Politics and Música Bailable in Colombia: an approach to ‘paisa’ regionalism from music, dance and aesthetics

Abstract

This paper is the result of research on the relationship between music, dance, aesthetics and regionalism in Colombia. It is an approach to the case of the region of Antioquia, whose inhabitants are known colloquially as ‘paisas’. Here, I aim to answer questions about the way in which certain kinds of music, dance and celebration, models a regional aesthetic repertoire that have spread throughout the country particularly since the 1960s, building what could be thought of as a type of hegemony that has political impacts. Firstly, I describe what ‘paisas’ are, and then talk about the concept of Música Bailable, to situate it as a starting point for thinking, following the descriptions of authors who have studied the theme in depth. Then, in the different sessions of the article, I try to answer how this `paisa´ way has spread throughout the country through music, dance and party, supporting what seems to me, could be considered as an aesthetic hegemony that extends the scope of the political exercise. Finally, I offer some open-ended conclusions to continue the considerations that have been started here, based on new research and hypotheses that may eventually contribute to the theme.