Fado Português de Nós is a Sacred Circle dance choreographed by Nanni Kloke to the Portuguese Fado/Jazz song “Fado Português de Nós” by the Portuguese singer Mariza. It’s a simple dance to a catchy and playful Fado-ish song, although most Fados are usually not so peppy and rather melancholy about the hard lives of the poor and working class—especially those of maritime proletariat (sailors, bohemians, dock workers, port traders, fishwives and other working-class people).
| Dance Name: | Fado Português de Nós |
| Translation: | A Portuguese Fado by Us (A Fado About the Fado) |
| Aliases: | Fado Portugues de Nos |
| Choreographer: | Nanni Kloke |
| Taught in USA by: | Ira Weisburd |
| Year: | ≥ 2005 |
| Country of Origin: | Germany/Netherlands |
| Music Genre: | Portuguese Fado/Jazz |
| Dance Type: | Circle/Chain/Line: non-partner |
| Dance Category: | Sacred Circle |
| Folk Status: | Recreational, Non-Ethnic |
| Skill Level: | Easy |
| Energy Intensity: | Moderate |
| Song: | Fado Português de Nós by Mariza on the album Transparente, 2005 |
| Time Signature: | 2/4 |
| Pattern: | 8-bars to R then mirror to L (QQS) x2, (SS QQS) x 3 |
| Dancer Formation: | Closed Circle |
| Hand Hold: | V-position |
| Leads to: | Fwd w/ R |
| Date Taught: | 8/15/2023 |
| Teacher: | David |
| Published: | August 8, 2023 |
| Updated: | July 27, 2024 |
Ira Weisburd teaches this dance widely in North America. He learned it at Jeannette Schwartzman’s class in Drunen in the southern Netherlands. (YouTube video note). Nanni Kloke, practitioner of the Harmony Method and Sacred Circle Dance instructor and choreographer, is said to be the choreographer of this dance (YouTube note by Dale Adamson.)
The pattern of the dance follows the music, but one still must pay attention to hold that pattern of quicks and slows and not drift into trance… (see Pattern: in the table to the left)
If you are not familiar with the Portuguese Fado genre of music, you should be! I have been a fan for quite some time. While I don’t understand any of the Portuguese language, I understand the feeling of the music, as is the reason for music… There have been so many Fados written, it was about time that someone wrote a Fado about The Fado!
Mariza, the Singer of “Fado Português de Nós”
Born on 16 December 1973 as Marisa dos Reis Nunes to a Portuguese father and a Mozambican mother, Mariza began singing a wide variety of musical styles at an early age. Her father encouraged her to pursue Fado in order to gain greater acceptance into the Portuguese community. She released her first album in 2001, Fado em Mim. She has sold multi-platinum of several albums and is inarguably the genre’s best-known global representative for the 21st century. * Wikipedia * www.mariza.com * AllMusic *
Dancing Examples
Music: Fado Português de Nós and an Actual Fado
Lyrics
LyricsTranslate.com and my own touch up with Google TranslateNasceu de ser Português Fez-se à vida pelo mundo Foi p´lo sonho vagabundo Foi pela terra abraçado //: Bem querido ou mal amado O Fado.:// Viveu de ser Português Foi alegre e foi gingão Por ser um fado é cançao Por ser futuro é passado //: Mal querido ou bem amado O Fado.:// Cada vez mais Português Anda nas asas do vento Ás vezes solta um lamento E pede p´ra ser achado //: Ele é querido, ele é amado O Fado.x3//Born to be Portuguese Made a living around the world It was for the vagabond dream It was embraced by the earth //: Well-loved or unloved The Fado.:// Lived to be Portuguese It was happy and it was cautious Because it's a Fado, it's a song For being future is past //: Badly hated or well loved The Fado.:// Every time more Portuguese Ride in the wings of the wind Sometimes is lets out a lament And asks to be found //: He's a dear, he's loved The Fado.x3//