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Search Results for: Africa

Somaly Zapata Santana Artist

Somaly Zapata Music

The Dominican Republic is known for being the second largest and most diverse country in the Caribbean, noted for the warmth of its climate and the hospitality of its people. They are also known and famous for their talent for dancing wherever there is music, which is influenced by their West African, Spanish and European roots; Among the genres that stand out the most is “Merengue”, “Bachata” and “Son”; Another genre that also stands out as popular music is “La Balada”, “Rap”, “Dembow”, “Rock” and “Jazz”.

In this opportunity we have the pleasure of introducing you through International Salsa Magazine to Somaly Zapata, a Dominican singer who followed her path in the musical world firmly and in an evolutionary way in her musical themes, from her first song in merengue “Regálame” to his new theme song to be promoted at the moment “¿Verdad que duele?” In its sauce version.

She was born on July 24, 1988, from a very young age she showed inclinations for musical art, getting to participate in different social events. Her first song was a Mother’s Day gift to her grandmother when she was 13 years old. As the years went by, its melody and lyrics developed in the genres of Salsa, Merengue, Balada, Bachata or a fusion of them, giving it a characteristic that other songs do not have.

Somali Zapata Music
Somaly Zapata recording in the studio

It was influenced by great tropical artists such as Milly Quezada, Olga Tañon, Celia Cruz, La India, among others; However, he did not show his voice to the public at that time because he was a very shy person, but always with a musical spirit deep inside him.

Later he began to perform in different activities imitating only the movements of Milly Quezada and doing an almost perfect mimic of his great songs. In her adolescence she began to discover herself as an artist on a vocal level through her lyrics, taking classes on topics related to this art, writing situations without personal experience, but that were interesting for a composer hungry to express her most intimate feelings.

Somaly Zapata shows us her musical history, beginning in 2011, when she decides to go to work in the United States “USA” at the “Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts” as a cultural exchange, which allows her to acquire knowledge and in turn save money for be able to professionally record your first song. From that moment on, she began her artistic career with the outstanding Dominican musician / arranger Juan Valdez Ybet, who, merging ideas, supported by the great career of Mr. Valdez and the magic of the singer’s lyrics, is launched from gradually form the different singles of the artist; Not to mention that he is a member of ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers).

Somaly Zapata Music
Somaly Zapata pose

The themes and / or songs that they present to us:

Author: Somaly Zapata

Arrangement: Juan Valdez Ybet

Regalame – (Merengue)

Para alguien como ti – (Salsa)

Cuando se apague el sol – (Salsa)

¿Verdad que duele?  (Salsa) promotional theme

 

For more information, you can contact this great artist through:

 

Correo: [email protected]

WebSite:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somalymusic/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/somaly_zapata

GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/116832184355913365324

Facebook: @ somaly.zapata.5

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Azúcar Club Cubano – Brazil

Meet the “ Azúcar Club Cubano ” of Sao Paulo, Brazil:

Since the Salsa boom in the sixties, “60” invaded the ears of many Latinos and North Americans, later Europeans, Africans and Asians in restaurants, Academies, clubs, parties and events since they were the novelty of the moment and they had something that made his guests dance with seasoning and fun and for future talents (artists) a new style and / or musical genre.

Brazil is the largest country in South America and is one of the countries with the most energy and positivity. The good humor of its people and its constant party atmosphere make this Brazilian culture one of the pillars of world dance. Among the dances that exist in Brazil, the “Samba” stands out, which is danced during festivals and popular celebrations such as the Carnival, some of the most popular versions include “carioca”, “a baion”, “conga”, “mesemba”, “a batucado” and “carnivale”.

Outside of the carnival there is the Carimbó, Capoeira, Lundu, Baião and “Xote” (typical type of lining dance that is incredibly versatile and has several variations throughout the country, it is a dance that has a mixture of European and African influences, it also incorporates elements of salsa, mambo and rumba, depending on the region of Brazil).

Night Club
Azucar Club Cubano is open

Despite everything in Brazil other musical rhythms are also danced but in less quantity such as salsa and bachata in nightclubs and in Brazil there are a great variety of Latin academies, restaurants and clubs where you can enjoy pleasant music and if what You want to dance Merengue, Salsa and Cumbia, you can go visit the “Azúcar Club Cubano” which is a disco and nightclub that is located at Rua Dr. Mário Ferraz, 423 Itaim – Bibi, São Paulo, Brazil.

Which was inaugurated in August 2000; being the first Latin house in Sao Paulo at that time thanks to the Latin inspiration with its flirty and great Caribbean music. Currently it is recognized for being very cheerful and with excellent service where it had great successes and that until today it opens its doors to all people who like Latin rhythms, both music played by DJs and live music are also performed. events, concerts, festivities (birthdays, anniversaries, celebrations, among others).

Azucar Club Cubano working
In the Azucar Club Cubano

They also have a bar where the most requested alcoholic beverages are Rum and Tequila and among their cocktails are ” El Margarita “, ” El margarita con Tequila ” and ” Mojito “, the latter known as the best in all of Sao Paulo, Brazil; They also have a varied menu so that people can taste good food and the music that they are playing at that time.

The Club opens its doors to the public from Tuesday to Friday from 7:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m.) and on Saturdays from 8:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m.) and there one can pay with any credit card or debit.

