Dances From The Caribbean
Learn about these three original dances of the Caribbean.
Bachata
This dance is originated in the Dominican Republic during the 60's. The original style of Bachata is a lot slower than it is today. Bachata took forty years to progress in bars and brothels in Dominican Republic. Bachata is a solo dance, two hand hold and open or close embrace. Bachata isn't just a dance it's also a music genre in the Dominican Republic. The steps in Bachata relate to the music, which has four beats per measure. The dancer takes three steps to four beats of music. There are over twenty elements in learning of Bachata. Dominicans living in Dominican Republic only know the original elements of the dance.
How to Do a Bachata Basic Side-to-Side | Bachata Dance
Bomba
This dance originated in Puerto Rico. Bomba is the mixture of three different cultures of the Island, the Spanish, African and Taino cultures. Bomba was created on Puerto Rican plantations by African Americans. This was a dance of celebration. The base rhythm is played by two or more drums, and sometimes they use different sized barrels. The "Primo" drum represents every move the dancer makes. The dances real meaning is about the encounter and creativity between the dancers, singers and percussionists. There are three basic rhythms used in Bomba, "sica", "yuba" and "holandes". The dancers challenge the drummers and singers with their movements of fast steps caleed floretea piquetes.
Bomba Puerto Rican Dance by Julia De Burgos dancers
Merengue
This dance has been around since the early years of Dominican Republic. Merengue is a combination of two dances African and the French Minuet. The original Merengue was not a couple dance but a circle dance. Men and women would not hold each other closely, but at arms length. The original dance had no hip movements, like it does now.
Work Cited
"Afro-Puerto Rican Dance and Musical Genre." Bomba: Afro-Puerto Rican Dance and Musical Genre. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2016.
"Bachata." N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2015.
"Dance." Of Puerto Rico. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2016.
"Merengue, History of Dance and Music." Centralhome Dance, Fitness, Sports. N.p., 21 June 1998. Web. 06 Jan. 2016.
"The Real DomiBachata." The Real DomiBachata. Bachata Ambassador Vesa, n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2016.