Andean-Afro Ecuadorian folklore dance and music reflects the multiethnic and multicultural character of the Kichwa nation of Ecuador. Dances and music have been influenced by the traditional indigenous music of the peoples of the Andes Mountains and the adjacent jungle regions, as well as the dances and music of the African and Spanish-descended peoples.
Popular rhythms that contribute to Andean- Afro Ecuadorian folklore dance and music include, but are not limited to, the Albazos, the Pasacalles, the San Juanitos, the Tonadas, and the Yaravies. One can also find dances and music that have retained much of their African cultural heritage. For example, in the Esmeraldas region of Ecuador, there exists the African rhythm known as Marirmba. Further, the combination of African and Andean cultures has produced a very particular kind of dance and music known as Bomba. *
* Pachacamak Folk Dance rehearsal fuses hypnotic Andean and Afro-Ecuadorian rhythms with easy-to- follow movements to create an eclectic and dynamic dance form that will captivate and transport you. We invite you to join us in Andean folk dance. Aside from being a form of cultural expression, it is also great exercise. Pachacamak dancers achieve many long-term benefits while experiencing an absolute blast in two hours of exhilarating, calorie-burning, body-energizing, movements. The routines feature interval-training sessions where fast and slow rhythms. The use of scarves, bottles and other props in some dances increases self-expression and balance.
