Zouk 460074 223919806 2008-07-06T14:43:37Z Lightbot 7178666 Units/dates/other {{Unreferenced|date=June 2008}} {{Infobox Music genre |bgcolor=darkblue |color=white |name=Zouk |stylistic_origins=Music that became popular in the mid-80s by groups originating from the [[French West Indies]]. The music was a a mix of [[Compas music|compas]], [[biguine]], [[gwo ka]], [[bele]], [[cadence]] |cultural_origins=Started in the mid-80s by groups from the [[French West Indies]], [[Haiti]], and is now shared with cultures from , [[South America]]: ([[Brazil]], etc.) and [[Africa]]: ([[Angola]], [[Cape Verde]], [[Réunion]], [[Mozambique]] etc.) |derivatives=[[Zouk-love]] - [[Kizomba]] - [[Coladeira#The cola-zouk|Cabo-Love]] |popularity= |instruments= |subgenrelist=list of genres of zouk |subgenres=[[Zouk-love]] - [[Kizomba]] - [[Coladeira#The cola-zouk|Cabo-Zouk]] |fusiongenres=[[Compas music|compas]], [[biguine]], [[Gwo ka]], [[bele]], [[cadence]] |regional_scenes= [[French West Indies]] - [[West Africa]] - [[France]] - [[Portugal]] - [[Cape Verde]] - [[Angola]] - [[Mozambique]] }} '''Zouk''' is a style of rhythmic [[music]] originating from the French islands of [[Guadeloupe]] and [[Martinique]]. It has its roots in [[compas music]] from [[Haiti]],. ''Zouk'' means "party" or "festival" in the local [[creole language|creole]] of French with English and African influences, all three of which contribute the sound. In Africa, it is popular in franco/[[luso]] countries, while on the African islands of [[Cape Verde]] they have developed their own type of zouk. In Europe it is particularly popular in France, and in North America the [[Canadian]] province of [[Quebec]]. ==Origins== The zouk music style was invented in the early 1980s when many different styles were fused, such as [[Compas music|compas]], [[balakadri]], the Dominica based cadence and [[bal granmoun]] dances, [[mazurka]] and [[biguine]], French and American pop, and [[kadans]], [[gwo ka]] and other indigenous styles. ==Kassav’== {{main|Kassav'}} The leading band to emerge from this period was the band [[Kassav']] who came from Guadeloupe and Martinique, they gave the style a pan-Caribbean sound by taking elements from [[Compas music|compas]], [[reggae]] and [[salsa music|salsa]], and became the most famous band of Zouk in the world. Kassav' was formed in 1979 by [[Pierre-Edouard Décimus]], a long-time professional musicians who worked with [[Freddy Marshall]]. Together, they decided to take [[carnival]] music and make it a more modern and polished style. Their first album, ''[[Love and Ka Dance]]'' (1979), the "zouk" music was born. They continued to grow more popular, both as a group and with several members' solo careers, finally peaking in 1985 with ''[[Yélélé]]'', which featured the international hit "Zouk la sé sèl médikaman nou ni". With this hit, zouk rapidly became the most widespread dance craze to hit Latin American in some time,{{Fact|date=August 2007}} and was wildly popular even as far afield as Europe and Asia.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} Zouk became known for wildly theatrical concerts featuring special effects spectacles, colorful costumes and outrageous antics. It is interesting to note that in Brazil, popular belief is that zouk music originates from [[French Polynesia]]. Other zouk musicians include [[Jocelyne Labylle]] from [[Guadeloupe]]. ==Zouk-love== {{main|zouk-love}} A special style within the zouk is called ''[[zouk-love]]'', where the music is slower and more dramatic. Zouk-love has its origins in a slow tempo form of cadence sang by [[Ophelia Marie]] of Dominica. The music ''[[kizomba]]'' from [[Angola]] and [[Coladeira#The cola-zouk|Cola-zouk]] from Cape Verde are also a derivatives of zouk which sounds similar, although there are differences noticeable to those more familiar with these genres. Popular zouk-love artists include French West Indian artists like [[Patrick Saint-Eloi]] the precursor of zouk love, [[Edith Lefel]], [[Nichols]], Harry Diboula or Haitian artists like [[Ayenn]], [[Alan Cavé]], and [[Daan Junior]]. Netherlands based [[Suzanna Lubrano]] and [[Gil Semedo]], as well as African artist [[Philipe Monteiro]]. ==Zouk dancing == There are four ways to dance to zouk music{{Fact|date=April 2008}}: #Zouk Love ##French Caribbean way (Antilles/Haiti). ##French-speaking Africa way. #[[Zouk-Lambada]] style. The Lambada dance (or an evolved version of Lambada) danced to Zouk rhythm music. ##[[Zouk-Lambada#Brazilian zouk|Brazilian zouk]]. A dance style evolved from Lambada and danced to Zouk rhythm music. ##[[Zouk-Lambada#Lambazouk|Lambazouk]] or Lambada. Lambada dance style (or a variation of it) danced to Zouk music. #[[Angola]]n [[Kizomba]], and [[Cape Verde]]an [[Coladeira#The cola-zouk|Cola-zouk]] dance style. The music was developed directly from zouk. ===Zouk in the Caribbean=== Caribbean zouk, is a dance performed in the Caribbean, most often in the islands of Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Dominica and St. Lucia. As [[merengue]], it is danced basically by changing the weight from one leg to the other in the music, which many teachers of dance simply call the time. The choreography is simple and little elaborated. The dance steps of Caribbean zouk dance style differ significantly from the Brazilian zouk-lambada dance style. In Caribbean zouk two steps are performed on the music ("toom-cheek, toom-cheek, etc"), where in Brazilian zouk three steps are performed on the music ("toom-cheek-cheek, toom-cheek-cheek, etc"). This changes the dynamics of the dance. ===Zouk in Brazil=== {{main|Zouk-Lambada}} In Brazil, the zouk rhythm is used to dance a Brazilian style derived from the Lambada, however, with movements more suited to the music. The Lambada is usually very fast and frantic. Unlike that, the zouk in Brazil is often slow and sensual, enabling many steps and turns. For a desciption of several (sometimes more individual) styles in zouk, see the lemma [[Zouk-Lambada]]. ===SOULZOUK=== {{main|SOULZOUK}} Soulzouk was created in 2005 by China a teacher from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Soulzouk, or zouk "freestyle" is a new way of dancing zouk that is from Brazil. More contemporary, it differs from traditional Brazilian Zouk by a new way to connect with the music. This way of dancing is not based only on the pace, but on the melody of the song, which means it can, not only be danced with zouk music but also with a variety of musical genres like rap or R 'n'B. The gentlemen leads not only his hands and arms, but also with his legs, shoulders and head. Also, the Soulzouk brings great movement inovations with the twist steps, “table” cambrés and many others already well known such as the “suicide” and “body jump”. ===Media files of various zouk dancing styles=== <div style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;"> *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW0-sSYw0tg Kizomba] *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FVqswIy_3o Caribbean zouk] *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSf3PlVmRWM Caribbean/Riga zouk-love style] *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0BZ8tii43Y Brazilian zouk (Brasilia style)] *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfLyJVdG9Sg Brazilian zouk (Amsterdam style)] *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPFEaL2b1Pw Brazilian zouk (Rio style)] *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlV8c2TXB5M Brazilian zouk (Brisbane style)] *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r22GT6YA2nk Soulzouk (Brasilia)] *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amPX_pN3fYU Lambazouk (Majorca/Barcelona style)] *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GwkODk8pOo Lambazouk (Porto Seguro style)] *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOIksCyJBIg Zouk-Lambada (Sao Paolo/Belo Horizonte)] *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-GMaBhMOqA Zouk-Lambada (London style)] </div> ==Famous zouk artists== *[[Edith Lefel]] *[[Enyd' Cabarrus]] *[[Gladys (Gla10) Cabarrus]] *[[Kaysha]] *[[Kassav]] *[[Philip Monteiro]] *[[Suzanna Lubrano]] *[[Vegetable Basket and the a la Carté Kids]] ==See also== *[http://www.soulzouk.com Video, music, remix and more] *[[Zouk-Lambada]] *[[Caribbean music]] *[[Zouk (club)]] *[[Bouzouki]] *[[dominican music]] *[[Music of Dominica]] *[[Music of Haiti]] ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:Zouk]] [[Category:Caribbean music]] [[de:Zouk]] [[es:Zouk]] [[fr:Zouk]] [[it:Zouk]] [[lv:Zuks]] [[nl:Zouk]] [[pt:Zouk]] [[ro:Zouk]] [[ru:Зук]] [[sv:Zouk]]