Culture & dance history
The Kizomba
The origin and evolution of the kizomba: from the Angola of the early '80s to the world, between semba, zouk and a slow, sensual rhythm.
Origin and evolution of the kizomba
The Kizomba was born in Angola (in Luanda) in the early ’80s following the influences of the semba tradition, with kilapanda and merengue. It was the Kimbundu name for a dance in Angola as early as 1894. Since Angola is a former Portuguese colony, Kizomba songs are sung in Portuguese, even though at the beginning they were songs in Kimbundu and in the other national languages of Angola.
The dance style of this dance is also known for being very sensual and for having romantic music.
On this basis, Kizomba emerged as a more modern musical genre with a sensual touch, mixed with African rhythm. Unlike Semba, Kizomba is characterized by a slower and usually very romantic rhythm.
Currently, in Europe and around the world the word “Kizomba” is used for any type of music derived from zouk, even if it is not of Angolan origin; since it is very difficult to distinguish between zouk, cola-zouk and Kizomba, all these styles are called kizombas. Roughly and generically, one can say that Zouk is sung in French, cola-zouk in Cape Verdean Creole and Kizomba in Portuguese or Kimbundu. Although Kizomba was not originally a fusion of semba and zouk, a version of Kizomba influenced by zouk developed, under the name “Kizouk” or “kizombalove”. This zouk-influenced Kizomba (or vice versa) is very popular all over the world.
In Angola most of the clubs are based in Luanda. Among the various Angolan Kizomba musicians, Bonga is probably the best known, having helped to spread the style both in Angola and in Portugal. The influence of Angolan Kizomba is felt in most Portuguese-speaking African countries. The countries where this dance is most popular are Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Portugal, Mozambique, Equatorial Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe, East Timor, Martinique, Brazil and the territory of Macao.
In Portugal, particularly in Lisbon and its surroundings, immigrant communities have established clubs centered on the genre with a renewed style of Kizomba.
The Kizomba spread across Europe in the ’90s, but in Italy it has been known for only a few years.