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Bruce Lee adem�s de hacer pel�culas, escribir su tratado sobre el
Jet-Kune-Do y repartir madrazos; tambi�n fue un experto bailar�n de Cha
cha ch�.
An exciting, syncopated Latin dance which originated in the 1950's as a
slowed-down Mambo. The Cha Cha gets its name and character from its
distinct repetitive foot rhythm.
Cha cha your way to health
Latin dancing has taken Thailand by storm over the last few years,
and although the trend has slowed, there is now an entrenched dancing
scene in town. Before you dust off your dancing shoes and join in,
however, you might like to find out about what the style of dancing is,
where some of the dances come from, and what your options are when it
comes to taking classes.
What is Latin dancing?
The Dance Centre's artistic director Vararom Pachimsawat says that
many Latin dances were originally created to appease the gods, while
others were created for martial purposes - that is, to prepare the mind
and body for action. Still others were more romantic in nature and used
for courtship. "Latin dances have their own history that reflect the
people of the country of origin," she says.
General manager of the Pathumwan Princess (home to the Salsa Club)
Stanley Pao says that ballroom dancing has long been on the scene in
Thailand, and that it's always been popular as a form of exercise.
"Now with Latin music here, it's even more energetic. The real Latin
dances like the salsa and the merengue keep you moving all the time. It's
a very good form of exercise."
Vararom adds that dance is good for both the mind and body. "It can
stimulate the nervous system and can also be relaxing after a strenuous
work out."
Besides Ricky Martin, Latin dancing's popular appeal can be attributed to
how simple it is to learn. El Nino's dancing teacher Nicky
("everybody knows me by my first name") says that it's not as
strict and constraining as ballroom dancing. "You just need to know
the basic steps, and then the pattern is up to you. It's fun, but it's
also hard work."
Furthermore, the strong rhythms in Latin music are generally easy for
even poor natural dancers to follow. Latin line dancing, used to teach
basic steps at El Nino, has become popular among many people who
otherwise may not have thought of stepping onto a dance floor.
The dances
There are several basic Latin dances, of which there are many
variations, with some occasionally borrowing heavily from others. Some of
the dances include the mambo, from Cuba, with the music being a fusion of
swing and Cuban beats influenced by African and Caribbean styles. In
parts of Cuba the dance is known as "the devil's dance" due to
its suggestive nature. Popularised in the 1950s, it led to the
development of the easier cha cha. Arthur Murray, the famed American
dance studio king, then popularised it in America.
Mambo also contributed to the development of salsa, both of which feature
six steps taken over eight beats of music and share some similar moves.
Salsa, however, features more turning, is more energetic, and most
movement is from left to right, while mambo steps tend to go forwards and
backwards.
The Dominican Republic can claim responsibility for the merengue, (in
Haiti, it's called the meringue), an energetic march which became popular
there in the mid-nineteenth century, while Brazil is known for creating
the samba.
Those who think Latin dancing is sexy have something upon which to base
their opinion: the original native African rumba was supposed to
represent sex. Another type of rumba developed in Spain, but as with
other Latin dances, it became truly popular in Cuba. Today the dance
still features a healthy amount of flirting between the dancing
partners.
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