Pasillo is a type of music and dance of South American origin that emerged in Ecuador during the South American independence wars in the nineteenth century. It was born in the Colombian Andes and later spread to other regions, especially Ecuador (where it is considered the national musical style) and, to a lesser extent, Venezuela and Panama.
Venezuelans refer to it as "vals", Spanish for "waltz". Nowadays, it has more European influences in classical dance, such as the Viennese waltz in Colombia, as well as sanjuanito and yaraví in Ecuador. As it spread during the Gran Colombia period, the corridor absorbed characteristics from isolated villages, giving it a more eclectic feeling. However, the style, tone, and tempo of the music are different in each village and country.
It combines elements of indigenous music and a variety of musical genres, including the waltz, the minuet, and the Spanish bolero. Pasillo, which means 'short step', is danced by a couple in short, measured steps. They are performed in ballroom dances, public festivals, radio and television programs, and outdoor concerts. It's a dynamic and ever-evolving practice performed by soloists, duos, trios, and ensemble songs are most often accompanied by guitars and requintos, a high-pitched guitar. The lyrics deal with love, heartbreak, life, death, family, and everyday life.
An invented term dating back to the 19th century, the pasillo became strongly associated with the Colombian War of Independence, the Ecuadorian War of Independence, and Ecuadorian nationalism. It was popularized through the recording of the duet "Ecuador", performed by Enrique Ibañez Mora and Nicasio Safadi, and reached its apex during the career of Julio Jaramillo.
Because of the influence of Sanjuanito, the Ecuadorean pasillo is slow and melancholic. It distinguishes itself from other countries by becoming a national music symbol. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the Ecuadorian corridor has turned from a festive genre played in saloons to one that is popular among bands. It has many singles with melancholic texts referring to nostalgia and broken-hearted feelings.
Additionally, there are songs that express the beauty of Ecuadorian landscapes, Ecuadorian women, and the bravery of Ecuadorian people. It is well known for its ability to integrate social, ethnic, and generational groups in order to produce different topics.
After the arrival of the radio in 1950, the Ecuadorian corridor underwent a transition. Although it was still the national music of Ecuador, it was forced to compete against foreign boleros, tangos, waltzes, guarachas, and other styles of tropical music, such as guaracha, merecumbe, and the Ecuadorian-Colombian cumbia. Ecuador's pasillo continues to thrive because of performers like the duet Luis Alberto Valencia and Gonzalo Benítez, the Montecel brothers, the Mendoza Sangurima sisters, Los Coraza and Marco Tulio Hidrobo.
Today, Ecuadorian pasillo is a national icon, and younger generations are adding new styles, resulting in wide-scale distribution. For Ecuadorians, the pasillo represents the identity and a connection to the homeland, and it has become a form of collective expression. Both men and women perform it, and it is passed down from generation to generation via family members, formal training centers, street musicians, and popular or municipal bands.