New generations, older bodies:danzón, age and ‘cultural rescue’ in the Port of Veracruz, Mexico

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Understandings and discourses about age have tended to be instrumental to popular music in terms of production, promotion and consumption, and many studies of popular music have taken younger people, and especially ‘youth’ cultures, as their subject matter. Where older people have been considered, the focus has mostly been retrospective, that is on their experiences when young and their attitudes to contemporary ‘youth’ cultures, rather than relationships between the temporal dimension of the life course and music. As the case of danzón illustrates, stereotypes that older people are resistant to novelty, change and possibility are ill founded. Moreover, where age is used to justify rescuing ‘cultural traditions’, caution may be called for and analysis required to assess what lies behind such claims and why. In Veracruz, the older age of the majority of danzón performers is evoked to ‘authenticate’ this local ‘tradition’, and justify its ‘rescue’ and promotion by Veracruz's culture industries. Yet, older people are not considered repositories of ‘tradition’ or sought out as ‘authentic’ practitioners. Instead, many older performers are new to danzón.</jats:p>

Urban revitalisation with music and dance in the Port of Veracruz, Mexico

“…Second, in 1987, the State Government of Veracruz created the Veracruz's Institute of Culture (IVEC), which aimed to foster and reactivate traditions by organising cultural events and teaching folkloric music and dance. The increased popularity of Cuban music, especially son montuno and danzón in public space has reinforced the idea that they are something 'Veracruzano', although they are not (Malcomson 2012). Similar to other historic centres in Mexico, in Veracruz, this idea continued after the creation of IVEC and a 'Cultural Rescue' programme, the urban policies to protect historic centres, and local programmes to increase the tourism.…”

Danzoneros, recreación y sociabilidad en adultos mayores a través del baile en Ciudad de México

“…En lo que respecta al danzón como práctica recreativa de consumo cultural es importante reseñar su evolución en el tiempo, en tanto se trata de un género musical bailable que surgió en Cuba a finales del siglo xix, llegó a México a los pocos años y entre 1920 y 1960 las clases populares y el surgi miento de las diversiones nocturnas vinculó el género musical del danzón a lo popular (Jiménez, 1998;Flores y Escalante, 1994;Sevilla, 2003). En la década de los noventa, el danzón como práctica recreativa experimentó un revival definido en términos conceptuales por Livingston (1999) como formas de recuperación musical en riesgo de desaparecer que suponen la restauración de un sistema cultural (Malcomson, 2012;Tamariz, 2016). Se trata de prácticas relegadas al pasado con la adaptación a los intereses y lecturas de la sociedad contemporánea.…”

Práticas musicais, comunidade, localidade e velhice

“…Comunidades musicais como bandas de música, ao lado de outros grupos instrumentais e aprendizado coletivo de instrumentos, podem proporcionar aos seus integrantes uma melhor socialização, comunicação, criatividade, melhoria da cognição e preenchimento do tempo livre, além de possibilitar uma melhor compreensão sobre a velhice. Alguns desses exemplos podemos verificar em pesquisas de Hettie Malcomson (2012), que mostra um grupo de danzón formado por idosos de Porto de Veracruz, México, onde, através dessa prática, os integrantes resgatam a tradição do danzón na região, além de se exercitarem e interagirem com outras pessoas; Meygla Bueno (2008), que trabalhou a criatividade, coordenação e a memória através do aprendizado da flauta doce com um grupo de associação de idosos de Goiânia, essa pesquisa verificou que a prática musical colabora para um melhor envelhecimento; e Marilda Lopes (2008) que pesquisou integrantes idosos de um grupo de choro em Vitória, sua pesquisa constatou que os idosos "chorões" tinham a autoestima elevada devido à interação coletiva.…”