Latin Dance Unit

1. Latin Dance Unit Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Samba, Bamba, and the Cha Cha Cha

2. Salsa • Derived from the Spanish word for "sauce," the dance is named for the flavor or "spicy" technique it centers upon. • It is a combination of multiple roots and cultures as well as the creativity many different persons. In general, Salsa evolved as a distillation of many Latin and Afro-Caribbean dances. • Till this day, you may hear Cubans and Puerto Ricans feuding about who originated the dance but both add their own flavor and style. • The Puerto Rican style of Salsa may be seen in New York City while Miami is know for its Cuban flavor of Salsa. It has become popular in just about every region of North America. • Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms such as solo dancing • Generally, the patterns of salsa dance highlight the use of three steps during the four beats with the skipping of one beat. Often, the skipped beat represents the natural shifting of weight from one foot to the next. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvXsqw0oebw

3. Bachata • Derived from the Latin American tradition of guitar music, bachata emerged in the 1960s • Its subjects are usually romantic; especially prevalent are tales of heartbreak. • Bachata is a form of music and dance that originated in the countryside and rural marginal neighborhoods of the Dominican Republic.  • Combination of simple steps that move you side to side

4. Samba • Samba is an old Brazilian style of dance with many variations and is of African in origin. • It has been performed as a street dance at carnival, the pre-Lenten celebration, for almost 100 years. Many versions of the Samba are danced at the local carnival in Rio. • To achieve the true character of the Samba a dancer must give it a happy, flirtatious and exuberant interpretation. • The rhythm is fast and full of energy, so the music encourages people to really get up and dance. Whether one gets up to do a solo samba or with a group. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWjT3CcZ288&feature=related

5. Merengue • The Merengue is the national dance of the Dominican Republic, and also to some extent, of Haiti, the neighbor sharing the island. • There are two popular versions 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. • The Merengue is also known to be a partner dance but can be danced solo or in groups. • You move on every beat in sort of a marching motion. Moving your hips, adding turns, and style is important.

6. Bomba • Bomba is one of the folk musical styles of Puerto Rico. It is a largely African-derived music • According to Salsa Roots, the bomba represents "the survival of African traditions in a nearly pure form." • The history of the dance is influenced by the lack of freedom and slavery, in the same manner as the Gumboot Dance of South Africa. • The men use a series of hip and hand movements. The women use similar movements, however the movements are often augmented by the use of their skirts • In bomba shows, the typical apparel worn by the dancers is what slaves may have used in social gatherings. Men wear a white outfit and Panama hat and women wear big plantation skirts and a head scarf or bundaloo.

7. Cha ChaCha • The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin and is one of the most popular social American dances and the most popular of all Latin American dances. • Cha-cha-cha may be either danced to authentic Cuban music, or Latin Pop or Latin Rock. • The name "cha-cha" imitates the sound of heeled shoes as they hit the floor percussively. • Couples dance together, facing each other. Both partners are required to dance forward and backward during the dance • This style of dance has been in seen in famous movies such as “Dirty Dancing”, “Saturday Night Fever”, and shows such as “Dancing with the Stars”.