This messes you up in the head! Hi Mix(ed)tape listeners! In track 5 of Were You Listening? we analyze the song Esto Te Pone La Cabeza Mala by Juan Formell y Los Van Van.

Two wonderful practitioners of Cuban popular dances help us contextualize this song: Oesa and Cokie. They are two of the founders of Palenke Cuban Dance. During her time at Barnard College, Oesa developed a love for Afro-Cuban dance especially as she studied with her mentor, Rebecca Bliss. Cokie is a DJ and dancer who discovered Cuban music and dance while studying in Habana, Cuba, as part of her undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt University and working under Professor William Luis.

In "Esto Te Pone La Cabeza Mala" Juan Formell presents a prime example of the approach with which he and Los Van Van create music: by fusing, mixing and creating a multitude of rhythms, an outstanding example of Cuban timba.

Were we listening?

We hope this track helps to add value to your listening and awareness in your dancing!

Find all of our Were You Listening? episodes here.

For more info and resources check our website here and our YouTube channel here.

Contact us at: themixedtapepodcast@gmail.com

If you like the music we use check our playlists here.

Host/Director of Series: Andrés Hincapié, PhD
Producer: Melissa Villodas, PhD
Graphic Content Creator: Susan Mykalcio