Zumbais adancefitness program created byColombiandancer andchoreographerAlberto "Beto" Perezduring the 1990s.[1]Zumba involvesdanceandaerobicelements. Zumba's choreography incorporateship-hop,soca,samba,salsa,merengueandmambo.Squatsandlungesare also included.[2]Zumba Fitness, an organization that sells Zumba videos and products, does not charge licensing fees to gyms or fitness centers.[3]Approximately 14 million people take weekly Zumba classes in over 140,000 locations across more than 185 countries.[4]Origin[edit]In the mid 1990s, Beto Perez forgot his tape of aerobics music for a class he was teaching. He went to his car, listened to music consisting of non-traditionalsalsaandmerenguemusic and improvised a class using this non-traditional aerobics music. After finding initial success inColombia, he moved to the United States in 2001, where he teamed up with cofounder Alberto Perlman and a childhood friend, COO Alberto Aghion. The trio produced ademo reel, and the concept was discovered andlicensedby a company called Fitness Quest to create a direct marketing campaign and a line ofhome videos.[5]Classes[edit]An instructor coaches a Zumba class in a fitness center.Zumba sessions are typically about an hour long and are taught by instructors licensed by an organization called Zumba Academy.[6]The exercises include music with fast and slow rhythms, as well as resistance training.[7]The music comes from the following dance styles:cumbia,salsa,merengue,mambo,flamenco,chachacha,reggaeton,soca,samba,hip hop music,ax musicand tango. There are nine different types of classes for different levels of age and exertion.[4]Zumba Gold mainly targets the older population. It is specifically designed to the needs of the elderly and includes the same kind of music as the Zumba fitness party class. Zumba Step, the newest Zumba program, tone and strengthen glutes and legs with a gravity-defying blend of Zumba routines and step aerobics. Zumba Toning is for the people who do their workouts with toning sticks. Zumba Toning will target the abs, thighs, arms, and other muscles throughout the body. Zumba Toning is adding sculpting of body and cardio. Aqua Zumba is Zumba in a swimming pool. The instructor leads the class from poolside while participants follow the shallow water workout. Moves have been specially adapted to combine the same dance movements used in a Zumba Fitness class with those used in aqua fitness classes creating a fun and effective total body workout. Zumba in the circuit is the dance combined with circuit training.[8]These classes usually last 30 minutes and features strength exercises on various stations in timed intervals. ZumbaKids is a class designed for children between the ages of 4 and 12. It has the same dance and music styles as a regular Zumba Fitness class, but has routines designed specifically for kids. Zumba Gold-Toning is a toning class for older participants with goals of improving one's muscle strength, posture, mobility, and coordination. Zumba Sentao is a chair workout that focuses on using body weight to strengthen and tone the body.[9]Zumba instructors have the option to become a ZIN (Zumba Instructors Network) member to receive bimonthly training DVDs to assist with the creation of music and choreography for their personal Zumba classes. ZIN members are the only instructors allowed to register for the new Zumba Core training class which helps to incorporate more core training into any type of Zumba class.Because Zumba offers different options, proponents of Zumba claim that it is safe for all ages.[10]At least some of the classes are specifically aimed at elderly people, to help them build strength, improve motion and posture, and socialize.[11]

Aerobic dance has been a popular exercise for several decades, but its popularity exploded with the introduction of Latin aerobic dances. Lively music and full-body dance moves characterize this style of aerobics. Latin aerobic dance has many physical and emotional benefits.Brief HistoryAerobic dancing is not a new phenomenon; it began in the 1960s but did not achieve popularity until the 1980s. However, its popularity began to wane in the mid-1990s. With the advent of the Latin aerobic dance sensation Zumba in 2001, the aerobic dance scene was revitalized. Marketed as a "fitness-party," Latin aerobic dance combines international music and dance steps into a fun form of interval training which alternates intensity levels in order to prevent muscle soreness. Some variations include resistance training, with the addition of light weights.Types of DancesLatin aerobic dance combines many dance styles popular in Latin American culture. Zumba integrates salsa, merengue, hip hop and reggaeton. Although Zumba is the most popular form of Latin aerobic dance, there is a style that predates it called Salsarobics. Salsarobics similarly combines the dance styles and rhythms of salsa, cumbia, mambo and merengue. Moreover, many dance and fitness studios as well as gyms have created their own hybrid styles based on the foundational aspects of Latin aerobic dance.Physical BenefitsAs a whole-body workout, Latin aerobic dance has many benefits. All muscles are worked during this style of exercise, which results in toning and sculpting. Additional physical benefits include an increase in cardiopulmonary endurance, strengthened heart and lungs, and improved circulation as well as lower cholesterol levels. Latin aerobic dance offers the same health benefits as other aerobic exercise, including regulated sleep patterns, increased energy and weight control.Emotional BenefitsThe benefits of Latin aerobic dance are not limited to the physical. As with most regular exercise, Latin aerobic dance reduces stress and anxiety through the increased production of endorphins. Latin aerobic dance classes do not require a certain skill level in dance or exercise, which helps decrease the self-consciousness often associated with group classes, as people of all skill levels participate. Finally, the group format encourages relationship building and maintenance as it affords participants the opportunity to meet new people as well as spend time with friends and family who share the same interest in this popular exercise.

