Fundamentals of the Latin Dance - Research Paper Example

Fundamentals of the Latin Dance Abstract The paper focuses on the different meanings of the dance with a particular focus on the Mexican salsa and rumba. It also discusses the expression of cultural and social communication by the Latin dancers. Dance is a way of learning other’s cultures and gaining knowledge from the dance. Researchers are studying dance to understand its social, culture, and political backgrounds and meanings. Introduction Anthropologists have evidence that suggest dance such as rumba and salsa exhibits political and social factors that shape a society or country such as Mexico. This research paper gives precedence to the political and social meanings exhibited by Latin American and Mexican dances. The dance contains the history of ancient native cultures of the inhabitants as well as the history of oppression and conquest of these countries. Salsa and rumba dance are mediums of communication. They revolve around celebrations, religion, sacrifices, and offerings to the gods. Important occasions could not take place without dance. The dance can unite diverse groups, promote social change, and break various barriers (Lyons 2012). In discussing, the salsa and rumba dance styles, their communication goals and other purposes will be discussed. The Mexican salsa and rumba dances have common factors that integrate to pass similar messages to the audience. Rumba Mexican rumba dance origin, evolution, and popularity is linked to the early and present social movements. It incorporates various African elements as it is one of the favorite’s African diaspora. Rumba promotes the expression and identification of elements derived from Africans that are common in Mexican’s culture (Moore 2006). The regime of Fidel Castro used rumba dance to embody, define and display the image of international and national identity. Cuba, therefore, uses the dance as a physical language to express a formal message of racial and social equality (Lyons 2012). Figure1, an example of the rumba dance Source: . Rumba developed, as a result, of the social circumstances surrounding Havana city and the neighboring provinces of Matanzas and Havana. The urban setting had a mixture of various people such as the colonists, slaves, mulattos, and the free blacks (Moore 2006). The diverse composition of the country explains why Castro had to use rumba to promote racial equality among the country’s inhabitants. The Cuban rumba has three different versions. The first two versions are the Guaguanco and Yambu. The two focused on the assumed differences between males and female (Moore 2006). The third was the Columbia dance that was characterized by males dancing in a competition. The music as well as the dance represents an African heritage. The dancers have flexed and inclined postures with musical instruments that are characteristic of Africans (Moore 2006). Rumba focuses on the identification with the masses. It uses this as a way communicating on issues touching on racial equality. Equality is the core to rumba as it acts as a merger between the European dance and the African rhythms (Lyons 2012). In the same way as how Castro used rumba, the Dominican Republic wanted to use merengue as their artistic symbol of identity (Lyons 2012). Rumba dance expresses honor and respect of both sexes through the chase and court parts of the dance. A first glance at salsa dance is deceiving. It can give the impression that it focuses on females rather than the male. The dance personifies Cuba as a country and the Cuban maleness (Moore 2006). The dance is closely associated with the mulattos and free blacks. It emphasizes on being courageous, daring, enterprising, good-looking, bold, resolute, and many others. Rhumba represents the fundamentals of a Cuban. The dance as the physical and social body helps alleviate pressure and tension from Cuba’s citizens (Moore 2006). It shows the values and what Cuba is as a country. Salsa Salsa is a modern Latin style of dance that emerged in mid the 1960s. It is derived from Cuban rhythms. It was discovered by the civil rights movements that were in existence in the 1960’s. The discovery explains why the Latin America embraced the dance style within a period of a decade (Campbell 2013). Its international influence was a result of influence from various historical events and social conditions. The events are such as the Puerto Rican Dilemma, Cuban revolution, Black Pride Movements, urban migration, civil rights movements, and the need for the replacement of the hegemony of Anglo rock (Campbell 2013). Salsa has attracted many people across the world because of its music and a lovely dance style. The oppression of the Latinos’ was one of the ideas for the invention of the dance style. It gave rise to modern movements that became accustomed to the Latinos. They practiced it on weekends, after work, in dance halls, and as liberation of the mind and body (Campbell 2013). Most of salsa’s lyrics were about the struggles of the unfortunate and the problems encountered in life. Its relationship with life is perhaps because of its worldwide popularity and power (Campbell 2013). Salsa dance as a non-verbal form of communication expresses the need for change in every aspect life (Buckland 2006). Figure 2, a man and a woman taking part in an informal salsa dance Source: . Conclusion Learning about the Latin dance and the cultures that it was made reveals its powers of non-verbal communication. It expresses people’s ideas, beliefs, and cultures, in the same way, as other activities. According to Lyons (2012), using the Latin dance as a way of communication is a characteristic of the past, present and future cultures. Many people fail to comprehend what the dance means while watching it performed. Dance, as well as music, has potential symbols of identity of various ethnic groups in the world (Buckland 2006). People mistake dance as a form of entertainment whereas much can be leant concerning the cultures of the dancers. The failure to understand the meaning of dance emphasizes the need for its education to the people. The people involved in preparing the dance and, the dancers as well benefit more than just mastering the movement techniques. It is; therefore, clear that the dance’s ability to communicate can achieve various political and social needs. It is then appropriate to suggest that dance should be given more scholarly attention if it has the powers to improve the current conditions in the society. References Buckland, T. (2006). Dancing from past to present nation, culture, identities. Madison, Wis.: University of Wisconsin Press. Campbell, P. S. (2013). The Oxford handbook of children's musical cultures. New York: Oxford University Press. Lyons, R. C. (2012). The revival of banned dances: a worldwide study. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc. Moore, R. (2006). Music and revolution cultural change in socialist Cuba. Berkeley: University of California Press. Read More