A swish of the skirt, a flash of the leg combined with loads of oomph and sensuality. The couples twirled to the tune of ‘(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life’ and images of ‘Baby’ (Jennifer Grey) swam through my mind. Perfecting the ‘New York’ on the dance floor took a lot of efforts more than I could ever imagine. Latin American dance is more than just the perfect co-ordination between couples and strenuous rehearsals. The couple making the perfect moves also need to have a high level of chemistry to perform to these red hot sultry numbers!
So what is it that has made the Latin Dance a popular form even till today? Not only do we see its presence felt in movies (Shall We Dance, Dirty Dancing, Take the Lead), it has grown from a mere hobby to a full-fledged profession to some! Over the years, Latin Dance has branched out into many vibrant forms to set the stage ablaze.
Popular forms of Latin American Dance Styles:
The dances that originated in Latin America were primarily Rumba, Salsa, Cha Cha Cha, Samba, Merengue, Bolero, Mambo etc. The Latin dance differed from the ballroom dance (International Latin) as the latter is considered to be a formal style of dancing. Latin dance is more spunky and fast paced than its counterpart.
Salsa:
On similar lines of the Mambo, Salsa has had major contributions from the Cubans and the Puerto Ricans. No place can be singled out, to give the credit for the origination of this dance. It has seen many influences and improvisations over the past few years.
Usually a partner dance, Salsa is a very flirtatious dance by nature. The basic footwork is similar to Rumba and involves a lot of rapid transition when transferring the weight of the body from one foot to the other. Doing the ‘quick-quick-slow’ may actually seem very difficult in the beginning, but once the basics are mastered, there can be nothing more exciting, than to dance the Salsa. There is the basic forward movement and the basic back movement and the woman has to always mirror the steps of the man, which are the basics of any partner work. Every instructor has his/her own unique style; so do bear in mind to avoid frequent changes of your class in order to stick one basic style.
Cha Cha Cha:
You certainly cannot miss the Cha Cha beat at any party you attend. The two slow beats and the three quick ones form the base of Cha Cha Cha. The quick beats are utilized to move side to side and towards the partner.
The name was derived only because the sound of the feet when moving across the floor sounded like ‘cha cha cha’. It is also said that it may have originated from Haiti where in the name was actually derived from the sound of a bell. (The bell, which was made from plat, when rubbed, would produce the sound)
Like any other Latin Dance, there is the forward basic and the back basic. This dance is known for its peppy and sensuous steps that weave magic on the floor. Also known as Cha Cha, it is all about how you transfer the weight of your body in three quick beats. Basically, its not just about the hip movements or the dips and spins, it is how the couple expresses themselves with perfect co-ordination.
Rumba:
Rumba is known to have a Spanish or an African origin. It constitutes of lots of exaggerated hip movements with the man generally taking on an aggressive attitude and the woman always being on the defensive. This rhythmic dance is actually one of the slowest forms of Latin Dance.
The name Rumba has been derived from the word ‘Room-Bah’, which was used actually used to describe a music style. Rumba, danced to staccato beats originated in the 16th century with the import of the black slaves from Africa. Also sometimes erroneous spelt as ‘Rhumba’, this dance remains the spirit and soul of Latin Dance.
Samba:
Originating in Brazil, Samba combines the African, Iberian and the Native Indian movements. Even today, the Samba is danced in festivals especially on the streets and for any major celebrations. Many old versions like the Baion and Marcha are danced in the local carnivals of Rio.
This dance requires a high level of energy and spirit and incorporates flirtatious steps and energetic jumps. Samba gained a lot of popularity amongst all races although the Europeans tried to suppress it to a certain extent.
The lively dance requires the dancer to be exuberant because he/she is required to dance to three steps in every bar. The rhythm is highlighted when it’s played to the characteristic Brazilian music. The main instruments used are the tamborine, cabaca, chocalho etc.
The festive mood of the dance has certainly seen it gain popularity but the high speed required for this dance has made it popular only between the experienced dancers.
Merengue:
On similar lines to the ‘Meringue’ performed in Haiti, there are many legends that form the backgrounds of this dance. One of the popular ones, mentions a limping war hero (who loved to dance) and faced great difficulty in doing so, due to the wounds. Thus came the ‘step forward’ followed by dragging it to close.
This dance requires the dancer to have the torso as erect as possible. Considered to be a seductive form of Latin Dance, Merengue requires the dancers to focus entirely on his/her legs and avoid any haphazard movement of the hands.
Merengue also requires you to literally use each and every beat of the song-four beats to a bar of music. The basic of Merengue like the other latin dances include-the back basic movement and the forward basic movement.
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