Merengue

The Merengue is the national dance of the Dominican Republic and very popular throughout the Caribbean and South America. It is one of the standard Latin dances, and one of the few well suited to small, crowded dance floors.

Ideal for 2/4 and 4/4 rhythms, the Merengue is a two-step dance in which the dancer’s weight rests on one straight leg while the other leg bends and takes a small step to the side, front or back. The hip motion results from the alternate bending and straightening of the knees, typical of Cuban dancing styles. Easy to learn, it is simple and smooth in its slow version (very similar to the typical rocking motion of simple slow dancing), but its faster forms can be quite flashy.