The Rhumbelow Theatre offers a tea dance on
the first Sunday of the month where patrons can have fun and learn a new dance
step under the guidance of Armand Mynhardt-Joubert.
The next Tea Dance takes place on June 2
from 12h30 to 16h30. This month’s featured dance is the Merengue, a style of
Latin American music and dance with a two-step beat. Partners hold each other
in a closed position. The leader holds the follower's waist with the leader's
right hand, while holding the follower's right hand with the leader's left hand
at the follower's eye level.
Partners bend their knees slightly left and
right, thus making the hips move left and right. The hips of the leader and
follower move in the same direction throughout the song. Partners may walk
sideways or circle each other, in small steps. They can switch to an open
position and do separate turns without letting go each other's hands or
momentarily releasing one hand. During these turns they may twist and tie their
handhold into intricate pretzels. Other choreography is possible.
Merengue was made the official music and
dance of the Dominican Republic by Rafael Trujillo. Some say merengue derived
from the "paso de la empalizada" (pole-fence step). There are also
legends about a limping war hero (or El Presidente of a banana republic
himself, in some versions) who had to step in this way while dancing because of
wounds, and polite (or clueless) public imitated him.
Although the tempo of the music may be
frantic, the upper body is kept majestic and turns are slow, typically four
beats/steps per complete turn. In the social dancing of the United States the
"empalizada" style is replaced by exaggerated Cuban motion, taught in
chain ballroom studios for dances of Latin American origin (Cha-cha-cha, Rumba,
Mambo, Salsa).
Merengue is danced in a similar fashion to
other Caribbean music styles like Soca, Compas and Zouk. There is a similarity
in patterns between merengue and the Cajun Jig and Zydeco dancing, although the
step technique and overall style are quite different.
Entrance R50 each. Rhumbelow Theatre is
situated in Cunningham Avenue off Bartle Road. More information from Roland on
031 205 7602 (h) or 082 499 8636, email roland@stansell.za.net
or visit www.rhumbelow.za.net
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