History:
The columbia is a virtuosic solo dance from Cuba part of Rumba style, generally though not always performed by males. It seems to have originated as a canefield dance, with the name columbia apparently coming from a railroad weighing station called Columbia in Matanzas province. The dance of the columbia is acrobatic, mimetic, and competitive; one dancer follows another, each trying to outdo the rest. The columbia is the most virtuosic showpiece for the rumba dancer, with a wide vocabulary of movements that can include gestures from Yoruba dancing. In the columbia, the high-pitched, sharp-cracking drum called the quinto underlines the dancer's steps, even becoming at times a competition between the quintero and the dancer as each tries to surprise the other.
Link to Main Contest:
Link to Main Perfomer:
Link to Tuto:
Link to Movies:
Similar Dances: