Rhythm and Latin dances are synonymous with fast-paces movements, scintillating dance chemistry between partners and exhilarating music. Here are some of the Latin/Rhythm dances our professional dance instructors will teach you at our studios.
Salsa
The Salsa has its roots in the Caribbean. You will find its rhythms locked deeply in the Cha-cha-cha, Plena, Mambo and Bomba. There is plenty of room for improvisation when you dance the Salsa, as it is constantly evolving. It can be danced in the Columbian style, Afro-Latino style, New York style or Cuban style.
Merengue
There are a few different stories about how the Merengue was born, but they all agree that it got its start in the Dominican Republic. Often danced in “body-contact” with your partner, the Merengue is not about how much you move around the floor, but how in sync your body moves with another. And with a good leader, almost anything goes in this dance.
Rumba
Dancing the Rumba was once considered one-and-the-same as partying in Cuban. It has evolved in North America, Africa, Cuba, Spain and Colombia since the 19th century with three primary styles: Columbian, Yambu and Guaguanco. In the United States, Rumba music was mainly inspired by Son Cubano.
Samba
You have probably seen Samba performed at flamboyant Brazilian carnivals. Partnership Samba takes the flavor of this popular Carnival style and marries it with classic ballroom and becomes the Brazilian Waltz. Impress the crowd as you dance to rhythms of the ever-popular Cavaco and Pandeiro.
Bolero
Bolero was first simply a term given to slow Latin music. The music and the dances that independently developed in Spain and Cuba were quite different and the Ballroom version we know today is different still. The use of rise and fall mixed with classic rhythmical movements gives a softness and romanticism that is unique to the Bolero.
Mambo
This scintillating dance was introduced in the early 1900s by Arsenio Rodriguez. Featuring plenty of hip movement, the Mambo is one of the competitive Rhythm dances but is also enjoyed on the social dance floor.
Bachata
This dance marvel originated in the Dominican Republic. There are several variations globally, and all characterized by plenty of hip action. The popularity of the Bachata in the United States has exploded over the last 20 years and is a must in any Salsa club.
Cha Cha
Also known as the Cha-cha-cha, this high energy dance was named for the sound produced by dancers’ feet, emerging when Enrique Jorrin experimented with the syncopations of Danzon-mambo music. Dancers began adding a triple step to this new style of music and the cha-cha-cha was born.
