Beguine

The Beguine (other letters: Biguine ) is often called ballroom dancing understood in the lively 4/4-stroke, as well as a music style . The dancers use Beguine to designate slow music similar to rumba , which they often use instead of too fast rumba music.

The dance originated in the 19th century to the then to France belonging to the Lesser Antilles , where indigenous Caribbean elements there came by African immigrants influences the Bélé combined. The name Beguine is derived from the French s'embéguiner (English: to flirt with someone, to woo someone ). In its three main forms ( béguine de salon , béguine de bal and béguine de rue ) the dance soon reached Paris and from there to other parts of the world, especially through the colonial exhibition of 1931.

The American composer Cole Porter was inspired by the music he got to know in Paris for his world success “Begin The Beguine” (1935). The original theme song from the TV series Star Trek by Alexander Courage is also considered an adaptation of the Beguine .

The Beguine dance is not to be confused with the religious community of the Beguines , which in some languages ​​is written in exactly the same way (or Béguine ) as this one.