As a Spanish teacher, I like to look for opportunities to integrate culture into my curriculum. Sometimes this happens unintentionally, but I often have to look for opportunities to make it happen. I have found that music is a great way to bring some culture into my classes. This time I am sharing  a song with you that is part of my music collection which is available on iTunes. Before you start dancing with your students you might want to share with them that cumbia is a traditional music that has its own dance and originated on the Caribbean Coast of Colombia.  Cumbia itself has influenced other rhythms in Latin America. As a proud Colombian whose both parents were born on the Colombian Caribbean Coast, I grew up listening to cumbia and vallenato 24-7, so I have a special love for it.

What a great opportunity to pull out a map and locate Colombia. You can also show a clip of the Colombian cumbia dancers to your students. The song in the following clip is called “El Pescador” and is sung by Colombian singer “Totó la Momposina.”

Ready to try some cumbia in your class? This cumbia is perfect for teaching parts of the body.