Respuestas
The marinera is the typical dance par excellence and a symbol of Peru. Its popularity has grown over the years and it has positioned itself as one of the most representative dances in the country.
Since 1960 the National Marinera Contest has been held in the city of Trujillo. In its beginnings, it was held at the facilities of the Club Libertad de Trujillo. However, due to the large number of attendees, in 1970 it moved to the Gran Chimú Coliseum.
This dance is the product of a cultural miscegenation with a Spanish and indigenous contribution and a notable influence of African rhythms. Its main antecedent is the fandango, a popular dance typical of Spain, as well as other rhythms from the colonial era.
Some theories indicate that the Spanish nobility performed ballroom and quadrille dances in different celebrations. These dances could be copied by the slaves and gave them their own style.
Many attribute its name to the zamacueca. The story goes that the composer of the melody of the National Anthem of Peru, Bernardo Alcedo, spread the zamacueca in Chile when he was hired as a major musician in the army bands of the neighboring country.
The dance gained popularity and they came to call it "La Chilena", a name that was rejected by the Peruvian people when the War of the Pacific began.
Thus, in 1879, the writer Abelardo Gamarra Rondó, known as El Tunante, baptized this dance as marinera, in honor of Huáscar and the exploits of Miguel Grau. In addition, he put lyrics to a composition by the Creole musician José Alvarado who would become the dean of all the sailors: La Concheperla.
In this way, this dance began to proliferate, becoming one of the most important in the country.