LATIN DANCE

Latin dancing is considered one of the liveliest and most enthusiastic type of dancing in
the world, both in terms of music and choreography. It plays a major role in Latin American
culture, mainly because Latin dancing exists not only as a form of entertainment, but as a
metaphor for social unity and identity.

History
Latin dance combines a blend of various influences that arrived in America over the past
two centuries. Among the popular cultures that helped develop Latin dance and music are the
African, Spanish and Portuguese—cultures that settled mostly in South America. Africans, who
lived in the countries of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti and some parts of Brazil, used their musical
influence to tell stories of their own culture, while the Spanish-influenced countries of Mexico
and Peru depicted dance as a medium for entertainment.

Instruments
Dancing the Latino way is never complete without the music. Latin music is usually
lively and backed by an uptempo beat. Traditional Latin musical instruments include the
maracas, bongos, marimba and conga drums. These instruments are used in unison and combined
with stringed instruments such as guitars and bass guitars along with horns such as trumpets and
trombones.

Choreography
The movements and steps that make up the choreography of the Salsa, which is a Latin
ballroom dance, are made distinct by dancing in accordance with the progression of beats in the
music. Weight changes (steps) are made throughout that define the dance, with three weight
changes taking place in every four beat measure. The Rhumba, another Latin ballroom dance, is
composed of basic syllabus figures. These figures are easily recognized by onlookers and allow
them to judge the technical performance of the dancers. Foot movement in the Cha Cha, still
another Latin ballroom dance, is led by a male dancer, who takes his female companion through
forward basic movements and backward basic movements to a 4/4 beat.

Fashion
Latin dances are known for being flamboyant. Latin dancers often wear colorful
costumes with lots of frills and ruffles. The Latin dance fashion also requires the use of
lightweight fabric that can easily be controlled by body movements, as the costumes add the
illusion of grace and flexibility while on the dance floor.
Influence
Latin dancing is considered an essential component of ballroom dancing, and its varieties
such as Cha Cha, Salsa and Rhumba have been included in dance sport competitions. Latin
dancing has also been included in pop culture, being the subject of the movie "Dirty Dancing”
and the celebrity dance show “Dancing with the Stars.”

The world of Latin dance can be somewhat ambiguous and perplexing. We get it. That's
why we've put together this succinct breakdown of styles in the genre and how they differ.
When it comes to Dancesport, performers in the Latin dance division compete in the
styles of samba, paso doble, cha-cha-cha, rumba, and the jive.
However, in the realm of social dance, there are many more Latin styles that fall under
this umbrella. Salsa and bachata are arguably the two most popular styles among social dancers.
Festivals and workshops, called congresses, are held all over the world as well as international
competitions specific to these styles. Check out the full list of Latin dances below.
1) Salsa
Said to have originated in the Caribbean, Salsa is one of the most entertaining and practiced
social dances in the world today. There are multiple subcategories within the genre of salsa.
2) Merengue
The dance and music of merengue originated in the Dominican Republic. Although the music is
fast paced, the basic steps are fairly easy to master.
3) Bachata
This dance also originated in the Dominican Republic and is known for being a slower more
sensual dance with heavy emphasis on body isolation and strong hip movements.
4) Cha-Cha-Cha
This dance originated in Cuba and is similar to the mambo. Its name is derived from the sound
the the dancers' shoes make while dancing to this style of music. In the U.S., the dance is simply
known as the cha-cha.
5) Rumba
The rumba is interesting in that it has changed over the years, and there are varying distinctive
styles of the dance. The origins of rumba are rooted in Cuban son music, which has a blend of
Spanish and African influences. However, the rumba is danced to various styles that are typically
slower in pace and deep in emotion.
6) Samba
This dance is of Afro-Brazilian origin and is very popular in Brazil. The samba is known for
requiring quick feet and high energy. It can be danced as an individual or as a couple.
7) Paso Doble
Paso doble is known as the dance of the bullfight. This is a strong dance that originated in France
but was adopted and molded by the Spanish and Portuguese. It isn't commonly danced in social
settings but rather reserved for competition.
8) Jive
Jive dancing originated in the U.S. and was made popular by the African American community.
It is performed with high energy similar to swing dance.
9) Mambo
This dance originated in Cuba during the 1940s. Perez Prado is credited as having created the
dance, although modern mambo is starkly different from the mambo that was started by Prado.
Mambo is less structured than other disciplines in the genre and heavily emphasizes feeling the
music.
10) Argentine Tango
The Argentine tango was birthed in Argentina and Uruguay, and although it originated in those
countries, its influences span the globe. It's a dance of emotion and depth and relies deeply on
improvisation.