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Zouk is a style of rhythmic music originating from the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. It has its roots in compas music from Haiti, cadence music from Dominica, as popularised by Grammacks and Exile One. Zouk means "party" or "festival" in the local creole of French with English and African influences, all three of which contribute the sound. In Africa, it is popular in franco/luso countries, while on the African islands of Cape Verde they have developed their own type of zouk. In Europe it is particularly popular in France, and in North America the Canadian province of Quebec. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... The term French West Indies (see also Antilles françaises) refers to the two French overseas departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique. ... Biguine is a style of music that originated in Martinique in the 19th century. ... Gwo ka is both a family of hand drums and the music created with them, which is a major part of Guadeloupan folk music. ... A bélé is a folk song and dance from Dominica, performed most commonly during full moon evenings, or sometimes during funeral wakes (Antillean Creole: lavèyé). It may be the oldest Creole dance from Dominica, and strongly reflects influences from African fertility dances. ... Look up Cadence, cadence in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The term French West Indies (see also Antilles françaises) refers to the two French overseas departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... Zouk-love is a genre of popular French Antillean music. ... Kizomba is one of the most popular styles of dance and music in the lusophone African countries. ... Zouk-love is a genre of popular French Antillean music. ... Kizomba is one of the most popular styles of dance and music in the lusophone African countries. ... Biguine is a style of music that originated in Martinique in the 19th century. ... Gwo ka is both a family of hand drums and the music created with them, which is a major part of Guadeloupan folk music. ... A bélé is a folk song and dance from Dominica, performed most commonly during full moon evenings, or sometimes during funeral wakes (Antillean Creole: lavèyé). It may be the oldest Creole dance from Dominica, and strongly reflects influences from African fertility dances. ... Look up Cadence, cadence in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The term French West Indies (see also Antilles françaises) refers to the two French overseas departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique. ...  Western Africa (UN subregion)  Maghreb[1] West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. ... For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ... In Western musical theory a cadence (Latin cadentia, a falling) is a particular series of intervals or chords that ends a phrase, section, or piece of music. ... A 1970s musical group from Dominica. ... Exile One was an influential Dominican band who helped to pioneer cadence-lypso, a style of music that fused cadence and compas. ... A creole language, or simply a creole, is a stable language that originates seemingly as a new language, sometimes with features that are not inherited from any apparent source, without however qualifying in any appreciable way as a mixed language. ... Main articles: History of Canada, Timeline of Canadian history Canada has been inhabited by aboriginal peoples (known in Canada as First Nations) for at least 40,000 years. ... This article is about the Canadian province. ...

Origins

The zouk music style was invented in the early to mid-1980s when many different styles were fused, such as compas, balakadri, the Dominica based cadence and bal granmoun dances, mazurka and biguine, French and American pop, and kadans, gwo ka and other indigenous styles. The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ... It is a traditional quadrille music that was done for balls in Guadeloupe called balkadri or simply kadri. ... The mazurka (Polish: mazurek, named after Polands Mazovia district; mazurka is the feminine form of mazurek) is a Polish folk dance in triple metre with a lively tempo, containing a heavy accent on the third or second beat. ... Biguine is a style of music that originated in Martinique in the 19th century. ... Kadans is a French Creole music genre, which started off in Haiti and developed in the French islands. ... Gwo ka is both a family of hand drums and the music created with them, which is a major part of Guadeloupan folk music. ...

Kassav'

Main article: Kassav'

The leading band to emerge from this period was the band Kassav' who came from Guadeloupe and Martinique, they gave the style a pan-Caribbean sound by taking elements from compas, reggae and salsa, and became one of the most famous bands of the genre in the world. Kassav' was formed in 1979 by Pierre-Edouard Décimus, a long-time professional musician who worked with Freddy Marshall. Together, the two of them decided to take carnival music and make it a more modern and polished style. Their first album, Love and Ka Dance (1980), established the sound of zouk. They continued to grow more popular, both as a group and with several members' solo careers, finally peaking in 1985 with Yélélé, which featured the international hit "Zouk la sé sèl médickaman nou ni". Kassav is a Francophone Zouk band which was formed in 1979. ... Kassav is a Francophone Zouk band which was formed in 1979. ... Reggae is a music genre developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. ... Salsa music is a diverse and predominantly Spanish Caribbean genre that is popular across Latin America and among Latinos abroad. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... For other uses, see Carnival (disambiguation). ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the year. ...

