Music and dance an aspect of Caribbean culture Essay

Music and dance an aspect of Caribbean culture - Essay Example It is acknowledged that the creolization of the Caribbean culture may well be the key to understanding the numerous and interrelated forms of music and dance expression. In Caribbean music and dance, one can find an ever-changing mixture of percussion and vocal styles traceable to West Africa; as well as melodic and harmonic forms derived from European culture. Caribbean musicians have blended and simmered these musical influences, transforming the various ingredients into something new and unique. And of course, there is continual cross–fertilization among the islands, as variations are made to keep the music fresh, making for the Caribbean’s vital input into the international music scene. One by one rumba, beguine, calypso and reggae have taken not only the United States but the entire world by storm. Part of the power and allure of the Caribbean music is its constant rediscovery of the island’s African heritage. The steel drum of Trinidad evokes the drum choirs of West Africa, salsa and even reggae are drawn from the call-and-response style of West Africa. The music and dance culture of Caribbean lands have changed with the growth of national pride and numerous American influence. In recent years, Jamaican reggae has exerted the greatest influence on the international market of any Caribbean music. The music of the Caribbean is dance music, meant to provide a few moments of freedom from the routines of daily existence. According to, â€Å"the dances of the Caribbean nations mostly are comprised of social dances..†