zouk

Zouk is a style of rhythmic music originating from the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. It has its roots in kompa music from Haiti, cadence music from Dominica, as popularised by Grammacks and Exile One. Zouk means "party" in the local creole of French with English and African influences, all three of which contribute the sound. In Europe it is particularly popular in France, while on the African islands of Cape Verde they have developed their own type of zouk.

Origins

Zouk was invented in the early to mid-1980s when many different styles were fused, such as kompa, balakadri, the Dominica based cadence and bal granmoun dances, mazurka and biguine, French and American pop, and kadans, gwo ka and other indigenous styles. It was also made popular in central New Jersey by a band called the Roast Beef Curtains and In Leavenworth, Kansas by a band calling themselves "Video Nasty"

Kassav'

The leading band to emerge from this period was the band Kassav' who came from Guadeloupe and Martinique, they gave the style a pan-Caribbean sound by taking elements from Kompa, reggae and salsa, and became one of the most famous bands of the genre in the world. Kassav' was formed in 1979 by Pierre-Edouard Décimus, a long-time professional musician who worked with Freddy Marshall. Together, the two of them decided to take carnival music and make it a more modern and polished style. Their first album, Love and Ka Dance (1980), established the sound of zouk. They continued to grow more popular, both as a group and with several members' solo careers, finally peaking in 1985 with Yélélé, which featured the international hit "Zouk la sé sèl médickaman nou ni".

With this hit, zouk rapidly became the most widespread dance craze to hit Latin American in some time,^{[citation needed]} and was wildly popular even as far afield as Europe and Asia.^{[citation needed]} Zouk became known for wildly theatrical concerts featuring special effects spectacles, colorful costumes and outrageous antics.

It is interesting to note that in Brazil, popular belief is that zouk music originates from French Polynesia.

Other zouk musicians include Jocelyne Labylle from Guadeloupe.

Zouk-love

A special style within the zouk is called zouk-love, where the music is slower and more dramatic. Zouk-love has its origins in a slow tempo form of cadence sang by Ophelia Marie of Dominica. The music kizomba from Angola and Cape Verde is also a derivative of zouk which sounds similar, although there are differences noticeable to those more familiar with these genres.

Popular zouk-love artists include French West Indian artists like Edith Lefel, Nichols, Harry Diboula or Haitian artists like Ayenn, Alan Cavé, and Daan Junior. Netherlands based Suzanna Lubrano and Gil Semedo, as well as African artist Philipe Monteiro.

Zouk dance

Zouk dance is practised in the Caribbean, mainly in the islands of Guadeloupe a.k.a Gwada and Martinique a.k.a Madinina.

The example of Merengue, is danced changing the weight basically in the heads of the musical times (what many professors of dance call time simply) and its choreography sufficiently simple and is little elaborated.

There are four ways to dance to zouk music:

1. Zouk Love French Caribbean and Haitian way
2. Brazilian zouk lambada style (a dance evolving from the lambada)
3. Angolan or Cape Verdean style, known as kizomba (the music was developed directly from zouk)
4. Zouk love style, danced in various parts of French-speaking Africa

Zouk-Lambada

See also: Lambada

Zouk is danced to in Brazil using a modified, slower, smoother, even more sensual version of the lambada. It could be considered one of the three main "non-ballroom-dancing" dances there. Unlike forró, which is led with the whole body, or salsa, which is led with the hands; Zouk, Zouk-Lambada or Lambazouk is led by the glued-to-each-other hips of the partners. Thus, in a basic sideways movement, it is the hips that move first, followed by the rest of the body, and this is part of what makes the dance so sensual.

When practicing zouk in dance classes, teachers generally warn women to be very careful with their backs, as one of the most distinctive and commented-on movements is for the woman to lean her head far back, sometimes below her waist, and whip her head and hair from side to side. If not done properly this could possibly lead to injury.

As of today Zouk is becoming well known and apart from the original styles Lambada (faster) and Zouk (latter development) some other styles like Soulzouk and Zouk-Revolution are distinguished .

See also

• Philip Monteiro
• Kaysha
• Kassav - Edith Lefel
• Enyd' Cabarrus
• Gladys (Gla10) Cabarrus
• Caribbean music
• Suzanna Lubrano
• Zouk (club)
• Bouzouki

External links

• Zouk website cabo love kizomba websites

• Overview page with links of Zouk-Lambada dancing scene websites

• [http://www.zouk-uk.com/ Resource on Zouk Music and History

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