentina and combined indigenous rhythms with the music of early Spanish colonists. Aspects of the Argentine tango are also attributed to a dance called Candombe, which was danced by Africans and their descendents living in Buenos Aires. The male Candombe dancers danced with their knees flexed in order to demonstrate their dance skills.

The tango is now considered an integral component of Argentine culture, both in its social and theatrical forms. Internationally, it is equally popular amongst Hispanic and crossover audiences.

Malambo

The dances from the town of Santiago del Estero come mainly from Europe and the culture of the gaucho, or South American "cowboy". The term "gaucho" refers to the men of indigenous roots mixed with African and/ or European ancestry, who took up the work of tending cattle. Fiercely independent, they lived in a very difficult world of work and solitude. Gauchos still exist and work on ranches and in rural areas.

The style of dance that gauchos typically enjoyed was called malambos. Incorporating zapateo, the art of percussive footwork, rooted in Spanish Flamenco, malambos were traditionally performed by men. This dance form was often used as a form of competition between two or more men. The music features guitar and the bombo, or the drum.

The boleadoras were originally a weapon used by the indigenous people and adopted by the gauchos, to entrap fleeing animals. It is said that in the early 1950's, Santiago Ayala began incorporating footwork (zapateo) with weapons, establishing the malambos with, eventually, the famous boleadoras. The dancer uses two wooden balls as boleadoras, making rhythms against the floor, and whirling them in a rotational motion. Increasing the complexity of movements increased the rhythmic possibilities, becoming an exciting dance both physically and musically.