Latin aerobics is a trend in the field of weight loss and exercise that uses movements common in types of Latin dance such astangoand cha-cha to promote fitness. Although the movements in Latin aerobics are drawn from dance, the exercises associated with this aerobics trend do not always resemble an actual Latin dance. It is common for specific movements drawn from Latin dance to be repeated in circuits in order to target specific muscle groups. In dance, however, movements are linked together to create a series of movements that are pleasing to the eye.There are a number of ways to practice Latin aerobics. A number of companies that sell fitness instruction materials have produced and now distribute videos and DVDs on Latin aerobics. These videos usually include an introduction to Latin aerobics as well as a few levels of aerobic routines that can be used according to one's fitness level. Latin aerobics has also become common as a course offering in gyms. Gyms will hire people trained in Latin dance, aerobics instruction, or both, to instruct gym members about how to use Latin dance movements to completeaerobic exerciseroutines.One of the reasons that Latin aerobics has become popular is that it is practiced to the beat of Latin music, which many people enjoy. Much Latin music is intended to be danced to, so exercising along with it can be enjoyable as well. People are always looking for fun ways to stay in shape or lose weight and it seems that this trend in aerobics has fit that niche for people who like Latin music and Latin dance.Some people choose to simply take dance classes in order to lose weight. In some kinds of dance, likejazzand hip hop, this can be very effective because the dance requires rapid, intense movements. Other kinds of dance likeballetand modern can help to tone the body and lose a bit of weight, but are often more focused on form and the perfection of movements. As such, taking a class that combines both dance and aerobics is a great way to learn some dance steps and also improve one's fitness at the same time. While dance classes may do the same things, it is likely that they will be more focused on learning specific steps and less on improving fitness, which is the ultimate purpose of an aerobics class.Rumba (circa 1914)Originally this dance was done for amusement on farms in Cuba. The music has a seductive charm and when danced correctly the Rumba is as smooth as the Fox Trot. It became a popular ballroom dance and was introduced to the U.S. in about 1914. It is in 4/4 time, using hesitations in weight shifts that create hips to sway side to side. The purpose of learning this dance is for rhythm.The word Rumba is a generic term, covering a variety of names (i.e., Son, Danzon, Guagira, Guaracha, Naningo), for a type of West Indian music or dancing. The exact meaning varies from island to island.There are two sources of the dances: one Spanish and the other African. Although the main growth was in Cuba, there were similar dance developments which took place in other Caribbean islands and in Latin America generally.The "rumba influence" came in the 16th century with the black slaves imported from Africa. The native Rumba folk dance is essentially a sex pantomime danced extremely fast with exaggerated hip movements and with a sensually aggressive attitude on the part of the man and a defensive attitude on the part of the woman. The music is played with a staccato beat in keeping with the vigorous expressive movements of the dancers. Accompanying instruments include the maracas, the claves, the marimbola, and the drums.As recently as the second world war, the "Son" was the popular dance of middle class Cuba. It is a modified slower and more refined version of the native Rumba. Still slower is the "Danzon", the dance of wealthy Cuban society. Very small steps are taken, with the women producing a very subtle tilting of the hips by alternately bending and straightening the knees.The American Rumba is a modified version of the "Son". The first serious attempt to introduce the rumba to the United States was by Lew Quinn and Joan Sawyer in 1913. Ten years later band leader Emil Coleman imported some rumba musicians and a pair of rumba dancers to New York. In 1925 Benito Collada opened the Club El Chico in Greenwich Village and found that New Yorkers did not know what Rumba was all about.Real interest in Latin music began about 1929. In the late 1920's, Xavier Cugat formed an orchestra that specialized in Latin American music. He opened at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles and appeared in early sound movies such as "In Gay Madrid". Later in the 1930's, Cugat played at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. By the end of the decade he was recognized as having the outstanding Latin orchestra of the day.In 1935, George Raft played the part of a suave dancer in the movie "Rumba", a rather superficial musical in which the hero finally won the heiress (Carol Lombard) through the mutual love of dancing.In Europe, the introduction of Latin American dancing (Rumba in particular) owed much to the enthusiasm and interpretive