por The different types of sailor are influenced by the characteristics of each region. The marinera is a dance that portrays the courtship between a lady and a gentleman, and is considered the national dance of Peru.
The woman wears an embroidered pollera (skirt) and a scarf, fooling the man with her graceful movements. This is accompanied by guitars, drawers (percussion instrument of Peruvian origin) and other musical instruments.
This dance owes its origin to the zamacueca, a choreographed dance that became popular in the Andean region in the mid-1800s. The Chilean version was the most popular form in Peru between 1860 and 1870.
After the Pacific War, Peruvians did not want their national dance to be named after their enemy, and they renamed it the Marinera, honoring their sailors who had died in the war.
Main types of sailor
Lima
The Lima sailor may be a competition (counterpoint) between singers, known as canto jarana or simply jarana. There is also the case of a performance by a simple sailor with singing and/or dancing, without any kind of competition.
Unlike the sailors of other regions, the sailor from Lima follows strict rules of performance in dancing and singing.
The essential accompaniment consists of two guitars, a cajón and clapping. The poetic structure consists of three stanzas, also called jaranas.
Each of these must comply with the established poetic and musical structures.
northern
The norteño marinera originated in the coastal city of Trujillo in northern Peru. It is much faster than the Lima, and similar in choreography and music to the tondero, which is another norteño dance.
While the Lima goes from the slippery (moved and syncopated) to the fugue (more peaceful), the slippery in the northern marinera becomes a ground hit. The latter is a fast paced 6 x 8.
As for the dance, the flirtations are much more pronounced. The ladies dance barefoot. It is also accompanied by a music band.
serrana
One of the distinctive characteristics of the marinera in the different regions is the clothing. In the case of the mountain woman, the woman wears a white nightgown and her dress is wide and made of silk.
She also wears a woolen shawl, a straw hat, mid-height shoes and the traditional scarf. The man is wearing denim pants, a white shirt, and a wool poncho. A hat and scarf complete this outfit.
Musically, this typical marinera from the mountains is played in a minor key and with a slow movement. Like the costeña, it repeats itself. The most outstanding thing about this variety is its huayno auction, which is another musical genre.
These genera have been gradually merging in the Andean region, producing various combinations.
The most famous of these is the marinera con fuga huayno, which contrasts with the main piece played at a faster tempo.
References
Tompkins, W.D. (2007). Afro-Peruvian traditions. In D. Olsen, and D.Sheehy (Eds.), The Garland Handbook of Latin American Music, pp. 474-487. New York: Routledge.
Sailor Dance (2015). Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Retrieved from festival.si.edu.
Herrera-Sobek, M. (2012). Celebrating Latino Folklore: An Encyclopedia of Cultural Traditions, Volume 1. California: ABC-CLIO.