Zamba

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the creator-god, see Zamba (mythology).

Zamba is a style of Argentine music and an associated dance. It is the national dance of Argentina, not, as most people think, the tango.

Zamba is very different to its homophone, the samba - musically, rhythmically, temperamentally, in the steps of the dance and in its costume. It has six beats to the bar and is a majestic dance, performed by couples who circle each other waving white handkerchiefs very elegantly.

Zambas are composed about every subject, ranging from those whose lyrics celebrate people or events from Argentine history, to those which describe the beauty of a region, or of its women; there are zambas of political protest and even one called "Aerolineas Argentinas". The bombo legüero drum is prominent in the playing of the zamba.