| PACHANGA |
In 1955 Eduardo Davidson, a Cuban Colombian introduced the Marencumbae, a Colombian dance in Cuba. The original music was called La Pachanga with Marencumbae underneath it. He made up patterns for this dance by watching musicians keeping time on the band stand. It was then introduced into the United States to play for the Cuban Embassy's annual affair at the Waldorf. He was simultaneously booked at the Palladium. He had with him two terrific boy dancers. These boys came out as part of the show and did Cha Cha's with swiveling and trucking movements. People had never seen this type of Cha Cha before and asked what it was. Since Fajardo had a Charanga band and spoke no English, his reply was Charanga. After a big conference of dancers in 1956 the Pachanga was introduced, but they found out that the Charanga and others Pachanga, they decided that the music would be called Charanga and the dance Pachanga. A Charanga band is the typical Spanish Danzon type band that only played in salons, and the others that played far out and wild were called "Orchestra Typical."
|
| PASILLO COLOMBIANO |
A Colombian dance very similar to the Cuban Bolero except that it danced to a time of 6/8 against 3/4 meter.
|
| PASO DOBLE |
The Spanish March or One Step. It makes an especially good exhibition routine when the man styles his body movements to look like a bullfighter and leads his partner in and out of the patterns as if she were a cape. It is usually in 2/4 time.
|
| PASO DOBLE FLAMENCO |
The same as the Paso Doble but it is not the ballroom version. It is purely exhibition dancing and sometimes castanets are used or Flamenco arm movements.
|
| PAVANE |
One of the court dances (circa 1830). The couples paraded around the hall carely touching fingers and the trains of the women's gowns trailed the floor like a peacock's tail. Pavane means peacock.
|
| PEABODY |
A fast Fox Trot during which dancers may use many quick steps set against the figure called "Open Box". It was popular in the larger ballrooms where dance space was not problem.
|
| PLENA |
Several distinctive airs have originated in Puerto Rico. Among them the Plena which is a tropical ballad similar to the Mexican Corrido. When danced it resembles a Bolero.
|
| PORRO |
A Colombian dance. It is similar to the Cuban Rumbas in that it expresses various activities or tells stories set to a very syncopated 2/4 meter.
|
| POLKA |
This dance was introduced to society in 1844. Every now and then it tis revived because of its boisterous charm. It was supposed to have been originally created by a Bohemian girl. The basic step consist of a preparatory hop followed by a chasse done first to left then to the right. Curiously enough, it reappeared in the 1940's in the Cha Cha as one of the more popular steps. Still danced quite often throughout the country.
|