Cocktails
cocktails are “El Margarita”, “El margarita con Tequila” and “Mojito”,

For more information you can search through:

WebSite:

Facebook: @ azucarclubcubano

Instagram: @ azucarclubcubano

Correo: azucar@ azucar.com.br

Teléfono: +55  11 3074 3737

Tripadvisor:

 

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What zouk is and how its origin was

Zouk and its origins

It is incredible to see how far certain rhythms and dances from all over the world have become popular in Europe.  One of them has been zouk, which can be defined as a pretty fast musical style which is traced directly back to the French Antilles, mostly on the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique.

Zouk was viewed as only one sensual dance practiced by African slaves in the less favored areas of the continent at the turn of the 21st century.

In fact, some think that this genre originated in Cape Verde and spread throughout the Caribbean thanks to the slaves were moved into that part of the world. 

As can be seen, the history of zouk is not very different from that of many rhythms of this type that were exported all over the world from Africa. As well as other genres, zouk was merged with other local styles to get as a result a set of sounds that is more relevant than ever. 

How is the origin of zouk? 

Two people dancing zouk with a dark background
Two people dancing zouk with a dark background

According to the earliest records of the word zouk, it was the band Kassav that made this term popular during the 80’s decade, which means happiness or move with force. Supposedly, the rhythm was introduced by a large group of Haitian musicians in the above-mentioned decade. 

Since the 90’s decade, zouk began to diminish in popularity, but this rough patch did not last too long. When it arrived in Latin America, more specifically in Brazil, the genre started to mingle with local sounds and to adapt to the many shadesof lambada. That was the reason why zouk began to be known as lambada zouk, French lambada, among other nice monikers. 

So great was the rapport between zouk and lambada that they gave rise to a whole new mix known as lambazouk. While both rhythms appear to have separate origins, the truth is that these two genres have much more in common than you think. 

How to dance zouk 

Zouk and African slaves
Two people while dancing zouk

Officially, zouk has three different rhythms and one of its greatest characteristics is that it is always performed by couples while both members move in a very smooth and sensual way. It is possible to dance it with a lot of closeness or almost no physical contact on the part of the man and the woman. 

The man has a lead role in this dance and it is he is the one who leads the woman in order to keep up without losing balance at no time. It is the man who must propose all movements and steps that his female counterpart will reproduce on the dance floor. Everything depends on the boy the dance being varied, creative, and respectful of the essence of zouk in each step. 

All the woman has to do is allow the man to take control and follow his directions to the letter. Anyway, she needs to be very attentive to her back positioning and work hard on her style to achieve graceful and delicate movements. 

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Tune to the Bachatakiz Live Festival on Facebook Live

Bachatakiz: Current situation with regard to the pandemic

It is undeniable that the world has changed for a few months because of the sanitary situation resulting from Covid-19 and it may not be the same in a really long time. There have been many consequences arising from the pandemic caused by this new virus and one of them was the inability to perform concerts or massive events at the possibility of spreading it among the attendees. 

All this has caused many artists, singers, and dancers to adapt to new circumstances in order to survive in the competitive entertainment business. One of the means through which this has been possible is the use of social networks that have served as a springboard to continue to provide artistic content without the public having to be on site. This was unthinkable a few years back, but now it is a reality that permits no debate. 

At this point in the year, it is very common to see personalities of all kinds from the entertainment world maintaining contact with their followers in a virtual way to keep their interest. In fact, platforms have been introduced to upload or stream content, so only those who pay for it can enjoy it. 

Bachatakiz Live Festival

Bachatakiz Festival and other rhythms
logo of the Bachatakiz Live Festival with lots of information

One of those many events that will be carried online is the Bachatakiz Live Festival, which will be broadcast on Facebook Live next week. This festival will be the best proof that there are no impediments to people enjoying good music in any circumstance, even if it is unfavorable. 

This first edition of the Bachatakiz Live Festival offers viewers the presence of 10 great bachata and kizomba artists from all over France. In the same way, these artists will squander their talent with a good number of musical genres such as bachata, kizomba, afrohouse, urbankiz, among others. 

It is noteworthly that all these genres are becoming more and more present in musical events held in the Old Continent, telling of a genuine interest from Europeans in knowing much more about African culture and everything that derives from it. Well, this wonderful festival offers them a great opportunity to learn how to dance these cherry rhythms. 

Guests at the event: 

 – Kriss et Aurélie (La roche sur Yon) 

 – Alexandre et Jessica (Nantes) 

 – Mickaël et Malaury (Angoulême) 

 – Miguel Fossati (Nantes) 

 – Emmanuel Landry (Nantes) 

 – Laure Inglèse (Lyon) 

 – Moh Abchi (Nantes) 

 Inscription 

The Bachatakiz Live Festival in November 2020
Timetable of the Bachatakiz Live Festival with all its activities

 As we already mentioned, there are many methods for monetizing online events and generating income thanks to them. In this case, each one interested in enjoying the festival must pay a price of 10 euros. 

In this way, it is possible to click on the link that redirects to the private Facebook group where the event will be broadcast. Without a doubt, it is a revolutionary form of keeping safe and protected from the spread of Covid-19 and the health risks that this entails. 

This pandemic has come to make a really big difference for us and it is up to us to adapt or succumb to it. Fortunately, we have a good number of tools that enable us to make progress under the most difficult of circumstances. You have to make the most of them as much as possible. 

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What semba is and how it arises

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 and its presence in Bolivia
Two people dancing semba

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 

Semba and African culture
A girl dancing semba with drums in the background

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. 

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International Salsa Magazine (ISM) is a monthly publication about Salsa activities around the world, that has been publishing since 2007. It is a world network of volunteers coordinated by ISM Magazine. We are working to strengthen all the events by working together.