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How to properly explain songs to youth dancers

Hola!

I am looking for advice or maybe examples of how you describe or explain the meaning of songs to a group of kids ages 5-9. For example, La Botella and La Bruja? My girls are so great and they want to know what the songs are about. What do you tell your kids about the songs?

Gracias!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Severo Garcia on March 16, 2010 at 12:01am: parte de el significado de las conciones son, Historias otras son actos tradicionales, en el ejemplo de "la bruja"es una Historia que no es precisamente algo real, sino mas bien un cuento ,creo que debes informarte un poco mas para que le expliques a tus alumnos . suerte; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by zenedith espinoza on March 16, 2010 at 10:49am: Quiero informare bien, por eso les estoy pidiendo su ayuda aqui! Hay diferentes intrepretaciones (sp?) de las canciones y yo queria saber lo que ustededes han aprendido. Por ejemplo, La Negra, hay diferentes versiones del significado... Y no hay libros, que yo sepa, que hablan de esto. Y la version de La Botella que yo aprendi, por otro ejemplo, no es muy apropriado en mi opinion para mis ninas, y queria saber como les explican a sus alumnos chiquitos solamente...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sara S RN on March 17, 2010 at 9:37am: One of my teachers told this about traditional Mexican dances. There are 3 basic categories: dances of competition or skill, dances portraying animals and dances of courtships between a couple. For example, la botella is a dance of skill (also is this category are los machetes—Jalisco and Nayarit, dances on a almud, el mezquiton and other haupangos). El alcaraban or la iguana are dances portraying animals (although sometime they are about animal courtship but young kids don’t need this level of explanation). Dances like jarabes (tapatio, Mixteco, etc) are dances of courtship. There are of course other dances that don’t fit these categories. La bruja is probably not a very good dance for little girls because the words have a lot of double meaning and la bruja is really a metaphor for a woman that bewitches men+!@#$ually. El querreque is a great song, but it is about drinking so again maybe not good for kids. If the song you are dancing to has words, that can help you determine that the dance is about and then use your judgment. It is good you are thinking about this because it is not all daces are appropriate for all ages!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Amber Lenore on March 18, 2010 at 1:27pm: I think what ever material one teaches, it is best to research as much as possible. It is hard and you may find many different explainations based on different versions, especially since overlapping regions may have completely diffent historical tracing of certain songs. Which ever version you use, study the lyrics first so that you can determine the intentions of the piece. If there are names of pueblos, research those too. I agree with Sara...often music/choreography is taught to children that might not be necessarily appropriate because we may not understand the doble sentidos or messages. My Spanish is very strong, but I've found it's a good idea to discuss lyrics with an older person or someone who grew up in Mexico to help me catch things like this when I'm not sure.

When you do chose material, share the lyrics with your students. In the academy where I studied, before learning a new choreography children and adult dancers were given a lyric sheet whenever possible so that 1.) we would really know the song 2.) we could discuss the meaning and then 3.) interpret it properly based on that information. We also looked at maps and drawings/pictures of things that might represent new vocabulary. For example, this is how I learned what a Jacalito was when I was a little girl.

I hope this helps.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Raymond Trujillo on March 23, 2010 at 2:00pm: la bruja from veracruz just tell them :
veracruz is a state by the see and they lived by where ever they catch on the see!
when the men go deep on the see to catch the fish and work late at nigth
the lades wait for there men along the shore dancing with candle at nignt for the men.
so when they finish fishing they know where to go because the ladies are the light house for them
so they don't get lost.
I hope this is a good story you can share with your students.
ray.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by zenedith espinoza on March 24, 2010 at 12:14am: Do you ever get asked about the term "bruja" though? :); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Siquisiri on May 23, 2010 at 2:34am: Check out our website:
www.sonjarocho.com; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by EXPLORANDO MEXICO on May 24, 2010 at 8:29pm: yo cro que cada quien tiene su criterio y su forma de pensar, suerte; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by EXPLORANDO MEXICO on May 24, 2010 at 8:31pm: nosotros pensamos en la cancion LA VAQUILLA y cual era su significado, ya que tenemos puras ninas ermosas bailando, algunas mamas decian que ay que la cancion tiene doble sentido, otras se nos hacia simplemente es una cancion..... por fin le preguntamos a las hermosas bailarinas,decidimos que si la bailaran.....; ▶ Reply to This