*S stands for Song, a category I apply to part of the repertoire of recreational folk dancers. Songs are just that – songs, or sometimes merely melodies, that are well-known in their country of origin, but aren’t necessarily associated with any particular dance. They may be traditional folk songs, or pop songs written in the folk style, or ‘pure’ pop creations that are dance-able. People will dance to them, but there is no culturally agreed upon ‘traditional’ dance that is particular to that song, just as we don’t associate any particular dance with “Blowin’ in the Wind” or “Lady Madonna”.
Flor Amorosa – the song
Pronunciation: flohr ah-moh-ROH-sah, Meaning: Flower of Affection Flor Amorosa is one if the most beloved compositions in Brazil. I found over 40 YouTubes of renditions of the song or melody. Flor Amorosa is a chorinho or blues song, writen by Joaquim Callado and Catullo da Paixão Cearense, full of Brazilian emotion and wit.
Wikipedia “Joaquim Antônio da Silva Calado, Jr. (or Callado; Rio de Janeiro, July 11, 1848 – Rio de Janeiro, March 20, 1880) was a Brazilian composer and flautist…Da Silva is considered one of the creators of the choro genre of music. His band, O Choro do Callado, used an ebony flute, two guitars and a cavaquinho, and was noted for facility at improvisation. Da Silva wrote and co-authored many choros, as a new way of interpreting modinhas, lundus, waltzes and polkas.”
https://fabiocavalcante.bandcamp.com/track/flor-amorosa““Flor amorosa” was composed by Joaquim Callado in the last year of his life, 1880, when he died prematurely, at the age of 31. At the time, the composer and flautist was recognized as the most important figure of the choro scene, that was just starting. “Flor amorosa” was his last known composition, having been published just after his death, with lyrics by Catulo da Paixão Cearense.”
Flor Amorosa lyrics (Google translation)
As might be expected from a 19th century classically trained composer and his lyricist, these lyrics are quite florid, with several layers of meaning not easily translated by Google. I'm hoping these alogrithms are better than nothing, knowing they're no substitute for a competent translator. Anyone out there willing to improve on this?
Flor amorosa compassiva sensitiva vem porque Loving flower; sensitive, compassionate, comes because
E uma rosa orgulhosa presunçosa tão vaidosa And a proud smug rose so vain
Pois olha a rosa tem prazer em ser beijada é flor, É flor Because look, the rose is happy to be kissed, it's a flower, It's a flower
Oh, dei-te um beijo mas perdoa foi à toa meu amor. Oh, I gave you a kiss but forgive it was for nothing my love.
Em uma taça perfumada de coral In a fragrant coral cup
Um beijo dar não bejo mal A kiss give not bad kiss
É um sinal de que por ti me apaixonei It's a sign that I fell in love with you
Talvei em sonhos foi que te beijei Maybe in dreams I kissed you
Si tu pudesses extirpar dos labios meus If you could extirpate from my lips
Um beijo teu tira-o por Deus A kiss from you takes it away for God
Ve se me arrancas esse odor de resedá See if you can get that smell of reseda from me
Sangra-me a boca é um favor vem cá It bleeds my mouth it's a favor come here
Nao deves mais fazer questão You shouldn't question anymore
Ja perdi, queres mais toma o coraçsão I've already lost, you want more, take my heart
Ah, tem dó dos meus ais, perdão Ah, feel sorry for my woes, sorry
Sim ou não, Sim ou não, Olha que estou ajoelhado Yes or no, yes or no, look at me on my knees
A te bejar a te oscular os pes To kiss you to wave your feet
Sob os teus, Sob os teus, ??????? Under yours, Under yours, ????????
Se tu não me quiseres perdoar If you don't want to forgive me
Beijo algum en mais ninguém eu hei de dar Some kiss to no one else I will give
Se ontem beijavas um jasmim do teo jardim If yesterday you kissed a jasmine from the garden
A mim, a mim, Oh, por que juras To me, to me, Oh why do you swear
Mil agruras, mil torturas? por que juras? A thousand hardships, a thousand tortures? why do you swear?
Meu coração ??????????? My heart ???????????
???????????????????
Cantora Lysia Condé Singer Lysia Condé
Flor Amorosa – the dance
Cristiana Menezes choreographed this dance in 2003. The recording she uses is considerably faster than average. I personally love the dance, and the fact that it introduced me to choro. However I’m unable to find any connection between this circle dance with traditional European recreational folk dance steps, and the partner-based polka from which choro music evolved, or from African-derived Brazilian dancing in general – other than the pronounced hip movements.
Folkdance Footnotes 