One of the favorite parts of the annual Portuguese Festival held in late June is the arrival of the Portuguese dancers. These talented young men and women — and boys and girls — are carrying on a generations-deep tradition going back to the Portuguese mainland and the Cape Verdean Islands where many of their parents or grandparents emigrated from.
Wearing traditional outfits, a somber black and white for the boys sometimes paired with a colorful vest and very colorful, embroirdered wide skirts and scarves for the girls, the young dancers perform a variety of traditional dances accompanied by bands and singers also in traditional garb. The dances range from a slower, almost stately pace, to wild leaping and twirling as the lead male often shouts out dance commands.
The band features guitar, drums and accordion and the singers deliver in a particular keening type of vocal style.
The dancers performed on Ryder Street for a couple of hours on Saturday and took part in the parade later that afternoon. Some stayed for the Blessing of the Fleet procession on Sunday. (See video of the Blessing posted this coming Sunday on this site.).
Jun 28th, 2007
