The Panamanian punto (Spanish: ''punto panameño'' or ''el punto'') is a Hispanic musical genre which includes melodic and choreographic form. It has composition created specifically for dance, typically performed by a single couple as a demonstration of skill, precision and grace. Unlike the

tamborito El Tamborito, literally translated to "the Little Drum", is a genre of Panamanian Folk music, folkloric music and Folk dance, dance dating back as early as the 17th century. Likewise, it is the typical genre of the north coast of the Colombian Pac ...

and the Panamanian

cumbia Cumbia refers to a number of musical rhythms and folk dance traditions of Latin America, generally involving musical and cultural elements from American Indigenous peoples, enslaved Africans during colonial times, and Europeans. Examples include: ...

, it is performed as an intermission between other dances or music at a party or event.

Choreography

Traditionally, one male and one female participant perform the dance. The dance begins with the male kneeling with his left knee on the floor. Once the music begins to play, he takes the hands of the female dancer, who circles around him to the beat of the music. The male and female back away from each other, often emoting longing and passion. The male then initiates the dance with the following steps, repeating in order two or three times: # ''El Paseo'' () – The male and the female walk around in a wide circle. # ''El Zapateo'' – Face to face, the dancers show off their skill and dexterity during a change of music. # ''El Escobillao'' – The couple separate widely, often with a short backward-running movement. # ''El Seguidilla'' – The couple move closer and rotate with finesse in the center of the circle until a musical change indicates a return to the ''paseo''.

Music

The musical accompaniment includes: * rabel – a rustic folk-fiddle with two or three strings of twisted horse-hair, this is the chief instrument which interprets the melody. An

accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German ''Akkordeon'', from ''Akkord''—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a reed ...

may be substituted. *

mejoranera The mejoranera or mejorana is a folkloric chordophone from Panama. It is carved from one block of wood (usually cedar) or from dry fibers of Bejuco, and is shaped like a small guitar. It has five nylon, horse hair, or gut strings. The mejoraner ...

– a folk

chordophone String instruments, stringed instruments, or chordophones are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer plays or sounds the strings in some manner. Musicians play some string instruments by plucking the st ...

shaped like a short-necked guitar, accompanies the chief instrument. *

flamenco guitar A flamenco guitar is a guitar similar to a classical guitar but with thinner tops and less internal bracing. It usually has nylon strings, like the classical guitar, but it generally possesses a livelier, more gritty sound compared to the clas ...

(Spanish guitar) – a common folk instrument which may substitute or accompany the mejoranera. *

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

– traditionally of deer hide tensioned with ropes and wedges. The ripper or reamer drum (''tambor repicador'') has a high pitch and accompanies the melody. The bass drum (''tambor pujador'') and Hispanic snare drum set the rhythm. Drums were not original to the genre and trumpets, common in traditional Spanish music, may also be added. The punto's characteristic time corresponds, in terms of classical rhythms, to an iambic dipodia. The melodic ''cantilena'' of the punto alternates two and three, with the trio predominating; the accompanying formula is invariable of ternary subdivision.

Regional variants

This is a partial list of the regional variants of the punto: *Punto Santeño – This is the most-popular form in Panama. It features walking, dancing, brushing, jumping, and then the ''seguidilla'' where the man performs with hands raised. *Punto Ocueño – This has a free-style ''zapateo'', omits the ''escobillao'' phase, and the ''seguidilla'' is performed with hands joined. *Puntos of Chorrera: These are danced with very specific music and choreography, distinct from the santeño form. **Punto de Diablos – performed by members of the Grandiablos dance at the end of their demonstration, and includes several pairs of dancers who interact to humorous effect. **Punto de Salon – performed by one couple at a time. *Punto de Parita – This displays striking movements similar to the Punto de Salon. *Punto de Mejorana – Similar to the ''zapateo'' with variation in the formation of the round. A striking difference from other dances of this type is that only men can move outside the circle. The woman may make an unusual flourish with her skirts. **Punto costeño – a variation with embellishments to a series of arpeggios.

References

{{reflist Panamanian folk music Dance in Panama Dance music genres Folk dances Folk music