Chile
Chile—sharing most of its border with Argentina—is comprised of 15 regions, each with its own traditional dances.
Traditional Chilean music draws inspiration from both Native American melodies and those from Spain. The dances reflect the wide range of influences, beliefs, and traditions that mark the lives of Chilean communities. The dancers’ costumes, as well as the musical instruments that accompany the choreographies, vary greatly depending on the region.
In the north of the country, in the Altiplano region, dance embodies the essential artistic expression during religious celebrations in which the population participates throughout the year. During tributes to patron saints (San Andrés, Virgen del Carmen de La Tirana, San Pedro, Virgen de Guadalupe de Ayquina, etc.), around a hundred dance brotherhoods gather, each composed of at least 20 members and sometimes including children and elderly women. There are several different typical choreographies: the huaino, the trote, the huachitorito, and the cueca nortina. The costumes worn for these occasions are very colorful, accompanied by masks and accessories made of llama, vicuna, or alpaca wool. The accompanying instruments are the quena, the zampoña, the pifilka, and the bombo.
In central Chile, Spanish colonization had a strong influence on folkloric expressions. From this period, traditional dances were born, still practiced today during different stages of the inhabitants’ lives (e.g., baptisms, birthdays, weddings, funerals, harvest time, etc.). While the cueca—considered the national folk dance—is practiced in the central region more than anywhere else, in rural areas, several other dances are found, such as the pequén, the sombrerito, the sajuriana, and the mazamorra, not to mention polkas and waltzes. The instruments accompanying these dances are primarily the guitar, accordion, and some percussion instruments.
In the south, and until the mid-20th century, dance was intensively practiced on the island of Chiloé, notably with the Baile chocolate and the Pericon (or Pericona); two dances introduced by Spanish soldiers during the Chilean War of Independence. Today, the cueca chilota (a very fast cueca), waltzes, and corridos are the most common dances. The most commonly used instruments in the southern region are the guitar, the cacharaina, and the charango.
Easter Island, heavily influenced by the folklore of other Oceanic islands (e.g., Samoa, Tahiti), saw the emergence of Polynesian dances during the 20th century, including the Tamouré, Sau-Sau, Upa-Upa, and Ula-Ula. Traditional dances consist of a banana fiber costume (haku kakaka) or a feather garment (haku huru-huru).
Réferences
Les danses traditionnelles chiliennes 1
Les danses traditionnelles chiliennes 2
List Of Dances
Baile Chino Baile Chino
Baile chino is a ritual dance originating from the Norte Chico and central Chilean regions, and now extending to the Norte Grande region.
It is a brotherhood of musician-dancers who express their faith in the Virgin and Child Jesus, among other things, through music, the singing of coplas, and choreographies called “mudanzas.” In the northern region of Chile, bailes chinos—of Inca origin—are incorporated into the cultural celebrations of the Church.
This practice is characterized by five very different styles, each named after the valley or basin with which it is associated.
Organized primarily by rural men, bailes chinos are characterized by jumping and leg-bending movements to the rhythm of isometric instrumental music played on percussion instruments and flutes of pre-Columbian origin. The leader sings memorized or improvised couplets in stanzas that tell sacred stories and address religious topics. He is accompanied by an equal number of musicians and dancers divided into two symmetrical columns. A percussionist leads the choreography and controls the tempo of the music. Each group includes a flag bearer and guards (usually women). The music, dances, and couplets are learned through direct observation, imitation, and transmission within the family. Bailes chinos are a tool for social participation that gives prestige to those who participate. They constitute a model of social integration and cohesion embraced by virtually the entire local community, and provide a sense of identity and solidarity.
Precisions concerning the ” bailes religiosos “
CHILI
Ethnic group: Inca (origine)
Region:
North and Center
Spirituality : synchretism