ability of Monsieur Pierre (London's leading teacher in this dance form). In the 1930's with his partner, Doris Lavelle, he demonstrated and popularized Latin American dancing in London.Pierre and Lavelle introduced the true "Cuban Rumba" which was finally established after much argument, as the official recognized version in 1955.Rumba is the spirit and soul of Latin American music and dance. The fascinating rhythms and bodily expressions make the Rumba one of the most popular ballroom dances.Tango (circa 1914)The history of the Tango can be traced back to the countyr-dance of the 17th century England. As each country learned to dance from their neighboring country they would take it back and make it their own. The chronology is as follows:1650 Country Dance England1700 Contre Danse France1750 Contra Danse Spain1800 Danza Spain1825 Danza Haganera Cuba1850 Habanera1900 Habanera del Cafe1910 Tango** Latin American Ballroom Tango is danced in 4/4 time.** The purpose of learning this dance is for control.Tango historyby Lori Heikkila.Tango (the dance with the stop "Baille Con Carte") is one of the most fascinating of all dances. Originating in Spain or Morocco, the Tango was introduced to the New World by the Spanish settlers, eventually coming back to Spain with Black and Creole influences.In the early 19th Century, the Tango was a solo dance performed by the woman. The Adualisian Tango was later done by one or two couples walking together using castanets. The dance was soon considered immoral with its flirting music!Ballroom Tango originated in the lower class of Buenos Aires, especially in the "Bario de las Ranas". Clothing was dictated by full skirts for the woman and gauchos with high boots and spurs for the man.The story of Tango as told is that it started with the gauchos of Argentina. They wore chaps that had hardened from the foam and sweat of the horses body. Hence to gauchos walked with knees flexed. They would go to the crowded night clubs and ask the local girls to dance. Since the gaucho hadn't showered, the lady would dance in the crook of the man's right arm, holding her head back. Her right hand was held low on his left hip, close to his pocket, looking for a payment for dancing with him. The man danced in a curving fashion because the floor was small with round tables, so he danced around and between them.The dance spread throughout Europe in the 1900's. Originally popularized in New York in the winter of 1910-1911, Rudolph Valentino then made the Tango a hit in 1921.As time elapsed and the music became more subdued, the dance was finally considered respectable even in Argentina.Styles vary in Tango: Argentine, French, Gaucho and International. Still, Tango has become one of our American 'Standards' regardless of its origin. The Americanized version is a combination of the best parts of each. The principals involved are the same for any good dancing. First, the dance must fit the music. Second, it must contain the basic characteristic that sets it apart from other dances. Third, it must be comfortable and pleasing to do.Phrasing is an important part of Tango. Most Tango music phrased to 16 or 32 beats of music. Tango music is like a story. It contains paragraphs (Major phrases); sentences (Minor phrases); and the period at the end of the sentence is the Tango close.For exhibition dancing, a Tango dancer must develop a strong connection with the music, the dance and the audience. The audience can only feel this connection if the performer feels and projects this feeling. So it is when dancing for your own pleasure -- and your partner's!"The Tango is the easiest dance. If you make a mistake and get tangled up, you just Tango on." (Al Pacino in "The Scent of a Woman.") Movies that featured Tango dancing include "The Scent of a Woman", Madonna's "Evita" and "True Lies" starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis.Argentine Tango HistoryOrigins of Argentina Tango by Bruno E. RomeroThe antique Argentine Tango was influenced by the Tango Habanera, which bears no resemblance to the Argentine Tango we know today. The Tango Habanera came about from two types of Tango: the Milonga with its influence in the guajira flamenca and the Tango andaluz or Tango flamenco. The Milonga was danced and played by country side people of Argentina. The Tango Habanera was an amalgamation of the Habanera and the Tango Andaluz or Tango Flamenco.The rhythm of the guitars playing the Tango flamenco or andaluz could not be reproduced in orchestra instruments and with the piano, so the Tango andaluz or flamenco was modified with the habanera rhythm. The Tango Habanera was heard in 1883 but died towards the end of the century. The Tango Habanera has been entirely associated with the first forms of Argentine Tango. The flexing of the knees is associated to a dance called Candombe which was danced by the black people from Africa living in Buenos Aires. The male Candombe dancers danced with their knees flexed, to show their dance skills using walking steps (corridas) and turns.A character who lived in the very early 1900's known as the "compadrito" created the straightened out forms