How semba arises
Lately, many African rhythms have become very famous in Europe, which has motivated many African descendants and artists from African countries to organize all kinds of activities related to their culture, especially with music.
One of the most present African genres in events with this type of music is semba. This lively musical style also known as the belly dance is an Angolan rhythm that originated during the colonial era when African slaves came to America. One of the receiving countries was Bolivia, a place in which it began to be widely danced by the local tribes of that territory. What is even more, this country hosts many festivities where this rhythm is very present despite the time elapsed.
Over the years, semba slowly merged with other local styles, resulting in a set of mixes that have spread throughout the world. Indeed, it was a process much like that of kizomba and zouk, which also changed a lot after so many transformations and mergers.
Currently, this African genre is very present in many musical events carried out in Europe. It is impressive to see how the locals have been interested in learning how to dance such a diverse set of sounds.
What semba is
Semba is a traditional dance that is very present in family celebrations and has gained tremendous traction in the European continent after being made known to the locals. Many know this genre as the kizomba’s father, as this style was inspired by semba, although the differences between both genres are more than noticeable.
To begin with, this genre was the preferred dance for livening up public and family feasts, so there are many real stories about this rich set of sounds and the enthusiasm it aroused in people who danced it. Nowadays, this dance has an incredible presence in a large number of festivals, in which the curious can quench the desire to know much more about African culture.
How to dance semba
There are two ways to dance semba, so the choice is at the convenience of the dancer. There is a version of the dance in which the embrace is not so closed and there are no tricks or pirouettes. In the other version (it is a bit more modern than the previous one), the members of the couple perform all kinds of tricks to decorate the dance and the woman has a much more predominant role than in kizomba.
Additional characteristics
One of the most important characteristics of semba is the clashing of bellies that dancers are supposed to do during the dance. In the same way, they must move their belly buttons to the beat of drums and gesticulate in a flirty way to transmit more charisma to the dance, which gives the girl a bigger role.
And plus, dance steps are usually very fast and accurate, so both member of the couple must be very attentive to each other’s moves. In the large majority of cases, it is the girl who walks quickly while the man must keep up with her and bust out cheerful and fun steps.
There is no right or wrong way of dancing semba, but it is always recommended that those interested in attending events that include it learn as much about the typical steps and moves. This would make the experience a little more fruitful and intense.