Grenada May Pole Dance

Looking today...at these dancers from Grenada...at the Caribbean Festival...in North Vancouver...British
Columbia...I couldn't help but think of the way this dance would be done in Britain...where it originated...and was exported to British colonies of the past...in the Caribbean. Guess I'm prejudiced given where I'm from...but today's version...so full of rhythm...danced by people at
total ease inside their bodies...is now my prefered
May Pole Dance.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Grenada
• May
• Pole
• Dance
• Caribbean
• Festival
• Rhythm

[marakakore]

P.S.Not to mention the overall lilt and vitality in the dancing.

[marakakore]

Perhaps someday I'll do research about the origins of the

Maypole dance...so far it hasn't happened...so its interesting for me to hear the different opinions on this subject...from different people. The "prejudice" I mentioned in my description of this video...was towards the movement in regions below the waist by the Grenada dancers. This was a central element of the spontaneous dancing we all did...in the Guyana culture I grew up in. Peace.

[tunenas]

This dance is also performed in Cinco De mayo, Mexican dance tradition.

[marakakore]

Good to receive this piece of information...looks like this dance happens in many places...with each culture dancing

it in its own way. Peace.

[bapinorobles]

Wow!  I'm so surprised (but shouldn't be). I didn't know this dance originated in Britain. People from the north part of Chile dance this as well; they call it "La vara" and it seems to me that the rhythm goes a bit faster. Thanks so much for sharing it and teaching me something I didn't know. Hugs, love and peace.♪☺☻♥♪

[marakakore]

Bessie: Thanks!. What I can say...is that Grenada was a British

Colony...and for the people there...this dance came from Britain. I suspect that in many places where there is spring...there's likely to be a "welcoming dance". It would be interesting to know...where the "grandmother" of this dance originated. Re cd's...soon...soon. David. P.S. Think I

see a connection between "vara" and "primavera"..

[marydenahall]

TA dance similar to the maypole dance was done by the Indigenous people of Trinidad, before the Europeans 'arrived'. It was a dance done to squeeze the poisonous juice out of the cassava plant. A flour was made from the cassava. his ceremony or dance was called the Sebucan. In the early days of the Carnival in Trinidad, the Amerindian people from the area of Arima, used to dance this dance in the carnival. It was something done by the whole family, or community.

[marydenahall]

A dance similar to the maypole dance was done by the Indigenous people of Trinidad, before the Europeans 'arrived'. It was a dance done to squeeze the poisonous juice out of the cassava plant. A flour was made from the cassava. This ceremony or dance was called the Sebucan. In the early days of the Carnival in Trinidad, the Amerindian people from the area of Arima, used to dance this dance in the carnival. It was something done by the whole family, or community.

[BiracialRuDEBwoY]

yea we does still do this in the virgin islands too!

[cool87cats]

i remember when we use to plat mle pole in guyana. loving de video, keep de culture alive

[shelaghmckenna]

They made it their own. It's wonderful how people do that. I myself like the Faery dancing too. There are many ways to dance, and many ways to be in harmony with the body.

[shelaghmckenna]

I can tell you with certainty that its origins in Europe are pre-Caucasian because of the religious significance of the ribbons in Ireland. They are red and white to represent the union of the Lord and Lady of Life. Bound together on the pole. It's is as primal as you can get.

[shelaghmckenna]

I should, however, have said it was a Fae dance, not a Faery dance, because there were Maypoles throughout Europe.

[shelaghmckenna]

If you Google in 'rebosa pole' you'll see a Nayarit dance, but the pre-Columbian Nayarit don't seem to have done this. Their shamans balanced on the tops of the poles.

The rebosa dance might have been brought over by the conquistadores, in spite of themselves. (I too have my prejudices, but I'm glad they adopted something good.)