Merengue Dance
The ballroom version of merengue (merengue de
salón), in its easiest form looks as follows.
With monotonous thumping 1-2-3-4 bass drum beat, all steps are
on one beat and have a characteristic limping appearance. Sometimes
this step is called "paso de la empalizada" (pole-fence
step). There are also legends about a limping war hero (or El
Presidente of a banana republic himself, in some versions) who
had to step in this way while dancing because of wounds, and polite
(or clueless) public imitated him.
Partners learning the merengue hold each other in closed position
and do walks sideways or circle each other, in small steps. They
can further switch to a double handhold position and do separate
turns never letting go each other's hands. During these turns
they may twist and tie their handhold into intricate pretzels.
Other choreography is possible.
Although the tempo of the merengue music may be frantic, the
upper body is kept majestic and turns are slow, typically four
beats/steps per complete turn.
In the social dancing of the USA the "empalizada" merengue
style is replaced by exaggerated Cuban motion, taught in chain
ballroom studios for dancing the merengue of Latin American origin
(Cha-cha-cha, Rumba,
Mambo, Salsa).
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