Zarabanda

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A lively dance characterized by a slow tempo and triple meter, often associated with Baroque music
2. A type of music and dance that originated in Spain, known for its rhythmic and expressive qualities
3. An energetic and festive performance form that combines distinct musical elements with intricate footwork

Etymology: The Spanish "zarabanda" was a lively, even rowdy dance that arrived in Spain from the Americas in the late 16th century, and it was considered scandalous enough that moralists and officials tried to suppress it. Its name, and the dance's later reputation, traveled north: the French took the word as "sarabande" and it was from French that English borrowed the term. The name's origin is uncertain, so it is safest to say only that it came into Spanish as a foreign import. The dance itself changed character as it moved through Europe. By the 17th century, French and German composers had turned the sarabande into a stately, slow dance in triple meter, often with its emphasis on the second beat, and it became a standard movement in the Baroque dance suite. Handel's and Bach's keyboard suites include famous examples, so the word now mostly calls to mind a solemn, measured piece of music rather than the bawdy dance it once named.

Synonyms: sarabande