jota

The tradition & historical record

The jota (pronounced [ˈxota]) is a genre of music and the associated dance known throughout Spain, most likely originating in either Aragon or the Valencian Community. It varies by region, having a characteristic form in Aragon (where it is the most important), Mallorca, Catalonia, León, Castile, Navarre, Cantabria, Asturias, Galicia, La Rioja, Murcia and Eastern Andalusia. Being a visual representation, the jota is danced and sung accompanied by castanets, and the interpreters tend to wear regional costumes. In Valencia, the jota was once danced during interment ceremonies. The jota tends to have a 34 rhythm, although some authors maintain that the 68 is better adapted to the poetic and choreographic structure. For their interpretation, guitars, bandurrias, lutes, dulzaina, and drums are used in the Castilian style, while the Galicians use bagpipes, drums, and bombos. Theatrical versions are sung and danced with regional costumes and castanets, though such things are not used when dancing the jota in less formal settings. The content of the songs is quite diverse, from patriotism to religion to sexual exploits. In addition to this, the songs also have the effect of helping to generate a sense of local identity and cohesion. The steps have an appearance not unlike that of the waltz, though in the case of the jota, there is much more variation. Furthermore, the lyrics tend to be written in eight-syllable quartets, with assonance in the first and third verses. ¹

The medieval word "xiota" (pronounced [ˈʃota] or [ˈʃɔta]), derives from Mozarabic šáwta "jump", ultimately from Latin saltāre "to jump". Due to phonetic changes, it has become jota (pronounced [ˈxota]) in modern Spanish (reborrowed to Valencian as jota [ˈxota], or cota [ˈkɔta]) and hotia (pron. [ˈxota]) or ixota (pron. [iˈʃota]) in Aragonese; Valencian: [ˈxota]; Asturian: xota [ˈʃota]; Galician: xota [ˈʃɔtɐ]. ¹

The Aragonese jota is the best-known expression of Aragonese folklore. It dates as far back as the 18th century, and reached the pinnacle of its splendor in the 19th century. Due to the complexities of the dance steps and manner of singing, the jota has evolved. Since the end of the 19th century, heavily choreographed versions have often been made for zarzuelas, movies, contests, festivals, and other entertainments. The most pure forms of the jota can still be found in Calanda, Alcañiz, Andorra, Albalate, and Zaragoza. Nowadays there exist many modern varieties of the jota which are performed by various folkloric groups. Among the most popular can be found: Jota de San Lorenzo (Huesca), Jota Vieja, Aragón Tierra Bravía, Gigantes y Cabezudos, La Dolores (these two are taken from the zarzuela and opera respectively of the same names), and the danza de la Olivera.