Calinda

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A spirited dance originating in the Caribbean, characterized by rhythmic hip and body movements performed to drums and music
2. A vigorous traditional dance from Caribbean culture performed to the beat of drums with energetic gyrating motions
3. An exuberant Caribbean dance form featuring rhythmic body movement and swaying, traditionally accompanied by percussion instruments

Etymology: Calinda names a fast, drum-driven dance marked by vigorous hip movement. Its origin is uncertain, but scholars often trace it to Central African languages such as Kikongo or Kimbundu. It may also be linked to the Spanish "calenda," the name of a lively dance, though which word influenced the other is unclear. In the Caribbean and Louisiana, Africans and their descendants performed the calinda at gatherings, and European observers often wrote about it with disapproval. Their accounts kept the name alive in colonial records and travel writing. Some describe a stick duel between two dancers, a feature found in several related Caribbean dances.