Kizomba

Introduction

Kizomba is one of the most popular genres of dance and music originating from Angola.  It is a derivative of semba, with a mix of Kilapanda and Angolan Merengue, and sung generally in Portuguese. It is music with a romantic flow. It was the Kimbundu name for a dance in Angola as early as 1894. The kizomba dancing style is also known to be very sensual.

Kizomba is an African dance characterized by close partner connection and smooth, grounded movement. In kizomba, there is no “basic step” after the fashion of ballroom dances, to be repeated continuously throughout the dance. Instead, movement with the music is the priority, and steps are incorporated according to the range of your vocabulary.

Kizomba describes both a genre of music and a dance style. The word Kizomba in Kimbundu language, one of the most spoken languages in Angola means “party.” The word “Kizombadas” refers to “a big party,” but has no correlation to the dance or the music as we know it today. One of the traditional Angolan dances Semba still very much alive in Angola, is it labeled and or characterized as a dance of steps. It is danced in pairs, and in wide steps. Semba usually dance at parties, it is mostly a fun dance and it is danced to Semba music.  Other traditional dances and primarily carnival dances other than Semba were Rebita, Kasukuta, Kabetula, Maringa, Caduque, Cidralia and Dizanda.

Kizomba however is a partnered dance also from Angola and has only been around since the 1980’s.  Kizomba the dance is simply Semba danced to the rhythm of Kizomba music. The dance is known to be slow and sensual, it is smooth and flows with movements that are somewhat harsh and requires a lot of flexibility in the knees for the frequent bob up and down motion of the dance, lower body, hip movements and “bunda” action if you will, Kizomba is danced in a circle and does forward and backwards movements. Due to the colonization of the Portuguese in Angola, and the presence of Cubans during the Civil War, other form of dances from Europe such as Tango, Plena from Puerto Rico brought by the Cuban also exist in Angola. These dances as well, influenced Kizomba, such as Cuban Son, Milonga, Tango and therefore Kizomba has also been described as the “African Tango.” In Angola, there is not a big difference between Kizomba the dance and Semba however, the Kizomba music and Semba music differs dramatically.