Latin American Dancing: The Best Music to Get You Moving

This article is a collaborative effort, crafted and edited by a team of dedicated professionals.

Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

Contents

From the traditional salsa to the more modern reggaeton, Latin American dancing is some of the most fun you can have. But what’s the best music to get you moving?

Introduction

A lot of people ask what is the best music to get you moving when you are dancing Latin American style dances. While there are many great songs out there, some of the best music to get you moving when you are dancing Latin American style dances is salsa, merengue, and bachata. These genres of music are sure to get your feet moving and your body grooving.

Salsa

Salsa is a popular Latin American dance that originates from Cuba. It is a lively, sensual dance that is often danced to Latin American music. Salsa can be danced either socially or competitively.

There are many different types of salsa, but the most common are Cuban salsa (also called Casino), Colombian salsa (also called Cumbia), and Puerto Rican salsa (also called Salsa Romántica). Cuban salsa is the original form of the dance and is characterized by its fast-paced, energetic movements. Colombian salsa is a slower, more sensual form of the dance, while Puerto Rican salsa focuses on complex footwork and turns.

No matter which type of salsa you choose to dance, you are sure to have a great time!

Merengue

Merengue is a style of music and dance originating in the Dominican Republic. The music is fast-paced and includes elements of both African and European influences. The dance is performed by couples who hold each other close while moving their hips and feet in sync with the music.

Merengue is a popular style of dance in Latin America, and many variations of the dance exist. The most common variation is called salon merengue, which is danced in a linear fashion around the circumference of a circle. Couples often take turns dancing in the center of the circle, showing off their skills to the others in attendance.

Merengue is typically danced to music with a fast tempo and simple 2/4 time signature. The typical instruments used in merengue music include accordion, tambora (a type of drum), guitars, and horns.

Bachata

Bachata is a musical genre originating in the Dominican Republic in the early 1960s. It’s a vibrant, sensual style of partner dancing that has become extremely popular all over the world. Bachata music is typically made up of four instruments: two guitars (one acoustic, one electric), bongos, and maracas. The songs often have infectious rhythms that make them perfect for dancing.

If you’re looking for some great Bachata music to dance to, check out the following songs:

“Amor de Lejos” by Romeo Santos
“ stand by me” by Prince Royce
“Tengo Que Colgar” by Aventura
“Bachata en Kingston” by Jarabe de Palo

Cumbia

Cumbia is a music genre popular in Latin America, especially Colombia (where it originated), Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Chile, Paraguay and Argentina. It is also popular in the United States among Hispanic communities. The music is a mix of Spanish and African sounds and rhythms.

Cumbia originated in the Caribbean region of Colombia in the 16th century. It was originally a courtship dance between couples who would move in a circle while holding hands. The music and dance eventually spread to other areas of Latin America.

Cumbia is now often played with a band consisting of drums, bass guitar, guitars, keyboards and horns. The bands may also include singers and dancers. The dancing consists of couples moving together in a circle or line while holding hands or waving handkerchiefs.

The music has evolved over the years and now includes various subgenres such as cumbia villera (from Argentina), cumbia villera (from Chile), cumbia sonidera (from Mexico) and cumbia chicha (from Peru).

If you’re looking for some lively music to get you moving, cumbia is a great choice!

Conclusion

So there you have it! A sampling of some of the best music to get you moving when you’re doing Latin American dancing. Remember, there is no one “right” way to do any of these dances, so have fun and let the music move you!

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