Honduras: PUNTA
– dance of the Garifuna people of Honduras
and Belize
– version of rooster/chicken courting,
though with much more hip shaking than
the Chilean cueca
– More popular since late '70s with advent of
Punta Rock
HOW WE DANCE PUNTA IN CLASS
– Step 1: you need some raucous punta rock music
– Step 2: get ready. this will be exhausting.
– Step 3: start dancing--SHAKE THAT BOTTOM!! Shoulders
can move around and arms can be in the air, but the real
motion here is in the rear.
– Step 4: dance in place, then spin while dancing—keep that
bottom moving.
– Step 5: dance in place again, then stop when you want (or
need) to. You made it!
Honduras: PUNTA
for teachers
Introducing Punta
The Garifuna are a distinct Afro-Caribbean group that originated in 1635 when a boat carrying
African slaves shipwrecked off of the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. The survivors integrated
into the Carib population and developed their own West African/Caribbean language and
culture. Within two centuries the Garifuna had settled in several locations along the Central
American coastline, yet, unlike many cultures, maintained their own communities and never
fully integrated into the Spanish-influenced mainstream. The Garifuna Punta is both a
distinct musical genre and a dance that involves a lot of hip shaking.
How to dance Punta in class:
Step 1:
Prepare by making sure you have one of the suggested Punta rock videos ready to play, or
some playful dance club music from the region.
Step 2:
Introduce this dance to your students while they are sitting down. Let them know there are
a variety of different types of punta dancing, and that the one we're doing is a modern
version you may encounter at a party.
Step 3:
Have everyone stand, get that music going and start dancing--SHAKE THAT BOTTOM!!
We're going for fun here, bypassing specific punta moves, but watch the energy level in your
classroom. If students forget, remind them they don't have to bump into each other to do this
dance.
Step 4:
Dancing is tiring! No need to punta on to the end of a song. Stop when you want (or
need) to.
Video suggestions:
(These links lead online. Watch first to confirm suitability for your classroom, especially with a hipshaking dance like Punta.)
– “Garifuna Punta”
– “Baile de Punta – Sambo Creek Honduras”
– “Belize vs. Honduras Punta”
– “A Story About the Garifuna Documentary”
Follow-up for your classroom:
Students may enjoy talking about dances that are or have recently been popular at parties
and researching their origins to find out if they, like Punta, have deep roots. For example,
many believe the Harlem Shake to be a descendant of the Ethiopian eskista. Eeven pop
culture doesn't exist in a vacuum, and, if set to task, your enterprising students may
discover a history behind current trends.