New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
By Sean McCarthy
Power. Passion. Percussion.
Che Malambo is a dance and musical spectacle – a performance that debuted in Paris in 2007 and has earned international acclaim for its precision footwork, rhythmic stomping, drumming and song.
Uniquely inspired by the traditional culture of the 17th Century Argentinian cowboy, the “gaucho,” this performance will command the stage of the Zeiterion Theatre on Thursday, March 30’th for an 8 p.m. start. Tickets are $25, $35, $45 and $60. They can be purchased online at www.zeiterion.org, and the Zeiterion box office will have tickets available at 684 Purchase St. or by calling (508) 984-2900.
The Boston Globe says that this performance sees the dancers “build into a kind of ecstasy,” while the New York Times says that the show “sent the audience into uproarious applause.”
Che Malambo, “the dance of the cowboy,” is a thrilling performance that transcends the dance world and entertains audiences of many interests. It is a celebration of the inimitable melting pot culture of Argentina that produced this art form – a mix of traditions that created this distinct form of expression.
“Audience members will notice the outstanding dexterity and precision of the dancers,” says Matthew Bledsoe, Manager of Che Malambo. “They will also be impressed by the speed and energy of the dancers as well as the rhythms of the percussive footwork and the playing of the drums.”
Malambo began as competitive duels that challenged the skills of agility, strength and dexterity amongst the gauchos. It would come to be influenced by three major contributing cultures.
Beginning with the Portuguese slave trade in 1587, West Africans were brought to South America. Many were sold to ranchers who would have them working alongside of the gauchos. Eventually the dances and rhythms that were essential to the storytelling of the Africans caught favor with the cowboys and led to a blending of customs. The gauchos took on elements such as syncopated rhythms, asymmetrical use of arms and legs, and a wide vocabulary of movements that would serve as the basis of Malambo.
“Like many percussive dance forms, such as North American styles of tap and dance, there is an important intersection with West African dance,” Bledsoe says.
Another cultural influence that contributed to Malambo was Irish step dancing. The leg kicks and stiff torsos that are hallmarks of these dancers made their way to Argentina in the early 1800’s. The Irish who were working as laborers and sheep herders also comingled with the gauchos, and eventually many of their customs were incorporated into the Argentinian cultural identity.
A third major influence on the gaucho was Flamenco, which of itself is a melting pot. Flamenco was comprised of a mesh of Indian, Jewish, and Moorish traditions, and was rooted in what is now modern day Spain. After moving to Argentina to take refuge during the Inquisition of the 1400’s and 1500’s, their techniques of twisting hips, the movements of their arms, and the fast-paced footwork known as the zapateo, contributed to the development of Malambo. Zapateo is the fast-paced footwork inspired by the rhythm of galloping horses.
Another contribution to Malambo by the West African slaves was the use of drums known as bombos. They were originally used as communication tools but they were eventually incorporated into the celebrations of the Malambo.
Another unique element to Che Malambo is the use of the “boleadoras,” primitive hunting tools originally used by the gauchos while on horseback as they pursued the capture of animals. Boleadoras were throwing devices that would wrap around the appendages of the animals, functioning as lassos with stones at the end. During a Malambo performance they are used as whirling spectacles spun at break-neck speeds, rhythmically striking the floor while being accompanied by the percussive footwork of the dancers.
The chronicling of the Argentinian gaucho began in the 1970’s when French dancer and choreographer Gilles Brinas saw a short vignette of Malambo at a Parisian cabaret. He was inspired and attracted to the rhythms of the dance with the powerful presence of the dancers. He saw the unique potential for it and so in the early 2000’s he travelled to Buenos Aires to scout the dancers. Within a few months, he had gathered a group of dancers and began creating the show that would become a world class performance.
Today the troupe is comprised of 14 male dancers, touring throughout North America and around the world.
“This is a show that appeals to all cultures,” Bledsoe says. “There’s a lot of machismo, it’s very powerful. It’s unlike any show you’ve ever seen.”
Want a sneak peek of the Che Malambo performance? You can check out video footage here.
