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Almendra

50 Años de Chachachá

Polonaise

Cuarteto de cuarentena

Suite cubana

Tongolele

Almendra, a Cuban Danzón

a short film of 11 minutes ©2002 Jill Hartley

Danzón is an authentically Cuban dance music played and danced for over one hundred years. Decreed the national dance of Cuba, danzón is considered a part of the country's tradition. Yet, it went out of fashion after the 50's and nearly disappeared from public life in the 70's.

Thanks to "Friends of Danzón" a spontaneous movement to revive it in every province of the island, it was kept alive.

It originated at the same time as tango and ragtime, with its roots in the aristocratic Contradanse, brought to the island by French immigrants fleeing the revolution in Haiti and the sale of Louisiana.

Contredanse, from the English countrydance, was called contradanza, and then simply danza. After a century of cubanización, it became danzón.

Negro, mestizo and creole musicians gave it a sincopated rhythm and added variations. Adapting it to the tropical climate, they played it slower, and also longer to satisfy the public's desire to keep on dancing. They kept its elegance adding sensuality.

Danzón owes its enduring charm to the delicious freshness of its melodies and cadences as well as to the dignity of its dance that recalls a time of gracefulness not completely forgotten.

Synopsis: 50 years of Chachachá

This documentary filmed in Cuba tells the story of the origens of cha cha chá, the Cuban dance music that became popular all over the world in the decade of the fifties. The Orquestra America was the first to perform the new rhythm. Among its members were some of the greatest composers of the genre, Félix Reyna y Musiquita, but especially the young violinist and musical director, Enrique Jorrín. The founder of the band, Ninón Mondejar, explains how the dance came about in 1952. "Basically, cha cha cha evolved from danzón (the dance fashion for decades) when verses were added. The dancers were saying: one, two, cha cha cha, to describe their feet sliding on the floor while they taught each other new steps. The musicians picked it up to name the new rhythm." It caught on quickly and the group was invited to Mexico where they enjoyed a huge success for several years. We see them playing in Mexican movies of the era.

50 years later, the same orquestra with new members is still playing better than ever. We see them rehearsing in a backyard, recording in an egg-carton lined studio, posing for pictures and performing in popular Havana dancing clubs. The current director and charismatic flautist, Wambrug, talks about the orchestra as a part of national heritage, and of cha cha cha as the root of much of today's music. "And hey, let's enjoy it. Long live cha cha cha!
The complete video can be seen here

Polonaise

On my first visit in 1977, the Solidarity movement was brewing but not yet outright. An atmosphere of defiance fueled by religious fervor attracted me and drew me back to Poland throughout the next ten years.

I felt as if time traveling to a country from the past, grey yet humane and exuberant. In 2019, 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall, the world portrayed in these photographs has completely disappeared.

Polonaise

On my first visit in 1977, the Solidarity movement was brewing but not yet outright. An atmosphere of defiance fueled by religious fervor attracted me and drew me back to Poland throughout the next ten years.

I felt as if time traveling to a country from the past, grey yet humane and exuberant. In 2019, 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall, the world portrayed in these photographs has completely disappeared.

All content © Jill Hartley