Yanvalou

Yanvalou is a rhythm and dance of Haitian Vodou. Named after its associated movements, yanvalou may be interpreted to mean supplication. There are a number of variations of the dance based on the position of the body during the dance's characteristic undulations: yanvalou debout, yanvalou z'épaules, and yanvalou dos bas or, respectively, “upright,” “isolated shoulders,” and “crouching.”

Yanvalou is primarily reserved for rituals and ceremonies. Peformed for the Haitian lwa, or deities, Aida Wedo, Erzulie, and Ogou, and sometimes for the Gede, the dance is used to reinforce community and solidarity, as well as to induce a trance-like state in which the dancers may be possessed by these lwa. The movements of yanvalou have been described as fluid and are performed by creating undulating circular movements through the dancer's spine, chest, and solar plexus. The dancer's body leans forward with knees bent while it undulates. While the upper body is undulating, the dancer's feet slide sideways with a pause on the fourth beat of the rhythm. Leaning forward even farther in the position of yanvalou dos bas, the dance appears even more serpentine. The serpentine movement is said to imitate the movement of Damballah (the lwa associated with the snake) through the undulating experience of the dancer.

The dance is not for performance or entertainment, but is a communicative tool between the physical and spiritual realms. Specific rhythms and associated dances, during Haitian Vodou rites, communicate directly with specific individual lwa or groups of them. In the case of yanvalou, the rhythm and dance are used to open ceremonies and are usually the first performed. Not only does the dance serve the purpose of preparing the body for other strenuous dances to follow; it is also said to result in a state of ecstasy that may release participants from emotional conflict and therefore place them in a state of total relaxation.

Some have linked yanvalou to the purpose of female empowerment. It has been called the “dance of the embryo,” and it is said to represent the birthing process as evidenced by its focus on the belly and pelvis of the dancer. The dance is also to be particularly empowering sexually, especially for women, because it celebrates the power of the feminine as well as the beauty of women. The fact that the dance is performed for Damballah's wife, Ayida Wedo, and for Erzulie, the lwa of love and of women, seems to support this supposition. Interestingly, Erzulie is also said to be a wife of Damballah.

Yanvalou is most commonly associated with the Rada lwa of Haiti. Because this particular nanchon, or nation, of lwa is said to have come to Haiti from Dahomey, it is no surprise that the movements of yanvalou are similar to dances currently performed in this area of West Africa. Additionally, the lwa of Rada are known for their gentle nature, and the dance is indeed more fluid than some of the other dances of Haitian Vodou associated with the Petwo nanchon.

The high season for yanvalou is Carnival, although it may be danced whenever humans need to communicate with the group of lwa associated with the dance. The dance is supported by the rhythm of the same name that is played by three [Page 733]drums, the petit, seconde, and maman, which are accompanied by the ogan, or a piece of iron that is beaten during the rhythm.

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