Kizomba is a genre of dance and a musical genre originating in Angola, and it means "party" in Kimbundu, an Angolan language. Kizomba dance is a derivative of the Angolan Semba and Kizomba music is a derivative of traditional Angolan Semba music with the French Antilles Compas / Kompa.
Video Kizomba
Origin and evolution
Music genre
The origins of kizomba can be traced to late-1970s Africa, with influences variably attributed to Angola. Kizomba is characterised by a slower, romantic, more sensuous rhythm than the traditional Angolan semba dance. Kizomba music emerged as a more modern music genre with a sensual touch mixed with African rhythm and Haitian Compas or (Kompa in Haitian Creole). Kizomba is Angolan Zouk, most kizomba songs are sung in Portuguese.
Dance genre
Semba has been danced in the 1950s in Angola. In the 1990s, when the actual kizomba music got more and more popular, Angolan semba dancers started to adapt their semba steps according to the tempo and flavour of the Kizomba beats.
Maps Kizomba
Confusion with Cola-zouk
Cape Verdeans immigrants who moved to France in the 1980s, they were exposed to Compas / Kompa music in the 80s, they blended it with athe traditional Cape Verde style called the coladera, thus creating cola-zouk, which is similar to kizomba and typically sung in Cape Verdean Creole. It is this rhythm that was confused with kizomba, and was heard in Portugal when Eduardo Paim arrived there and released his first record with kizomba music.
Confusion With Urban Kizomba (Urban Kiz)
The popularity of R&B, Hip Hop, and Rap gave rise to another dance style called Urban Kizomba or Urban Kiz. Urban Kizomba is a derivative of the Kizomba dance style that was originated in France. This dance style uses different techniques and it is danced with Zouk R&b and often with the Cape Verdean Zouk R&B. Urban Kiz teachers and organizers wrongly calling their classes and events Kizomba, instead of calling them Urban Kiz have caused lots of misunderstandings and confusions. In addition, Cape Verdean artists and producers also take advantage of this confusion by labeling their songs as kizomba instead of Zouk (Cabo Zouk, Cabo Love). These confusions have led many Urban Kizomba dancers to believe that the Kizomba dance and music are from Cape Verde instead of Angola.
Example of Cape Verdean Zouk singer who is often mistaken for a Kizomba singer: Nelson Freitas - Rebound Chick Album's name: My Zouk Hits https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/my-zouk-hits/409657717
The album cover from this link shows that the album is labelled "Zouk Hits", meaning that Freitas songs are zouks and not Kizomba.
Cultural influences
The influence of kizomba is felt in most Portuguese-speaking African countries, but also Portugal (especially in Lisbon and surrounding suburbs such as Amadora or Almada), where communities of immigrants have established clubs centered on the genre in a renewed kizomba style. The São Tomean kizomba music is very similar to the Angolan, Juka being the most notable among the Sãotomeans, and also one of the most notable performers in the genre.
In Angola most clubs are based in Luanda. Famous Angolan kizomba musicians include Neide Van-Dúnem, Don Kikas, C4 Pedro, Calo Pascoal, Irmãos Verdades, Anselmo Ralph, among many others, but Bonga is probably the best known Angolan artist, having helped popularize the style both in Angola and Portugal during the 1970s and 1980s.
Popularity
Kizomba is known for having a slow, insistent, somewhat harsh yet sensuous rhythm as the result of electronic percussion. It is danced accompanied by a partner, very smoothly, slowly and sensuously, and with neither tightness nor rigidity. There are frequent simultaneous hip rotations coordinated between dance partners, particularly in the quieter refrains of the music. Several individuals with a love of the Kizomba culture have been promoting it in other countries.
Famous Angolan kizomba singers include Bonga, André Mingas, Liceu Vieira Dias, Neide Van-Dúnem, Don Kikas, Calo Pascoal, Heavy C., Puto Portugues, Maya Cool, Matias Damasio, Rei Helder, Pérola, Anselmo Ralph and Irmãos Verdades.
Famous Angolan teachers such as kota José N'dongala (founder of the Kizombalove Academy) and Mestre Petchu (founder of the Tradicional Kilandukilu Ballet) have been giving Kizomba and Semba teachers courses for years to further popularize their Angolan cultural values in Africa, Europe and in America.
Brazil
In Brazil, kizomba became famous when the pop artist Kelly Key released the album No Controle, in February 3, 2015. Key left the dance-pop/R&B songs to introduce the kizomba in Brazil. In an interview Key said she sought originality and new styles: "I'm running this responsibility of being predictable. I wanted to record Kizomba for 13 years! Now I feel mature and have knowledge of movement".
Australia
In Australia, kizomba has been spreading quickly. Appearing in 2012 in Sydney, it is now dance in Melbourne, Gold Coast, Darwin, Adelaide,Brisbane, etc.
China
In China, kizomba has been more and more popular especially in the big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Nanjing,etc. Many teachers are teaching kizomba include local teachers and foreign teachers. Every year, different Latin dance festivals are organized such as Shanghai Bachata/Kizomba Festival, Chengdu Salsa Carnival, Salsa Memucho, etc. Kizomba classes are popular in these festivals.
References
Source of article : Wikipedia
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