How to Put Partner Merengue Dance Steps Together

Once you have learned all of the merengue steps, the logical progression is to put all of the steps you have learned together with your partner. This article can help you with a few suggested merengue combinations, but it's up to you and you partner to develop your own style and have fun on the dance floor. Why wait? Grab those dance shoes and get dancing.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Start putting the basic merengue steps together by standing before your partner. You can start out in the open position with your hands clasped and start with the basic merengue steps, or you can bring her in and transition to the ballroom hold with your right hand on her shoulder blade or just below, and holding her left hand in yours. Either way works well.

2. Do the pivot steps with your partner as you do the partner merengue steps together. Start by pivoting to the left so that you face the back of the room, pivoting back to the first position, then pivoting to the right so that you face the center of the room. Your partner will follow you, mirror fashion. Return to the first position before continuing.

3. Go back the basic step then move on to the side to side dance steps as you put the partner merengue dance steps together. Travel to the left by stepping to the side with your left foot, and move your right foot to meet your left. Do this four or six times, then return to the middle and do the same steps to the right.

4. Follow with the forward traveling steps as you put the merengue partner steps together. Step forward four times with your left foot, then step back four times with your right foot. Your partner will do the same, moving back with her right foot first, then stepping forward with her left.

5. Continue with the basic merengue steps as you put the merengue partner steps together. Lift your left hand and allow your partner to turn, going left, beneath it. Take her hands when she faces you again, and return to the basic merengue steps.

6. Push against her hands as you do the partner merengue steps, then draw her close again by extending your arms up while retaining your clasp on your partners hands. Make two circles with your hands: your left hand to outside and to the left, and your right hand the outside and to the right. Allow your grip to loosen and travel down to your partner's wrists. As you begin to step back to repeat these steps, resume your clasp on your partner's hands.

7. Turn to the left beneath your partner's left hand while still holding her right hand as you put the partner merengue dance steps together. Once you have turned so that you now face the middle of the floor, duck your head and step back beneath her right hand, then hold up your left hand so that your partner can turn to the left beneath it, and resume dancing the basic merengue steps with you.