Paso Doble, or
pasodoble, (literal meaning in Spanish: double-step) is a traditional dance
from Spain march-like musical style as well as the corresponding dance style
danced by a couple. It is the type of music typically played in bullfights
during the bullfighters' entrance to the ring (paseo) or during the passes
(faena) just before the kill. It corresponds to the Pasodoble dance
(traditional and ballroom).
PasoDoble is a
lively style of dance to the duple meter march-like pasodoble music. It is
modelled after the sound, drama, and movement of the Spanish and Portuguese
bullfight.
Famous
bullfighters have been honoured with pasodoble tunes named after them. Other
tunes have been inspired by patriotic motifs or local characters.
España Cañí
España Cañí
(meaning "Gypsy Spain" in Spanish language) is a famous instrumental
Spanish piece of pasodoble music by Pascual Marquina Narro (1873-1948). The
song was written around 1925. It is also known as the Spanish Gypsy Dance.
Its main refrain
(eight bars of arpeggiated chords that go from E major to F major (with added 4
instead of 5) to G major and back) is arguably the best known snippet of
Spanish music ever, and is popular worldwide.
Besides its
traditional use as background music in bullfights in Spain and elsewhere, it is
sometimes played (refrain only) to arouse local crowds in baseball matches in
the United States. The Beatles in their early club days in Liverpool played the
song.
It is often used
by the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Muchachos Drum and
Bugle Corps of Manchester, NH as a closer.
Several
arrangements of the tune are often used for the ballroom Paso Doble dance (to
the point that, amongst ballroom dancers, it is known as "the paso doble
song" as it is very commonly played in competition due to the need for
specific choreography for successful competition Paso).
Dance
Pasodoble is
based on music played at bullfights during the bullfighters' entrance (paseo)
or during the passes (faena) just before the kill. The leader of this dance
plays the part of the matador. The follower generally plays the part of the
matador's cape, but can also represent the shadow of the matador, as well as
the bull or a flamenco dancer in some figures. Its origin dates back to a
French military march with the name “Paso Redoble.” This was a fast paced
march, which is why this is a fast-paced Latin American dance modeled after the
Spanish bull fight. Bull fighting was well-known around this time.
Ballroom
A significant
number of Paso Doble songs are variants of España Cañi. The song has breaks in
fixed positions in the song (two breaks at syllabus levels, three breaks and a
longer song at Open levels). Traditionally Paso Doble routines are
choreographed to match these breaks, as well as the musical phrases.
Accordingly, most other ballroom Paso Doble tunes are written with similar
breaks (those without are simply avoided in most competitions).
Because of its
inherently choreographed tradition, ballroom Paso Doble for the most part is
danced only competitively, almost never socially — or at least not without
sticking to some sort of previously learned routine. This said, in Spain,
France, Vietnam, Colombia, Costa Rica and some parts of Germany to the west of
the river Rhine, it is danced socially as a lead (not choreographed) dance. In
Venezuela, Paso Doble is a must in almost every wedding or big party, being
especially famous the song Guitarra Española by Los Melódicos.
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