of the antique Argentine Tango and invented the traditional figures of this dance. His dance style and stance supported his macho view of his world at those times. The "compadrito" ironically imitated the Candombe Dancers along with their flexing of the knees, walking steps, and turns. Old Tango people agree that the true forms of Argentine Tango Dance that we see today originated in 1938 - 1940 with the short-lived Tango singer Carlos Gardel. The Golden Age of Tango took place in in the late 1940's and early 1950's. World recording companies set up offices in Buenos Aires, which resulted in mass recordings of Tango orchestras and singers.The antique Argentine Tango was never danced with castanets or with a flower.Today in Buenos Aires or Ro de la Plata, there are three forms of Argentine Tango: Saln, Fantasa, and one for scenario (stage). This has been the norm. With the internationalization of Tango, other forces have been shaping the Tango dance. The form known for stage, sometimes is referred as "for export", was aimed at English speaking people. Outside Argentina, people from North America had their first exposure with Stage Tango brought by the show and dance companies from Buenos Aires. At the end of the shows, the people asked for classes on what they had seen on stage. They wanted to learn what they saw on stage. Some of the dancers were available to teach, but knew only show routines. Other times seasoned dancers from Buenos Aires were asked to teach. They found it very difficult to explain that the correct form was to learn Argentine Tango from Buenos Aires rather than what they had seen at the show or on stage.My references are mainly from Maria Carmen Silingo's books 1, 2, 3, and 4. She is a Profesora (accredited teacher) of Tango Argentino in Buenos Aires. Based on the very few historical records left to trace the roots of the Argentine Tango, most of the historical information contained in Silingo's books are from newspapers, books and her family roots and connection to the Argentine Tango music.Samba (circa 1939)This Brazilian dance was first introduced in 1917. The style is to bounce steadily and smoothly in 2/4 time. It was first introduced to the U.S. in 1939 by Carmen Miranda. The purpose of learning this dance is for flexibility.The Samba originated in Brazil. It was and is danced as a festival dance during the street festivals and celebrations. First introduced in the U.S. in a Broadway play called "Street Carnival" in the late twenties. The festive style and mood of the dance has kept it alive and popular to this day. Samba is a fun dance that fits most of today's popular music.Mambo/Salsa (circa 1944)The fusion of swing and Cuban Music produced this rhythm and in turn created a new dance. It may be described as a riff or a rumba with emphasis on the 4th beat in 4/4 time. This dance was made popular again in the 1980's by the movie Dirty Dancing. The purpose of learning this dance is for agility.MamboCan Mambo recapture the glory of its golden days? Can the flashy Cuban dance step find a new following in the 1990's?The Mambo dance originated in Cuba where there were substantial settlements of Haitians. In the back country of Haiti, the "Mambo" is a voodoo priestess, who serves the villagers as counselor, healer, exorcist, soothsayer, spiritual advisor, and organizer of public entertainment. However, there is not a folk dance in Haiti called the "Mambo."The fusion of Swing and Cuban music produced this fascinating rhythm and in turn created a new sensational dance. The Mambo could not have been conceived earlier since up to that time, the Cuban and American Jazz were still not wedded. The "Mambo" dance is attributed to Perez Prado who introduced it at La Tropicana night-club in Havana in 1943. Since then other Latin American band leaders such as Tito Rodriquez, Pupi Campo, Tito Puente, Machito and Xavier Cugat have achieved styles of their own and furthered the Mambo craze. The Mambo was originally played as any Rumba with a riff ending. It may be described as a riff or a Rumba with a break or emphasis on 2 and 4 in 4/4 time. Native Cubans or musicians without any training would break on any beat. It first appeared in the United States in New York's Park Plaza Ballroom - a favorite hangout of enthusiastic dancers from Harlem. The Mambo gained its excitement in 1947 at the Palladium and other renowned places such as The China Doll, Havana Madrid and Birdland.A modified version of the "Mambo" (the original dance had to be toned down due to the violent acrobatics) was presented to the public at dance studios, resort hotels, and at night-clubs in New York and Miami. Success was on the agenda. Mambo happy dancers soon became known affectionately as "Mambonicks".The Mambo craze did not last long and today the Mambo is much limited to advanced dancers. Teachers agreed that this is one of the most difficult of dances. One of the greatest contributions of the Mambo is that it led to the development of the Cha-Cha.The Mambo is enjoying a renewed popularity due to a number of films featuring the dance as well as a man named Eddie Torres. Eddie is a New York dance