Lesson 2: Learning “Chacarera del Rancho”
Aim: What happens when you layer one rhythm on top of another?
Summary: Students learn to sing the song “Chacarera del Rancho” and
dance the chacarera while exploring rhythmic layers.
Standards: National 1, 5, 7, 11
Vocabulary: chacarera, palmas, rhythmic layers
“Chacarera del Rancho”
Text
Chorus:
Cuando chacareras comienzo a cantar
¿Cuál ha de ser, cuál ha de
ser?
Esta chacarera del rancho señor,
Claro que sí, claro si pues.
Dentro de mi rancho colgado un horcón
Tengo un violín, tengo un violín,
Es de algarrobo, también de mistol
Hecho por mí, hecho por mí.
Algo medio chico es mi rancho tal vez,
Para los dos, para los dos,
Ya me estoy haciendo cerquita al Salao
Uno mejor, uno mejor.
(Chorus)
Yo le he hecho al rancho un alero especial,
Para bailar, para cantar,
Para darme el gusto y allí vidalear
De navidad a carnaval.
Un hornito e’ barro mortero y fogón
Tengo además, tengo además
Y a mi negra chura que sabe
matear
Para que más, para que más.
Si alguna guagüita pudiera tener
Uy, que feliz! Uy, que feliz!
Pero como dicen que Dios proveerá
Ya ha de venir, ya ha de venir.
(Chorus)
Translation
Chorus:
When I start singing chacareras
Which one should it be? Which one should it
be?
Should it be Chacarera del Rancho?
Of course, of course.
Inside my shack hung on a pitchfork
I have a violin, I have a violin,
Made out of carob tree and mistol too.
I made it myself, I made it myself.
My shack is a bit small perhaps
For both of us, for both of us.
Now I am building, near El Salao,
One that is better, one that is better.
(Chorus)
I have made special eaves for my shack
To dance, to sing
To give me pleasure, and to party there
From Christmas to Carnival.
A little clay oven, a mortar, and a fireplace
I have as well, I have as well,
And my chura girl who knows how to serve
mate,
Why more, why more.
If I could also have a baby,
Oh, how happy! Oh, how happy!
But as they say that “God will provide,”
It will come, soon it will come.
(Chorus)
Dance the Chacarera
The chacarera is a dance from the state of Santiago del Estero and is celebrated as the rural counterpart to the more cosmopolitan tango. Male dancers circle around their respective female partners, enticing them with foot stomping (zapateo), while the females coyly swish their skirts and twirl about (zarandeo).
Traditionally, the chacarera is accompanied by a bombo legüero, guitar, and singer. The rhythm is characterized by the high- pitched sound of the mallet hitting the rim ofthe drum (“cha”), and the low-pitched sound of hitting the head of the drum (“koon”).
Learn the Chacarera
- The chacarera is danced in pairs; partners face each other and maintain eye contact throughout the dance. The music is in 6/8 time, and has two strong beats in each measure (1 2 3 4 5 6). The dance movements fall on those two strong beats. Review the video for a demonstration.
- There are three movements. Movements 2 and 3 are performed back-to-back as a pair.
- Movement 1: Avance y retroceso
- Arms are lifted with slightly bent elbows, thumbs tap the palmas rhythm against the fingers.
- Partners walk towards each other for two counts (one measure).
- Partners retreat from each other for two counts (one measure).
- Movement 2: Vuelta entera
- Arms are lifted with slightly bent elbows; thumbs tap the palmas rhythm against the fingers.
- Partners circle around each other for four counts (two measures).
- Movement 3: Zapateo y zarandeo
- On each strong beat (1 2 3 4 5 6), “caballeros” (“gentlemen”) tap their feet in place with their hands behind their back, and “damas” (“ladies”) swish their skirts.
Avance y retroces
(“forward and backward”)
Vuelta entera
(“full circle”)
Zapateo y zarandeo
(“footwork and swishing”)
Perform the Chacarera
Play “Chacarera del Rancho,” Track 27.
- During the sung portions of the song, students perform the avance y retroceso and vuelta entera for a total of eight counts.
- During the instrumental sections, students perform the zapateo y zarandeo.
- During the body percussion solo section, invite students to improvise using their own body percussion or classroom instruments.
Creative Extension
Create a Dance with Rhythmic Layers
Your students will work with partners to create their own dance rhythms using rhythmic layers on Compose Your Own Dance Rhythm (PDF). They can name their dance and can also create a dance movement that they teach to the class. More advanced students can use notation in this activity.
Literacy Extension
Las Manchas Del Sapo: How the Toad Got His Spots
The bilingual book Las Manchas Del Sapo: How the Toad Got His Spots by Marjorie E. Herrmann tells the tale of Luisito, a musical toad who is trying to join the birds dancing in the sky.
Musical Word Wall
Add the words chacarera, palmas, and rhythmic layers to the Musical Word Wall.
Image Credits
“Mate” by Derek Oyen is licensed by CC BY-NC 2.0.