How Do You Dance Salsa, Merengue, Bachata?
The salsa, merengue and bachata are all classic Latin social dances. Don’t let exaggerated ballroom competition dance moves intimidate you; dancing socially is easier than it looks. You just have to listen to the music and let your body, especially your feet, move along to its beat. You might consider learning these dances from simplest to most complex, which would be merengue, bachata, then salsa. Put on some merengue music–the Resources section contains a link to a good example. Listen for the “marching” beat inside the merengue music. This beat is often kept by the drum, but various instruments may share in maintaining the beat. Take small steps in place as if you were marching. Stand up straight and let your hips shift and rock naturally from side to side with the motion of each step. You’re dancing the merengue. Listen for the steady 1-2-3-4 beat in the bachata music. You don’t need to worry about fast or slow steps–just listen for the steady beat and practice counting it. Start