With this hit, zouk rapidly became the most widespread dance craze to hit Latin American in some time,^{[citation needed]} and was wildly popular even as far afield as Europe and Asia.^{[citation needed]} Zouk became known for wildly theatrical concerts featuring special effects spectacles, colorful costumes and outrageous antics.

It is interesting to note that in Brazil, popular belief is that zouk music originates from French Polynesia.

Other zouk musicians include Jocelyne Labylle from Guadeloupe. Jocelyne Labylle is a Guadeloupean Zouk musician from the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. ...

Zouk-love

Main article: zouk-love

A special style within the zouk is called zouk-love, where the music is slower and more dramatic. Zouk-love has its origins in a slow tempo form of cadence sang by Ophelia Marie of Dominica. The music kizomba from Angola and Cape Verde is also a derivative of zouk which sounds similar, although there are differences noticeable to those more familiar with these genres. Zouk-love is a genre of popular French Antillean music. ... Zouk-love is a genre of popular French Antillean music. ... Ophelia Marie was a popular singer of cadence-lypso from Dominica in the 1980s. ... Kizomba is one of the most popular styles of dance and music in the lusophone African countries. ...

Popular zouk-love artists include French West Indian artists like Edith Lefel, Nichols, Harry Diboula or Haitian artists like Ayenn, Alan Cavé, and Daan Junior. Netherlands based Suzanna Lubrano and Gil Semedo, as well as African artist Philipe Monteiro. Edith Lefel is a singer born in Cayenne, Guyana in 1963. ... Nichols is a surname, and may refer to many people. ... Suzanna Lubrano is a Cape Verdean Zouk singer. ... Image:7-gil. ...

Zouk dancing

There are four ways to dance to zouk music:

1. Zouk Love
   1. French Caribbean way (Antilles/Haiti).
   2. French-speaking Africa way.
2. Zouk-Lambada style. The Lambada dance (or an evolved version of Lambada) danced to Zouk rhythm music.
   1. Brazilian zouk. A dance style evolved from Lambada and danced to Zouk rhythm music.
   2. Lambazouk or Lambada. Lambada dance style (or a variation of it) danced to Zouk music.
3. Kizomba, an Angolan or Cape Verdean dance style. The music was developed directly from zouk.

Kizomba is one of the most popular styles of dance and music in the lusophone African countries. ... Angola is a country in southwestern Africa bordering Namibia, Congo-Kinshasa, and Zambia, and with a west coast along the Atlantic Ocean. ...

Zouk in the Caribbean

Caribbean zouk, is a dance performed in the Caribbean, most often in the islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique and St. Lucia. As merengue, it is danced basically by changing the weight from one leg to the other in the music, which many teachers of dance simply call the time. The choreography is simple and little elaborated. Merengue can mean either: A style of music from Hispainolia based from either Domininican or Haitian origin [1][2]  ; see merengue music See also Méringue, style of music. ...

The dance steps of Caribbean zouk dance style differ significantly from the Brazilian zouk-lambada dance style. In Caribbean zouk two steps are performed on the music ("toom-cheek, toom-cheek, etc"), where in Brazilian zouk three steps are performed on the music ("toom-cheek-cheek, toom-cheek-cheek, etc"). This changes the dynamics of the dance.

Zouk in Brazil

Main article: Zouk-Lambada

In Brazil, the zouk rhythm is used to dance a Brazilian style derived from the Lambada, however, with movements more suited to the music. The Lambada is usually very fast and frantic. Unlike that, the zouk in Brazil is often slow and sensual, enabling many steps and turns.

For a desciption of several (sometimes more individual) styles in zouk, see the lemma Zouk-Lambada.

Media files of various zouk dancing styles

Famous zouk artists

• Edith Lefel
• Enyd' Cabarrus
• Gladys (Gla10) Cabarrus
• Kaysha
• Kassav
• Philip Monteiro
• Suzanna Lubrano

Edith Lefel is a singer born in Cayenne, Guyana in 1963. ... Hip hop/Zouk artist Kaysha is the stage name of Edward Mokolo Jr (born January 22, 1974 in Kinshasa). ... Kassav is a Francophone Zouk band which was formed in the 1970s. ... Suzanna Lubrano is a Cape Verdean Zouk singer. ...

See also

• Zouk-Lambada
• Caribbean music
• Zouk (club)
• Bouzouki
• dominican music
• music of dominica