How to Do a Chasse When Dancing the Merengue

Some people dispute the origin of the Merengue, but most agree that this is an easy dance to learn. Doing a chasse when dancing the Merengue is as easy as marching to the music with a turn added. The faster the music, the faster the dancing.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Face your partner and position your arms and hands. Generally, the right arms are up and hands together. The woman's left arm can be on top of the man's left arm and his slightly wrapped around her waist or torso.

2. Chasse, or glide, your feet back and forth to the beat of the music to a count of four. Partners should move together.

3. Loosen your hips so that they sway freely back and forth with your steps for this dance.

4. Begin the underarm turn on the next four counts by the man raising his right arm and the woman going underneath. The woman completes the underarm turn in four steps, still to the beat of the music while the man is marching in place to the same count.

5. Come back to your original positions, and glide your feet back and forth to the count of four again.

Tips & Warnings

• The woman should not move far away from her partner for the turn in Merengue dancing. This is a close-in turn right underneath his arm.