A cuna from the repertoire of Santa Fe musicians Tomas Maes, Mariano Romero, and Antonio Rivera. Alma Castro - violin Tanya Nuñez - upright bass Jordan Wax - accordion, second violin, guitars The cuna is a New Mexican dance that has been danced at bailes and fandangos for many centuries. It involves two couples who dance one section apart and then join together to form an intricate four-way armhold that is reminiscent of a cradle (cuna in Spanish). The tunes, of which there are many, alternate between two rhythms that fit the forms of the dance. The elegant cradle-section is always a bouncing swing, but the rhythm of the double-time section is particular to each different cuna.

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