Authentic Merengue is one of the simplest Latin dances to learn. The beat is clear and the rhythm constant. As with Bachata, the other popular Dominican dance, the emphasis is on simplicity in step patterns rather than drama and style. Dancers employ few if any turns. When turns are used, Merengue's turns are casual walking steps rather than the spin turns seen in Salsa. Authentic Merengue's beauty is in its simplicity and rural, unsophisticated feel. There is no need for the exaggerated Cuban hip action popular with ballroom Latin dancers, when dancing the Merengue. Indeed authentic Merengue can be defined as being everything that is the opposite to ballroom Merengue dancing. There is as much similarity, or should we say dissimilarity,
The tradition still takes place today in many areas of Mexico. However, some parts of Mexico do the dance a little differently. The dance is more common in the central regi...
Ross, Karl. "Bachata: The Other Dance Music - Once Confined to Girlie Bars and Brothels, the Dominican Republic's Bachata Is Making Inroads in the Latin Music Mainstream." Billboard - The International Newsweekly of Music, Video and Home Entertainment Apr 28 2001: Sec Latin Music 6,Pack: LM-36. ProQuest. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
...ical and close together. This dance involved a lot of spinning and pelvic motion, which added to the flirtatious mood; all of these movements were done in sync with the tempo of the music. Furthermore, Rhoden did a wonderful job of conveying trust in the relationships. Rhoden did this by having the danseurs catch the ballerinas in motion while in the air. The female dancers did a lot of leaps and sashays, which also added to the happy mood.
There were three techniques I heard at this performance which were back beat, rhythmic contrast, and break. Within “Unsquare Dance”, the bass, played by Carlos Henriquez, provides a steady back beat throughout most of the performance. The accompaniment of the
The indigenous people of the Mexico have kept the tradition of the Concheros dance alive since the 1500s. Despite the modernization of the people, the dance itself has remained the same, as people return to their indigenous roots. The special performance can be viewed from a political or spiritual point of view. “For some groups, the dance has become a conscious way of reasserting an Indian identity in a country, especially in and around Mexico City, that is increasingly in danger of forgetting its indigenous past” (Rostas, 12). Although the dance originally started around the Bajo region and Mexico City, it has spread much further north and into the United States as well, allowing people to celebrate feasts of saints and for other purposes (Rostas, 15).
Last is the danzon, with more Spanish origin that African. It consists of an orquesta made up of cornets, saxophones, clarinets and percussion. The horns make the danzon easily distinguishable from the rumba and son. In the middle of the danzon there is a percussion break, in which everyone begins to dance. It is a more respectable, less provocative dance with a much slower tempo. It was danced by the more upper class Cubans as opposed to the son and rumba, which were working-class dances.
Salsa, tango, and bachata have very different historic backgrounds, but come from the same culture. Latin music is popular for various genres in Latin America, mainly in Cuba, and is unique for the type of rhythmic structure it builds. The music is so alive that is pulls at the feet and hips of dancers, driving them to the dance floor. When dancing to the music their hips sway in time, and their feet mark the beat. If people did not grow up with this type of music, its complex rhythms can be intimidating.
All around the world, there are thousands of cultures. Although they are different, every culture partakes in dance. Dancing is something known worldwide. Every culture has traditional cultural dancing they partake in. Mexico has many cultural dances. La danza del venado is one traditional dance from Northern Mexico. La danza del venado, is known as the deer dance.
This dance they get into nature by way of rhythm and it can make your body
Wisner, Heather. “With a Hop, A Kick, And A Turn, Cumbia Enters the Global Stage.” Dance Magazine 80.9 (2006): 64-68. Humanities Abstracts (H.W. Wilson). Web. 7 Dec. 2011
The Folklorico group presentation I was honored to observed was the “Grupo Folklorico Juventud” from North Salinas High School. I decided to attend to this presentation because I use to be part of this Folklorico group. I also enjoy watching the dances for the reason that I believe they are beyond beautiful. It is amazing how a simple dance could transmit so much information while representing a region from Mexico. From my observation experienced, I noticed every region has different movements and customs for a reason. While observing the presentation I noticed most women used long skirts to create different shapes. They usually create the eight shape, half a circle or an entire circle which is created when the dancer does an entire spin while holding and moving their skirt. The skirt is also moved in different levels, such as high, medium, and low. The two levels that are used in most of the dances is the high and the medium level. While dancing the men and women usually do the same steps and movements. All the dances include “zapateados” which are known as foot dances or stomps. The “zapateados” are usually done with different parts of the feet such as the toe, heel and the sole of the feet. The dances include “zapateados” with different sections of the feet because every part creates a different sound. Most of the dances also include jumps and turns. It is extremely important for the
Ballet is very different in technique compared to salsa and hip-hop, but I have a generic appreciation for any form of dance technique. Furthermore, it has been great learning pique, tendu, releve and even chasse temps leve which is a tough step for me. Yet, some moves just seemed to come naturally.
Modern dance is a form of a dance that employs a special technique for the developing the
“Dance, the art of precise, expressive, and graceful human movement, traditionally, but not necessarily, performed in accord with musical accompaniment. Dancing developed as a natural expression of united feeling and action.”