pro and Mambo fanatic who has launched a crusade to make sure the dance reigns in the ballroom once again. Torres has become the leading exponent of the style, steadily building a reputation as a dancer, instructor, and choreographer. He has become known as the "Mambo King of Latin Dance". Torres is determined to reintroduce dancers to what he believes is the authentic night-club style of mambo dancing, which in the 1990's is increasingly known as Salsa."It's a great time for Latin American dances," says Torres. "The Mambo is hot now, like it was in the '50's. It is a dance with many influences -- African, Cuban, Jazz, Hip-Hop, even some ballet. You'll never run out of steps."Popular Mambo songs include "Mambo Italiano", "Papa Loves Mambo", "Mambo #5", "I Saw Mommy Do The Mambo", and "They Were Doin' The Mambo". 'Dance City', the superb CD album featuring Hernandez and the Mambo Kings Orchestra, stands on its own as one of the best recordings of its kind in years, an energetic big band-style session that recalls the glory days of Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez.Most people treat Mambo as a very fast dance. In essence, it is a slow and precise dance that doesn't move very much.History of SalsaSalsa is not easily defined. Who invented salsa? The Cubans, Puerto Ricans? Salsa is a distillation of many Latin and Afro-Caribbean dances. Each played a large part in its evolution.Salsa is similar to Mambo in that both have a pattern of six steps danced over eight counts of music. The dances share many of the same moves. In Salsa, turns have become an important feature, so the overall look and feel are quite different form those of Mambo. Mambo moves generally forward and backward, whereas, Salsa has more of a side to side feel.A look at the origin of SalsaBy: Jaime Andrs PretellIt is not only Cuban; nevertheless we must give credit to Cuba for the origin and ancestry of creation. It is here where Contra-Danze (Country Dance) of England/France, later called Danzn, which was brought by the French who fled from Haiti, begins to mix itself with Rhumbas of African origin (Guaguanco, Colombia, Yamb). Add Sn of the Cuban people, which was a mixture of the Spanish troubadour (sonero) and the African drumbeats and flavora and a partner dance flowered to the beat of the clave.This syncretism also occurred in smaller degrees and with variations in other countries like the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Puerto Rico, among others. Bands of these countries took their music to Mexico City in the era of the famous films of that country (Perez Prado, most famous...). Shortly after, a similar movement to New York occurred. In these two cities, more promotion and syncretism occurred and more commercial music was generated because there was more investment. New York created the term "Salsa", but it did not create the dance. The term became popular as nickname to refer to a variety of different music, from several countries of Hispanic influence: Rhumba, Sn Montuno, Guaracha, Mambo, Cha cha cha, Danzn, Sn, Guguanco, Cubop, Guajira, Charanga, Cumbia, Plena, Bomba, Festejo, Merengue, among others. Many of these have maintained their individuality and many were mixed creating "Salsa".If you are listening to today's Salsa, you are going to find the base of sn, and you are going to hear Cumbia, and you are going to hear Guaracha. You will also hear some old Merengue, built-in the rhythm of different songs. You will hear many of the old styles somewhere within the modern beats. Salsa varies from site to site. In New York, for example, new instrumentalization and extra percussion were added to some Colombian songs so that New Yorkers - that dance mambo "on the two" - can feel comfortable dancing to the rhythm and beat of the song, because the original arrangement is not one they easily recognize. This is called "finishing," to enter the local market. This "finish" does not occur because the Colombian does not play Salsa, but it does not play to the rhythm of the Puerto Rican/Post-Cuban Salsa. I say Post-Cuban, because the music of Cuba has evolved towards another new and equally flavorful sound.Then, as a tree, Salsa has many roots and many branches, but one trunk that unites us all. The important thing is that Salsa is played throughout the Hispanic world and has received influences of many places within it. It is of all of us and it is a sample of our flexibility and evolution. If you think that a single place can take the credit for the existence of Salsa, you are wrong. And if you think that one style of dance is better, imagine that the best dancer of a style, without his partner, goes to dance with whomever he can find, in a club where a different style predominates. He wouldn't look as good as the locals. Each dancer is accustomed to dance his/her own style. None is better, only different. Viva la variedad, Viva la Salsa!!!Salsa Rueda (Circa 1950)

What is Casino Rueda?During the late 1950's in Cuba, there was a popular dance that was done in the streets and in the clubs, and in peoples' homes. It was calledCasino Rueda, orRueda de Casino, or simplyRueda.

