We were all a bit baffled when one morning our marketing guru John started holding our gazes intently, and swaying his hips in a seductive fashion…However, he then explained that he’d been taking secret salsa lessons to impress his Colombian girlfriend – and having been treated to further demonstrations, we began discussing some of the amazing dances that we’ve seen around the world…
KEKAK TRANCE DANCE IN INDONESIA
A faint “chak…chak…chak” drifts through the darkness from Bali’s stunning Uluwatu temple, signalling the start of the nightly Kekak trance dance. Originally the dance was performed in order to communicate with ancestral spirits, but in recent times it became interwoven with the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. Either way, the sight of 30 bare-chested men, surrounded by fire and chanting rhythmically at this stunning cliff-top temple, is quite a sight to behold!
See it for yourself on this Luxury Bali and Lombok Holiday.
TANGO IN ARGENTINA
Known to be one of the hardest forms of dance to master, tango in Buenos Aires never fails to knock our socks off. Whether you’re watching it performed on the streets of San Telmo, or getting hot under the collar at one of Café Tortoni’s risqué evening shows, Tango adds a little extra sizzle to your Latin America holiday.
Why not have some tango lessons yourself on this Latin Lovers holiday of a lifetime?
CAPOEIRA IN BRAZIL
Never ones to be outdone by the Argentineans, the Brazilians are of course known for the vibrant samba which is rehearsed for months on end by dance troupes at the legendary Rio carnival. What impresses us even more though is the half-dance half martial-art, capoeira, which originated amongst African slaves in the 16th century, and involves effortless back-flips through the air.
Combine steel-drums and capoeira in Brazil’s culture and music capital, Salvador.
CELESTIAL DANCERS IN CAMBODIA
Our travel expert Jenna was treated to this exquisite ballet-esque dance on her recent trip to Cambodia, and her guide explained that whilst the dances enact classical Khmer sagas, the style of dancing can be traced back many thousands of years.
As for the apsara dancers themselves, they are usually youthful and elegant girls who mirror the ‘celestial dancers’ who they were modelled on, and having seen their impossibly graceful hand-movements, Jenna was fascinated to see similar poses carved into the Angkor Wat.
For jungle-clad temples and celestial dancers, check out this luxury Cambodia adventure.
MATING DANCE OF THE BLUE FOOTED BOOBY, THE GALAPAGOS
Last but not least – and certainly the most endearing of the dancers – is the rather sombre dance of the blue-footed booby which is busted out by the male of the species in order to attract a mate.
See it all year round, along with penguins, sea lions, whales, and marine iguanas, on this Land Based Galapagos Adventure.
