| Dances
of the Orisha
Afro Cuban dance
instruction
with Jose Francisco Barroso
produced by Obakoso Dance Co.
video type: instructional & demonstration
dance level: beginning to advanced
time: 112 minutes
language: English explanations
filmed in California, USA
Learn African Cuban folkloric dance from master teacher Jose Francisco
Barroso as he guides students in the dances of the Orishas (Yoruba deities)
from beginner basics to the more advanced movements and characterizations
demonstrated by his explosive soloing.
All instruction is accompanied by a live group of musicians singing Orisha
songs and performing on Batá drums. Detailed instruction and demonstration
of the three types of rumba is also included.
To help ground students in the rhythm each dance section begins with counting
and stepping in time with the clave (the 5 note pattern & rhythmic
foundation of Afro-Cuban music).
Orisha & rumba dance instruction on the DVD:
1) Elegba - opener of doors, trickster, guardian
of the crossroads
2) Ogun - represents work and all human effort
- he is a symbol for violence, brute force, of raw energy.
3) Oshun - the deity of river waters and the
embodiment of love, sensuality, and fertility
4) Yemaya - the deity of ocean waters and the
mother of the entire world
5) Shango - the Orisha of fire, thunder, lightening,
and the owner of the sacred batõ.
6) Oya - the Orisha identified with the wind,
thunderbolt, and fire.
7) Rumba Yambu - slower dance for couples
8) Rumba Guaguanco - couples dance
9) Rumba Columbia - men's dance
Jose Francisco Barroso (Ifa Jokoo) is a native
of Havana, Cuba.… Barroso began his study of Afro-Cuban folkloric dance
under the direction of Juan de Dios Ramos while dancing in Cuba's renowned
folkloric company Raices Profundas. Living in the U.S. for the last decade,
Barroso is regarded as among the…foremost specialists of African Cuban
dance, music, and cultural tradition; teaching and lecturing at numerous
universities and cultural centers throughout the U.S. and internationally.
Barroso has collaborated with countless legendary artists such as his
godfather- Pancho Quinto, Regino Jimenez, Lazaro Galaraga, Francisco Aguabella,
Jesus and Ana Perez from Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, and many others.
As a practitioner within the spiritual tradition of the Yoruba people,
Barroso was first initiated as an Omo Elegbara and then as an Ifa priest
under the sacred odu: Osa Ogunda.… Through his constant research and dedication
to authenticity, Barroso is committed to studying, maintaining, and sharing
the profound knowledge of African Cuban culture. In 1996 Jose Francisco
Barroso founded Obakoso Drum & Dance Ensemble, a group devoted to preserving
the profound knowledge living within traditional African Cuban folkloric
music and dance.
This production also features:
Ramon Sandy Perez
former percussionist of Afro-Cuba de Matanzas
Ysidro Valor Perez
Clave y Guaguanc˚
Yismari Ramos
former dancer with Ballet de La Televicion Cubana
Jose Luis Gomez
singer with Fito Reinoso y Su Armonia
and many other special guests.
 reviews
of the DVD
Antonio Torres - USA
"Jose Francisco Barroso's Orishas Instructional DVD is great. He
breaks down each body movement slowly, then he performs to live music,
adding extra moves. All the different dances are explained clearly,
and Mr. Barroso is a great dancer. The guaguanco, columbia, and yambu
were my favorites....but they all are excellent. I would recommend this
DVD to everyone who is looking to add more upper-body movement to their
salsa-dancing--it is worth it."
One Love - USA
"I just received the "Dances of the Orisha" DVD. I can't thank
you enough! I have been hoping, praying and searching for an instructional
video like this for many years! Jose Francisco is an excellent instructor,
the musicians and singers are wonderful and the other dancers are great
too! Many thanks to all who created this much appreciated DVD! "
Komokiel - Canada
"I'm addicted to Boogalu DVD's... I decided to take a few minutes
to express my satisfaction about Jose Barroso's instructional DVD. He's
a great dancer and teacher. The DVD is quite HEAVY and it comes at a
good time as a complement to the Boogalu DVD "Rumbon Tropical".
I love it and I recommand it strongly to afro-cuban dance lovers. Thanks
to the Boogalu team for this good reference! "
Fabio of SalsaIsGood.com
"Plenty of material in this DVD, no time wasted in chit-chat or
purposeless decorations, just 70 full minutes of dancing and music.
The instructor takes you along a journey from the Nigerian roots of
Afro-Caribbean dance to the better known rumba styles of Yambu, Guaguanco
and Columbia, always accompanied by live percussions and chanting. For
each dance the steps are first shown at a slow pace with vocal counting
over the clave and then demonstrated with a richer percussion ensemble.
You should be aware that no actual instruction is included, you can
understand the counting and the steps, but the working out of the details
is something you have to do yourself. But, really, this is no excuse
for not trying, for just when you may think that your genes could be
too 'white' to execute such movements, a few students, including a westerner
woman and an asian guy, show you that is not the case.. a very timely
and useful addition to the demonstrations. The gem comes towards the
end, with three outstanding demonstrations of solo and couple rumba.
The dancers are very good (the instructor and his rumba partner are
outstanding) and so are the musicians and the students. A worthwhile
addition to your collection, at least to learn about the origins of
salsa."
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