Ruedasimply means"wheel".Casinorefers to the kinds of turns and breaks you might normally see in ordinary partnerSalsa Dancing.What makes Rueda uniqueis that thedancing is done in the "wheel", as a group,with the "followers" being passed in the wheel, rapid exchanging of partners, and many complicated moves -- sometimes done as wheels within wheels -- and all done in time with "hot" Salsa music. Each move, or "call", has a name, and is called by a leader of the Rueda, sometimes in very quick succession. Many of the moves also have hand signals as well as names, in order to be able to dance in a loud club setting. The Rueda can be as small as two couples, or as large as a space can hold -- as many as a hundred couples.When dancing Rueda, there is a new group dynamic that happens.What is not obvious when watching Rueda, is the new level of awareness required to have a group dance flow smoothly, and look sharp AND keep it fun! Dancers learn to open their sphere of awareness, their peripheral vision, beyond the normal restricted "bubble" of solo or partner dancing. In this way, dancers coordinate and adjust their individual feel and timing and style so as to make the Rueda "click". When this happens, it is very exciting indeed! A unique group feeling develops, and you can feel the whole wheel ebb and flow, and "breathe" to this wonderful AfroCuban/LatinAmerican music. The result is an exciting Dance, exciting to do, exciting to watch!The form of the Rueda-- passing partners in a wheel -- may reflect some influence of French Court Dances (brought to Cuba by Haitians), blended with the Afro-Cuban movements. With Cuban emigration to the US -- mainly into Miami -- the Cuban culture, music and dance blossomed, and, along with Mambo, ChaCha, and "Salsa", Rueda re-emerged and became popular in the Miami clubs in the 1970s and 1980s.The Rueda Syllabus --There are nearly 120 patterns listed here in the Rueda syllabus that we will be teaching over time. Most of these can be danced on a regular basis as club Salsa patterns, which is a great way to increase your Salsa repertoire.Cha Cha (circa 1950)It was triple mambo which produced a cha cha cha sound. Cha Cha is an advanced stage in interpretive social dancing, born of the fusion of progressive American and Latin music. The purpose of learning this dance is for weight change.Cha Cha dance historyOriginally known as the Cha-Cha-Cha. Became popular about 1954. Cha Cha is an offshoot of the Mambo. In the slow Mambo tempo, there was a distinct sound in the music that people began dancing to, calling the step the "Triple" Mambo. Eventually it evolved into a separate dance, known today as the Cha Cha.The dance consists of three quick steps (triple step or cha cha cha) and two slower steps on the one beat and two beat.Merengue (circa 1957)There are 2 forms of merengue. The haitian merengue and the Dominican merengue. The dance of the Dominican Republic is 2/4 time with syncopation of the 1st beat interpreted by dancers as a slight limp. The purpose of learning this dance is for cuban motion.Merengueby Lori HeikkilaThe Merengue is the national dance of the Dominican Republic, and also to some extent, of Haiti, the neighbour sharing the island.There are two popular versions of the of the origin of the Dominican national dance, the Merengue. One story alleges the dance originated with slaves who were chained together and, of necessity, were forced to drag one leg as they cut sugar to the beat of drums. The second story alleges that a great hero was wounded in the leg during one of the many revolutions in the Dominican Republic. A party of villagers welcomed him home with a victory celebration and, out of sympathy, everyone dancing felt obliged to limp and drag one foot.Merengue has existed since the early years of the Dominican Republic (in Haiti, a similar dance is called the Meringue). It is possible the dance took its name from the confection made of sugar and egg whites because of the light and frothy character of the dance or because of its short, precise rhythms.By the middle of the nineteenth century, the Merengue was very popular in the Dominican Republic. Not only is it used on every dancing occasion in the Republic, but it is very popular throughout the Caribbean and South American, and is one of the standard Latin American dances.There is a lot of variety in Merengue music. Tempos vary a great deal and the Dominicans enjoy a sharp quickening in pace towards the latter part of the dance. The most favored routine at the clubs and restaurants that run a dance floor is a slow Bolero, breaking into a Merengue, which becomes akin to a bright, fast Jive in its closing stages. The ballroom Merengue is slower and has a modified hip action.The Merengue was introduced in the United States in the New York area. However, it did not become well known until several years later.Ideally suited to the small, crowded dance floors, it is a dance that is easy to learn and essentially a "fun" dance.Origins of Merengueby Carmen VazquezThe origin of this dance, according to the Dominicans themselves, from a program shown on TV "SANTO DOMINGO INVITA".Merengue is a combination of two dances, the African and the French Minuet, from the late 1700's - early 1800's. The black slaves saw the ballroom dances in the Big Houses and when they had their own festivities started mimicking the "masters' dances". But the Europeans dances were not fun, they were very boring and staid, so over time, the slaves added a special upbeat (provided by the drums), this was a slight skip or a hop.The original Merengue was not danced by