Rhythms of the Island: Exploring the Vibrant Chamoru Cultural Dance of Guam
CHAMORU CULTURAL DANCE
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| Image Source: https://www.visitguam.com/chamorro-culture/music-dance-arts/traditional/ |
The dances that reflect Chamorro culture are performed throughout the world in international competitions and showcases, and visitors come to Guam from far and wide to watch storytelling come to life through dance. The dances of the ancient Chamorro people were not very well recorded and without the work of dedicated artists and scholars, native Chamorro dance would not exist today.
MASTER OF CHAMORU DANCE
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| Image Source: https://www.guampedia.com/vince-reyes/ |
In 2000, Vincent Reyes began teaching at Inalåhan Middle School (IMS) as a cultural arts teacher, where he authored and implemented the school’s first cultural arts program. Reyes was inspired by an oral history project in high school, whereby he began to explore and appreciate his CHamoru heritage. His desire to access this world that he formerly took for granted, began to spend more time with his elders, trying to learn more about his language and traditions. In October 2014, Reyes was awarded the MagPro Governors Award of Excellence Merit Cup of Excellence Overall Employee of the Year Award. This award made him the first teacher and employee from the Guam Department of Education to ever win this award.
"Sen Guaiaya Hao Guåhan" written by: Chelsea Cruz, Imani Poasa, Kyana Tuncap, Vince Reyes
Creative Direction/Executive Producer: Vince Reyes
CHAMORU CULTURAL DANCE IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY
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| Image Source: https://www.guampedia.com/chamorro-music-2/ |
In the twenty-first century, CHamoru dance has undergone a massive cultural renaissance, evolving from the popular Spanish- and American-era social dances (like the batsu, cha-cha, jitterbug, disco, reggae, rock and roll) into a widespread movement that revives indigenous ancestral traditions. Today, it has blossomed from a rarely documented art form into a vital pillar of Indigenous cultural reclamation. Through extensive research and the establishment of global gumas (Cultural Houses), practitioners actively distinguish their unique movements from Polynesian styles while passing traditions on to the next generation and beyond Guam’s border.
Every year, the island’s dance groups come together to celebrate their heritage and unique native dance during the Dinana’ Minagof Festival and other competitions held throughout the year. To catch a Chamorro dance performance, check out one of the annual village festivals, or the Chamorro Village Wednesday night market. Many hotels also incorporate Chamorro dance into their nightly dinner shows.
Citations:
Google AI Search: CHamoru Dance 21st Century
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