Bolero to Bachata

Objectives

José Camarón y Bononat / SFC BrentJosé Camarón y Bononat / SFC BrentHuntHunt ( / https://commons.wikimedia.org/( / https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/wiki/File:CAB_Soldiers_celebrate_Hispanic_American_month_DVIDS118605.jpg)File:CAB_Soldiers_celebrate_Hispanic_American_month_DVIDS118605.jpg).El Bolero / Soldiers Dance Bachata(Public Domain)

OverviewOverview

Students will learn about two classicaland modern dances and the musicassociated with them.

This lesson plan is perfect for HispanicHeritage Month.

Time frame: 30 minutes

Musical SelectionMusical Selection

Boléro - Maurice Ravel

StandardsStandards

Music StandardsMusic Standards: MU.5-8.M-AP-M2,MU.5-8.M-HP-M1, MU.5-8.M-HP-M2,MU.5-8.M-CA-M4, MU.9-12.M-AP-H2,MU.9-12.M-HP-H1, MU.9-12.M-HP-H2,MU.9-12.M-CA-H4

Correlated StandardsCorrelated Standards: Dance (DA.5-8.D-HP-M1, DA.5-8.D-HP-M1, DA.9-12.D-HP-H1, DA.9-12.D-HP-H1)

Preparatory Exercise

Using a map, globe, or digital resource (such as Google EarthGoogle Earth (earth.google.com)(earth.google.com)), find thefollowing places:

• Spain (where the Bolero dance comes from)• France (where composer Maurice Ravel comes from)

Then, identify other regions where the Spanish language is spoken.

On how many continents is Spanish spoken? How wide-spread is it?

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Composer Profile

Maurice RavelMaurice Ravel

Unknown, via WikimediaUnknown, via WikimediaCommonsCommons<https://commons.wikimedia.org/<https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/wiki/File%3AMaurice_Ravel_1925.jpg>File%3AMaurice_Ravel_1925.jpg>. (1875-1937) (Public Domain)

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) was a French Impressionistcomposer. He was born in Ciboure, France in a Basquevillage very close to the Spanish border. He is well-knownfor his pieces that make extensive use of the manydifferent timbres*timbres* (pronounced TAM-bers) in theorchestra, such as Boléro (1928), La valse (1920), Rapsodieespagnole (1908), and especially an orchestraltranscription of Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at anExhibition (1922).

*Timbre*Timbre is a word that comes from French. It refers to howa composer or arranger mixes the sounds of differentinstruments in the orchestra. Think of this as the way apainter mixes two colors to form a different one.

Lesson Content

Classic Bolero

A BoleroBolero (pronounced boe-LEH-doh) is a Spanish dancethought to be invented in 1780. It can be danced by a couple or a soloist. It is part of thetradition that includes more familiar styles such as flamenco.

Boleros have a few common musical characteristics:

• Tempo:Tempo: Moderately slow• Meter:Meter: 3/4 Time (three beats per measurer)• RhythmRhythm: Notable triplets* on 2nd and sometimes 3rd beat• Instruments:Instruments: Castanets, a percussion instrument shaped like a clam shell that

makes a loud "click" or "snap", are often used.

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*Triplets*Triplets are when three notes are performed in the space of two.

Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y DeporteMinisterio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte <https://www.mecd.gob.es/portada-<https://www.mecd.gob.es/portada-mecd/>mecd/> . Choreography fragment that illustrates the context and style of music andChoreography fragment that illustrates the context and style of music anddance around the era of the 1812 Constitution in Spaindance around the era of the 1812 Constitution in Spain <https://www.youtube.com/<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_QBgHu463s>watch?v=t_QBgHu463s> (Standard YouTube License)

Ravel's Boléro

Ravel's Boléro has many of these features as well! The tempo is moderately slow, themeter is in triple time (3/4), the triplets are prominent in the 2nd and 3rd beats, and therole of the castanets is filled by the snare drum.

Ravel repeats the same musical phrase throughout the piece with different combinationsof instruments. What are some of the instruments you hear just in this excerpt?

Toronto Symphony OrchestraToronto Symphony Orchestra <http://www.tso.ca/><http://www.tso.ca/> . Toronto Symphony OrchestraToronto Symphony Orchestraperforms Ravel's Bolero at TEDxToronto (Highlights)performs Ravel's Bolero at TEDxToronto (Highlights) <https://www.youtube.com/<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b07QzVR-LB4>watch?v=b07QzVR-LB4> (Standard YouTube License)

Evolution to Bachata

Long before Ravel composed Boléro, a different version of the Bolero sprang up in Cubaand the Dominican Republic. This one only had two beats per measure, and the rhythm isoften carried by a bongo drum or tambora drum. As this dance went from the country intothe cities, it became a separate style called bachatabachata (pronounced vah-CHAH-tah or bah-CHAH-tah).

Here is an example of the basic dance.

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Bachata Basic Step in PlaceBachata Basic Step in Place <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSzObaoaN9Y><https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSzObaoaN9Y>(Standard YouTube License)

And here's an example of the music:

Prince Royce. La CarreteraLa Carretera <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h9xCs2at8o><https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h9xCs2at8o>(Standard YouTube License)

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Enrichment Activities

Get Up And Dance!

Learn more about how to dance bachata from these tutorialsthese tutorials <https://www.youtube.com/<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSzObaoaN9Y&index=2&list=PLLALQuK1NDrjZBzmTEMbcEf71d1I8VeEe>watch?v=aSzObaoaN9Y&index=2&list=PLLALQuK1NDrjZBzmTEMbcEf71d1I8VeEe> .

Learn and Sing in Spanish

Spanish-language classes can learn and study modern bachata music using these guidesthese guides<http://www.theimmersiveclassroom.com/teachingprinceroyce.html><http://www.theimmersiveclassroom.com/teachingprinceroyce.html> . Note that theseresources are provided by another teacher through Teachers Pay Teachers with small feesfor each.

Dive in Deep with Ravel's Boléro

This LPO lesson planThis LPO lesson plan <https://lpomusic.com/Online/article/bolero_lesson><https://lpomusic.com/Online/article/bolero_lesson> from ourarchives has much more information about Ravel's piece, including what it could havemeant about the composer's brain.

LPO's Open Rehearsals

On September 14th, 2017, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra performed Ravel's Boléroat an Open Rehearsal. These rehearsals, held throughout the year during the school day,are great opportunities to see how a professional symphony orchestra rehearses.Attendees will usually get to see most (if not all) of that week's concert program.

School groups that book in advance can also meet with a musician from the orchestrabefore the rehearsal or during the rehearsal break for a brief Q&A.

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Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike License 4.0Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike License 4.0<http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/><http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/>

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You can find the full schedule of Open Rehearsals herehere <https://www.lpomusic.com/<https://www.lpomusic.com/Online/article/open-rehearsals>Online/article/open-rehearsals> . Prices are $6 per student ($3 for Title I schools) and $6per adult (with one free teacher/chaperone ticket for every 10 students). Contact Jacob formore information (jacob.garcia@lpomusic.comjacob.garcia@lpomusic.com (mailto:jacob.garcia@lpomusic.com)(mailto:jacob.garcia@lpomusic.com)or504-523-6530 x 502).

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