The Villa Pipol batucada will kick off the Arrecife Carnival this Friday, writing an important chapter in its twelve-year history. For them, being chosen as heralds of the Arrecife Carnival "is a great honor, thus consolidating the importance of batucadas in these and other festivals."
With those twelve years of existence behind them, they confess to having "the same desire to have fun as at the beginning, with the experience of the past years and with the illusion of those to come."
Pioneers
The Villa Pipol Batucada Cultural Association was born in Villa de Teguise in 1998, "on the initiative of a group of enthusiastic friends, in love with the Carnival festivities and with the sole objective of having fun", as they themselves recall. It became at that time the first batucada on the island of Lanzarote, since until then, "there were only comparsas, murgas, choreographic groups, the Parranda Marinera los Buches and the Diabletes de Teguise."
Villa Pipol has actively participated in the Lanzarote carnivals since 1999, touring all the municipalities from party to carnival party, encouraging people with the sound of their instruments to participate in it. "Due to the residence of most of its members and for not having a suitable rehearsal space for this activity", they move to Arrecife, from where they continue to collaborate and participate in galas to elect the Queen of the Carnival, finals of Murgas and parades.
Innovators
But this group is not only seen when the carnival arrives on the island of Lanzarote, and begins to perform parades and performances throughout the year. In that sense, it can be considered a pioneer in introducing the batucada style in socio-cultural animation, making the participation of batucadas in all types of events fashionable.
The members of Villa Pipol like to use in their shows, "the combination of pyrotechnic effects, the rhythm of instruments, the choreography of dances and the sound of voices, creating their own style." But as they say from the batucada, they also like to be part of good causes: "We collaborate with different NGOs, Cultural and Sports Groups of the Island in the realization of shows, trying to fill each event with rhythm and color, to achieve with it and selflessly, to bring to fruition the objectives of the Associations."
Awarded
They have taken their rhythm twice to the FITUR Tourism Fair (2005/2006), and to the Screaning (Film Festivals) in 2005, held in Arrecife, together with Javier Gurruchaga, among many other events in which they have collaborated. They have also participated in several batucada contests, such as "the II Regional meeting of batucadas of Santa Lucía in Gran Canaria in 2007, from where we brought to Lanzarote the first prize for rhythm, first prize for parades and the first special prize from the organizing association." In the Tensamba 2008 Regional Batucada Contest, held in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, they obtained the second prize.
In October 2005, "we organized the first batucada contest on the island of Lanzarote, Seven Drum, with the participation of some of the batucadas and comparsas of the island." Villa Pipol did not compete, as it was the batucada organizing the event, and since 2005 "we have organized the meeting of Batucadas and Performing Arts of the Arrecife Carnival, in the company of juggling groups and batucadas from Lanzarote, in collaboration with the Department of Festivities of the Arrecife City Council."
Among their aspirations is to continue helping, collaborating and participating "as we have done on previous occasions, remaining firm in our convictions."