individual couples, but was a circle dance, each man and woman faced each other and holding hands - at arm's length. They did not hold each other closely and the original movements of this dance were only the shaking of the shoulders and swift movement of the feet. There was no blatant movement of the hips like there is today, as native African dances do not move the hips. In fact, African dances, as well as other Indigenous dances throughout the world, consist of complicated steps and arm movements. Tribal dancing does not have "primitive" sexual shaking of the hips, this is only done in Hollywood movies.So, the origin of the Merengue is very similar to that of the "Cake Walk" dance of the American South.Bossa Nova (circa 1961)The music of the Bossa Nova comes from Brazil. The dance originated in Carnegie Hall, and is nothing more than salon samba, meaning a faked version of the true Samba. This dance is a combination of Rumba and Samba. The purpose of learning this dance is for timing. DanzonDanzon is a Latin dance wih a very formal structure. First the music has an introductory section during which people don't dance. They chat, the lady fans herself, they applaud the orchestra, etc. The dancers all begin to move at precisely the same moment, when the next section of the music begins. This is a melody to which dancers do something resembling an American Rumba. The introduction often repeats later on, followed by another melody. Dancers always stop dancing whenever the introductory section is played. They again applaud the orchestra, chat, etc. Finally, the last segment of a Danzon is the liveliest one and is called the montuno. It is the montuno that went on to ultimately develop into Salsa which is popular all over the world today.The dancer's rhythm during the slower melody is slow, quick, quick, slow, quick, quick, slow, quick, quick, slow, close. This is 4 measures of music in which each measure has 4 beats. The man begins leading by going forward on his left and he does a box step. Because the second box is not completed, successive basic steps would result in the couple "migrating" slightly to the man's right. Only closed figures are done during the slower melody, which means that the woman and man face each other as they dance.During the faster montuno section of the dance, the dancers may open up into moves where they don't face each other if they wish. During that segment, they may also do complete boxes, running the slow, quick quick rhythm continuously. That is, they do not close their feet (i.e. bring them together) on the fourth measure.Danzon (pronounce the "z" like an English "s") remains popular today in some places such as Mexico. In Mexico City on most nights, for example, hundreds of people can be found doing Danzon in public areas. The development of this dance can be traced to the late 1700's. There was a bloody Haitian revolution, after which many people fled to Cuba. They brought with them "Contradanza," which was popular European-based dance music. Eventually by the late 1800s, this evolved into Danzon. Much of the original structure of the dance still remains today, and its multiple sections provide an element of variability which make the dance a rich experience.SambaTheroots of the Samba are African, but most of the development of this dance was done in Brazil.Samba was originally a street festival & celebration dance. A Broadway play called "Street Carnival" introduced it to the US in the late twenties, and the dance became known in Europe around the same time.Europe was really captured by the Samba in 1948/1949. Walter Laird and his partner Lorraine, developed the Samba to be what it is known as today.As Samba became popular internationally in the 1920's and 30's, it was structured into "danceable patterns" by and for ballroom dancers. This made it easy to dance in partnership, and the set of specific steps helped to make it easily "teachable." Samba is one one of five Latin competition dances (along with rumba, cha cha, merengue, etc) in the ballroom competitions that can be seen on TV. It is a fast paced dance with a bouncy movement and rhythm.It is notable that in Brazil, the form of Samba that is danced is very different. It's done by a single person--not in partnership. And that "Samba" features extremely fast foot movements and fewer dance patterns. The music for all forms of samba is joyful and contagious, making it a very festive dance. Samba's "fun factor" has contributed to its continuing popularity.SWINGLindy HopJust as jazz helped shape the evolution of Latin music and dance, it was also fundamental to the evolution of swing dancing. In a sense, you might say that if the Latin dances are closely related to each other, then swing is like their second cousin. They are all related through jazz with its African roots.One of the features of jazz music is the subtle pulse, or swing, that animates the music. In the l920s and 30s, jazzy, big band sounds became popular and with that, swing dancing began to evolve.On March 26, 1926, the Savoy Ballroom opened in NY and was an instant hit. People flocked there every night to dance and listen to bands play what was called "Swinging Jazz."One night, a dancer named "Shorty George" Snowden was asked by a newspaper reporter what was the name of the dance being done. It happened that Charles Lindbergh had just made his famous flight, and there was a newspaper on a bench by Snowden. The headline read: "Lindy Hops the Atlantic." Glancing at the newspaper, Snowden answered, "Lindy Hop." And the name stuck. By the late 30s, Lindy Hop was sweeping the nation.

