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LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC

Latin American music is listened to and danced to the World over, but however originated in the regions or countries of South America, Meso America, and all of the Caribbean. The evolution and unfolding of Latin American music began with the beginnings of what is referred to by many historians as the New World. With the Slave Trade, Africans introduced their unique styles of instruments and rhythms, which fused, with the rhythms of Spain and native populations of the New World. As the Spanish set up colonies and states in this New Region, immigrants from other nations in Europe began to arrive from Italy, Russia, France and into the mix was added more variations of music.

Today Latin American music is a blend of these many cultures, but the Rhythm behind almost all Latin music is more African than any other culture. If one listens to exclusive African music one can detect the resemblance to Latin music such as with the Samba. And Samba has almost exclusive roots in African music.

Latin Dance Music is played in many clubs and dance places across America and around the world. Latin American dance is taught as Ballroom dance at all Dance Studios.

LATIN DANCE COMPETITIONS

There are International Ballroom Competitions where dancers from around the world compete and there is an exclusive category called International Latin, which includes the following dances: Samba, Cha Cha, Rumba, Jive, and Pase Doble. International Standard includes the Tango, which is a Latin American dance.
For American Style competitions the Tango is listed under American Smooth; and American Rhythm includes the Rumba, Samba, Swing, Cha Cha, Merengue, and Mambo.

Of these dances, the most popular Latin dance for competition is the Pase Doble. The Pase Doble is derived from the BullFights in Spain and in the dance the Man is the BullFighter and the Woman is his cape. It has a kind of marching rhythm and is danced to traditional bull-fighting music - Espana Cani. Usually the dancers will wear a traditional Spanish costume for the woman and the bull-fighting costume for the man. It is a very exciting dance. You can imagine you are at a real bullfight when watching the dancers perform.

To bring the Latin dance scene into the general world population, dance instructors and dance studios, went slumming among the general populations for the unique dances of various cultures, studied their steps and dance moves and compiled lesson plans of how to teach these dances to the general public.

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