Tamborito

El Tamborito, literally translated to “the Little Drum”, is a genre of Panamanian folkloric music and dance dating back as early as the 17th century. The Tamborito is the national song and dance of Panama. The dance is a romantic, couple’s dance, often involving a small percussion ensemble, and in all versions; a female chorus. The Tamborito is performed in formal costumes in front of large, interactive crowds that form a large circle around the performers. The members of such crowds often participate in the percussion of the song as well as the actual dance itself. The Tamborito is most commonly performed during Panamanian festivals, and in particular, the Panama Carnival.

History

The Tamborito is a derivative of mestizo dance and folkloric music, with the melody tracing its roots as far back as the seventeenth century. This genre of folkloric music is a hybrid-mix of the Spanish, Amerindian and African cultures. The rhythm of the Tamborito is of African influence, lyrics tend to be repetitive and, as in West African vocal music, also incorporate popular commentary. Panama’s most famous Tamborito was written in 1918 by Juan Pastor Peredes, put to music by Carmen Lagnon, entitled El tambor de la alegria.