Dancing Gwo-Ka

In January I had some more opportunities to practice Gwo-Ka, the dance I was introduced to over the summer. What I particularly like about Gwo-Ka sequences is the fantastic sensation that the whole body participates in each movement. The steps are rapid and change quickly. If danced in a group, the Gwo-Ka and its sequences are dependent on rhythm changes. If one dancer faces a few Gwo-Ka drummers, it is to the drummers to adapt the rhythm to the dancer’s body expression.
In my opinion, for a white beginner the two greatest challenges are: hips shaking and fully relaxing one’s body to leisurely follow the rapid rhythm. I have noticed that the two do not pose any problem to the Guadeloupeans (even to complete beginners!). Yet, what surprised me, the Antillais struggle learning polka-like jumpy steps which also occur in Gwo-Ka sequences.
Not a professional dancer myself J, I would nevertheless argue that each of us is born with a certain level of Gwo-Ka predispositions…
Below, three shots from a Wednesday session in Gosier, followed by two photos taken during a lesson by InDesTwas-Ka in Petit-Bourg (I participated in the latter one by invitation from Luana and Andrei).