How to Do Basic Merengue Dance Steps

Merengue is a partner dance that originated in the Dominican Republic in the mid-nineteenth century. It is widely considered that country's national dance. There is a ballroom version of the dance, but less formal versions also exist. In its early days, merengue was controversial because it was popular among the rural poor, used African rhythms and contained risqué lyrics.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Listen carefully to the music and locate the downbeat of the rhythm.

2. Step in place on your right foot and simultaneously bend your right knee slightly. This causes your left knee to straighten and you are now "sitting" into your hip.

3. Repeat Step 2 with your left foot--step onto your left foot and gently bend your left knee. Your right leg will straighten and you should now be sitting into your alternate hip.

4. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 while keeping your feet in constant motion.

Tips & Warnings

• There are no pauses in merengue dancing. Your feet should move throughout the entire song to the same, rhythmic downbeat.
• Once you master the basic step while standing in place, try inserting a turn by spinning, slowly at first, over the left or right shoulder while continuing the steady foot motion of the basic merengue step. Perform faster and more complicated turns as you improve.
• Merengue dancing involves a stylized limping step called "paso de la empalizada," which means the "pole-fence step." Folklore instructs that the style developed to imitate a wounded war hero who danced with a limp.