You can’t go anywhere in Central America without hearing the sound of Latin music. Whether it’s loud and fast reggaeton pumping from car stereos or the lovelorn mariachi music of Mexico, every genre of Latin American music is packed with emotion. 

Students in our Fall Semester, Sustainable Develoment & Social Justice in Latin America, have heard plenty of new music at their homestays, on the streets, and when they go out in San José. Recently, they got a crash course from ICDS on how to move their feet and look like pros when they go out. Students and ICDS staff joined up after classes for a dance lesson featuring salsa, merengue, and ‘el swing criollo’.

Salsa – The most famous and popular style of Latin dance today, Salsa originated in Cuba as a mix of Spanish and Afro-Cuban musical influences. The sound travelled from Havana to New York City in the 1950s, incorporated some jazz and mainstream elements, and quickly became a worldwide phenomenon. You might know the classic 1-2 step dance for salsa music, but when in Central America, a dance lesson in salsa can be a lot more involved (and physical)!

Merengue – Merengue is synonymous with the Dominican Republic. Introduced by German trade merchants in the early 20th century, it was considered the music of the lower classes for many decades. In the 1960s, it began incorporating elements of American rock music, R&B, and Cuban salsa and became internationally well-known in the 70s and 80s as Dominican populations grew physically and spread culturally around New York City.

Swing Criollo – A truly Costa Rican dance, the swing criollo is younger than the salsa or merengue, but it has a similar story. It started as a popular dance of the lower classes, but it’s free-spirited style is catching on more each year. Swing criollo is typically danced to Columbian ‘cumbia’ music and is less rigid and formal, with more improvisation and freedom of movement. Its movements are reminiscent of swing music, with more hip movement from salsa and Latin music influence.

Learning all three dances was a lot of fun and a lot of exercise. ICDS counselor, Laura, was there to learn too.  “It was a great experience,” she said. “Students had a lot of fun, laughed, and enjoyed learning about our ‘cultura tica’!”