Music and Dance of Two Rythms

Hey There! 

In this week's blog, I will be talking about the differences in music taste between Irish music and Spanish music. I think one of the coolest and most unique things about a culture is its type of music, as some cultures have similar music styles while others have ones that are completely different.

I'll start with Spanish music since it's more familiar to many people. Spanish music has a variety of genres, including Spanish rock, cumbia, wepa, reggaeton, bachata, corridos, and mariachi. I grew up around a lot of Spanish rock, cumbia, and bachata music—it's what my dad would play while working on his computer. It wasn’t until later that I discovered my love for reggaeton. I’d say it’s my go-to genre because of its upbeat rhythm, and it’s typically played at parties. My least favorite genres would have to be mariachi and corridos. I didn’t grow up around them, and I find them loud and noisy. Honestly, there are only a few songs from those genres that I enjoy. A lot of Spanish music is catered to dancing and is full of rhythm. That’s what I love about Spanish music—the rhythm and variety. There’s something for everyone’s taste.

Another aspect of Spanish music, like most cultural music, is that there are traditional dances associated with it. As I’ve mentioned before, my dad is from Oaxaca, Mexico, and his hometown has many traditional dances. One of these is a dance called Flor de Piña, or the pineapple dance. In this dance, young girls wear colorful traditional dresses, braid their hair with colorful ribbons, and dance to a specific song while holding a pineapple above their heads. My dad wanted me to embrace my culture from a young age, so he taught my friends and me the dance. He even wanted me to perform it at my elementary school talent show. I remember how proud he was seeing me up on stage, wearing the traditional garment and dancing to his hometown’s traditional music. I felt honored to show off my heritage. 

Irish music, on the other hand, is a bit different—it’s hard to describe. It has a more folk-like sound, almost spiritual in a way. The instruments used include the harp, accordion, bagpipes, flutes, and fiddles. The music is very upbeat, and even the sad songs sound cheery. It took me a while to get used to Irish music because of how different it is, and I’ve found it typically takes others a while to get used to it as well. Irish music traditionally has two main types of dances: Irish dancing and tap dancing. I’m proud to say that I know how to do both, though I’m better at Irish dancing. I took Irish dance classes for five years, where I learned to do the Irish jig and other dances.

I love that I know how to perform both traditional dances from my parents’ origins, and I can’t wait to teach my own children in the future, passing down these traditions to them!