Merengue

The Merengue is the national dance of the Dominican Republic, an island in the Caribbean region. It first gained popularity in 1850, when it replaced another folk dance, the Tumba.

Traditionally, musical instruments like accordion, saxophone, tambora  drum, box bass and güira (a sort of metal scraper) are played on a Merengue music. Dominican Republic dictator Rafael Trujillo promoted and expanded this traditional music as a symbol of national expression from the 1930’s onwards. This led to the development of larger Merengue orchestras, who played to more urban audiences in larger dancehalls. Today Merengue has adapted the changes of time and developed the use oflatest hi-tech electronic instruments and emphasises the role of the saxophone, which often gives the music more of a big band style. Tempos vary considerably, but this change in instrumental emphasis over time has not changed the basic Merengue rhythm of a 1-2-3-4 beat. Dominicans often prefer a tempo that quickens towards the end of a piece of music, so that the Merengue dance evolves into more of a fast Jive.

Merengue music has a lot of variety. Tempos differ  a great deal and the Dominicans enjoy a sharp fast  pace towards the latter part of the dance. The most used routine at the clubs and restaurants that have a dance floor is a slow Bolero, breaking into a Merengue, which becomes bright, fast Jive in its closing stages. The ballroom Merengue is slower and has a modified action from the hips.

The Merengue was originally introduced in the East coast of the United States in the New York area. However, it did not become well known until several years later.

It's a simple step that has been described as going up the stairs in a sideway motion. You step on one foot and pull the other to it, again and again.

For the basic step, partners are in the closed position and step from side-to-side in what is known as ‘paso de la empalizada’. This, in turn, moves the hips accordingly. In Ballroom Merengue, a relatively slow tempo is maintained and small steps are taken by the couple, which enables them to circle each other and move around the dance floor. Figure Merengue then combines this basic step with other movements and individual turns by switching to the open hold, but never letting go completely. The steps are kept small and as a result turns should be slow and graceful.

Ideally suited to the small, crowded dance floors, it is a dance that is easy to learn and essentially a "fun" dance.