coladeira

The coladeira (Portuguese pronunciation: [kulɐˈðɐjɾɐ]; Cape Verdean Creole: koladera, [kolɐˈdeɾɐ]) is a music genre from the Cape Verde islands in the central Atlantic Ocean.

It is characterized by a variable tempo, a 2-beat bar, and (in its most traditional form) a harmonic structure based in a cycle of fifths. The lyrics structure is organized in strophes that alternate with a refrain. The tone is generally joyful and themes often include social criticism. Instrumentation typically includes a guitar, a cavaquinho, and percussion, among others.

According to oral tradition, the genre originated in the 1930s when the composer Anton’ Tchitch’ intentionally speeded up the tempo of a morna. In the 1950s, it began to incorporate electronic influences, and beginning in the 1980s it was influenced by compas music from Haiti.

Coladeira also refers to a ballroom dance done in pairs accompanied by the music.

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