History of Latin Dancing

The history of Latin dancing is rich, eclectic and rather muddled given the multitude of accounts and cultural vantage points. The three dances from Latin America, La Rumba, samba dancing and the cha cha cha dance, evolved through an intermingling of Indigenous, African and European forms, rhythms and moods. The national dance of the Dominican Republic, the Meringue is said to have originated when slaves, chained together, dragged their legs while they cut sugar to the beat of drums. Another version of the origin of Meringue salsa dancing (often confused with Merengue) is when villagers greeting a wounded revolutionary Dominican Republic soldier dragged their legs in sympathy. The history of samba follows that the lively dance originated in Brazil during street festivals and celebrations. Samba dancing was introduced to the United States in the late twenties in a Broadway play called "Street Carnival." La Rumba influence began in the 16th century along with black slaves imported over the Atlantic from Africa.