Hispanic communities have been characterized for years by it, and nowadays Salsa remains the most popular style of dance and music. Salsa has been originated in Eastern Cuba early in the 1900's. There, Spanish and Afro-Cuban musical elements were combined, both in terms of rhythm and the instruments used.
PUERTO RICO (Puerto Rican Salsa)
Puerto rican people had settled in the US, especially in New York; in that environment Salsa completed its development. In "El Barrio" bands were formed and immigrants continued making Afro-Caribbean music. The peack of Salsa was reached in the 50s and 60s. 
RUMBA... CUBA
Rumba is known to be that kind of dance in which dancers emphasize the movement of their body rather than that of feet. Like many Latin dances, rumba developed gradually in Cuba. Rumba is known to have a very slow rhythm, indeed it is known to be the second slowest of the Latin dance only after Bolero.
BACHATA....DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
MERENGUE....DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Merengue is the national dance of the Dominican Republic. This dance was developed in the early 1900’s. The dance rhythm is quick-quick-quick-quick. It is the only dance that doesn’t have a mixture of “quicks” and “slows”.
In the basic movement of Merengue, one leg is dragged slightly. A couple of legends were narrated about why this is so. One is that during one of the revolutions in the Dominican Republic, a great hero was wounded in the leg. He came home to a celebration in his honor. When the villagers danced at the celebration, they all limped and dragged one leg as a gesture of sympathy for him.
The first Bachata was recorded in 1961 by José Manuel Calderón. But subsequntly, Bachata began to be associated with the world of prostitution, crime, and delinquency.
In its current form, Bachata is listened throughout the Latin America, and is particularly popular in New York and Italy today.
SAMBA....BRAZIL
The roots of Samba are African, but most of the development of this dance were done in Brazil. Samba was originally known as a street festival. A Broadway play, called "Street Carnival" introduced it to the US in the late 20s, and Samba became known all around Europe, that was really captured by it.
Hi!
RispondiEliminaIt is very interesting to read all these stories about the birth of Latin American dance.
I am a latin dancer since I was 6 years old. I really love this type of dance because it gives you energy and makes you happy. All songs are catchy and make you dance even if you are not a professional dancer.
As I mentioned before, I started dancing at the age of six. First I learnt to dance salsa and bachata, then cha cha cha,rumba and jive, but my favourite one is bachata.
Unfortunately I gave up dancing when I started university, two years ago, because I moved to Padua.
What about you? What is your favourite Latin American dance style?
Tell me something about your passion!
Hi Alessia! Thanks for having appreciate my post on Latin dance! My favourite one is Bachata too, but I also love puertorican salsa and I prefer it instead of the cuban one! I would like to learn flamenco in the future because I love that kind of dance which expresses passion!
Elimina