Sign Up for Merengue Dance Lessons in Montclair, NJ
Merengue Dance Lessons Montclair, NJ
Both Haiti and the Dominican Republic claim Merengue as their own. According to Haitian lore, an earlier ruler of their country had a lame son who liked to dance. In order that this beloved prince would not feel self-conscious about his affliction, the entire populace took to dancing as though they all were lame. The Dominican’s version is that the dance originated at a fiesta that was given to honor a returning war hero. When the brave warrior rose to dance, he limped on his wounded left leg. Rather than make him feel self-conscious, all the men present favored their left legs as they danced.
In both countries for many generations, the Merengue was taught and danced with these back stories in mind. When couples got up to dance the Merengue, the man favored his left leg and the lady favored her right leg; while flexing their knees a bit more than usual and at the same time leaning the body slightly to the same side. Haitians and Dominicans alike refer to the Merengue as their “singing dance;” this is understandable when you consider the exhilarating brightness of the staccato rhythm. The Merengue is danced in place to Latin music.
Whether you’re looking for a new hobby or a way to connect with your partner, want to take your dancing skills to the next level, or just want to improve your social life, the teaching methods of Fred Astaire Upper Montclair will result in faster learning rates, higher levels of achievement – and more FUN! Contact us in Cedar Grove today, we’d love to help you get started. Or stop in! We’re just 10 minutes from The Wellmont Theater.
Merengue has been claimed by the Dominican Republic and Haiti. In fact, Haitian lore states that one of their rulers many generations ago had a lame son who loved dancing. To prevent his son from feeling self-conscious, the Haitians started dancing as if they were lame as well, resulting in Merengue. The Dominican lore claims Merengue began during a festival honoring a returning war hero. This war hero had a wounded leg. The men at the festival danced as if they had injured legs as well to avoid drawing attention to the wounded warrior.
Merengue dance instruction has become a staple in both countries. This dance style requires men to favor their left legs and women to favor their right, flexing their knees more than usual and leaning slightly to the same side. Both countries refer to Mrengue as a “singing dance,” due to its energetic, staccato rhythm. Merengue is most commonly danced to Latin music.
No matter the reason, if you’re considering Merengue dance training in Montclair, NJ, Fred Astaire Dance Studio is your Merengue dance studio. We invite you to enroll with one of our experienced Merengue dance instructors for Merengue dance instruction that will help you learn faster, so you can enjoy the thrill of this dance style. Contact us to learn more about Merengue dance lessons!