afro-cuban music & dance
traditions
IFE-ILE performs and teaches a variety of Afro-cuban music and
dance traditions, from the sacred and folkloric to the latest popular
fusions.
Yoruba
and Orisha Traditions
Most of the sacred dances we perform are from the Afro-Cuban religion
of Santeria, or Regla de Ocha. Santeria is based on the Orisha worship
of the traditional religion of the Yoruba people from West Africa,
in what is now southwestern Nigeria and eastern Benin.
Yorubas brought their religion to Cuba during slavery. Nearly 1
million Africans from West and Central Africa were captured by Cuba's
Spanish colonists and brought to Cuba during the 16th through 19th
centuries. As Cuba's plantations expanded in the late 18th and 19th
centuries, so did the slave trade. Most enslaved Africans in Cuba
were Yoruba, and thus had a significant cultural influence on the
Africans of various ethnic backgrounds.
Orisha worship has since spread to Miami and other cities in the
U.S. where Afro-Cubans have settled. more
Congo/Abakua/Arará
Afro-Cuban
music is also influenced by African ethnic groups from the congo
and arara region, as well as by the all-male society of the Abakua.
more
Rumba & Other Folkloric Dance
Afro-Cuban rumba is based on African rhythms and dance moves but
with influences from Spanish Gitano/gypsy flamenco dance and song.
Other popular folkloric dances include comparsa and carnaval dance,
chancleta and yuka. more
Traditional Popular Dance
In addition to traditional Afro-Cuban folkloric styles, Cuba is
also known for its popular traditional dances such as Son, Cha Cha
Cha, Danzon and Mambo. more
Fusions/New Styles
The latest craze in Cuba (and Miami) right now is Timba -- a blend
of Afro-Cuban folkloric music, jazz and even funk and Hip Hop that
makes everyone want to move. IFE-ILE also creates our own fusions
of the traditional with modern, jazz and popular dance. more
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