In Lindy Hop, the dancers move in an elliptical pattern. The rhythm of the basic step is 1, 2, triple time, 1, 2, triple time. A couple of styles of Lindy Hop gradually emerged, notably the Savoy and the Hollywood styles. Ultimately, Lindy Hop developed into some completely different forms of swing dancing described below. These variations on swing are characterized by different rhythm and movement patterns.East Coast SwingA. Single Swing In the late 1940s and early 1950s, a form of swing developed that was called "East Coast Swing" since it began on the east coast.The basic movement in East Coast Swing is in a circular pattern. East Coast that is done to very fast music is also referred to as Single Swing and has an underlying rhythm of Slow-Slow-Quick-Quick.Of all the forms of swing, this is probably the easiest for beginning dancers to learn. The fast tempo makes it an extremely lively dance.B. Triple SwingMusic that is a little slower in tempo lends itself to another form of East Coast Swing called Triple Swing. In this dance, each of the Slow steps from Single Swing is replaced by three steps in the "Triple time" rhythm. So the underlying rhythm for this dance is "Triple Time-Triple Time-Quick-Quick." Many of the same steps can be done in both Triple Swing and Single Swing with some small adjustments. Both Single and Triple Swing remain very popular today.West Coast Swing While East Coast Swing was developing on the east coast, West Coast Swing emerged on the west coast. West Coast Swing is smoother, more sensual, and done to music with a slower tempo than East Coast. West Coast is danced in a line which is referred to as the dancer's "slot." Some people think that the dance developed partly because dancing in a line enabled more people to fit onto dance floors which became very crowded after World War II.There are a number of underlying rhythm patterns that are the basis of this dance. One is Quick-Quick-Triple Time-Triple Time.West Coast Swing lends itself to a good deal of improvisation. In fact, in some steps, the woman, who is normally the follower, can actually do what is called "hijacking the lead." She indicates that she wants to take over the lead and then controls the steps for a short interval. This is quite unique in partnership dancing. It is like a dance form of improvisation that mimics instrumental jazz improvisations. So there is a sort of parallel between the dance and the music that gave rise to it. West Coast Swing is now popular all over the country.

LATIN FOLKLORIC DANCESJoropoJoropo became the National Dance of Venezuela in 1882. It is danced throughout the country but especially in the Plains.The music for the dance is made by the maracas, harp, and cuatro. A cuatro is a 4 strong guitar which is like a lute. The song is sometimes also sung while doing daily tasks.It is a couples dance with as many as 36 variations on the basic step. There are many different types of Joropo, each with a name such as Corrido Tuyero and Golpe Aragueno.The most famous Joropo song is "Alma Llanera" (which means "soul of the plains"). It is considered to be the national song. It was written by composer Pedro Elias Gutierrez. No ball dance would be complete without it.Starting in 1960, a tournament was held in the city of Villavicencio, where people showed off their Joropo choreographies in several categories. Judges give out prizes for the best music, dancers, and the best players of the harp, cuatro, and maracas. The event was of course accompanied by a big feast!FandangoFandango refers both to a kind of music and a kind of dance---much the same as Salsa does.It is a very old dance. The earliest description of it was found in a letter by a Spanish priest in 1712. It was fashionable among the aristocracy in the late 1700s. It is danced at celebrations which are described as "massive public spectacles" in the context of special days for the peoples of the Colombian Caribbean region. They celebrate with parties honoring patron saints and the crop harvests.

The dance is very popular. It sometimes starts slow and then it increases in speed. Fandango often starts with a man inviting a woman to dance. The woman always responds defensively, but moves in a flirtatious and sensual way. The man is persistent in pursuing her through the dance.San JuanitoSan Juanito is a folkloric dance from Ecuador and it has several dozen variants from different regions of Ecuador.

The dance is done to a type of music from the Ecuadorian Andes which originated in the province of Imbabura.

The music is structured in 4 beat measures, with certain beats getting a heavy emphasis. This popular music is played and danced to in festivals. Some people call the beautiful and simple music for San Juanito the "music from heaven."Music for the dance is played by some traditional instruments as well as other "western" instruments such as the violin and mandolin.CumbiaCumbia emerged around the end of the 17th century and in the early 18th century, among the slave populations of coastal towns in Colombia. The slave owners gave them permission to dance and play music on certain holidays. So on those holidays, they would gather to dance cumbia, accompanied by African drumming and singing. Cumbia emerged from this tradition, as social and courtship dance. The name of the dance comes from the Guinean dancecumb.In the dance, men and women came to the event dressed entirely in white. Women wore long, multi-layered skirts and the men carried bundles of candles or torches, and they gathered in a circle. Couples then took turns coming to the center to dance flirtatiously. The man attempts to win favor with the woman by dancing and passing her fire from his bouquet of candles to symbolize his interest and devotion..Over time, flutes and other instruments were added, as cumbia music developed. Cumbia music and dance has evolved into one of Colombias cultural treasures. It is now danced and performed throughout the country, not just on holidays.