This lively partner dance is nicknamed ‘The Dance of Love’, and is considered to be one of the most beautiful Latin-style dances. The Rumba started as an Afro-Cuban social dance and in addition to being danced competitively, it is now practised in ballroom competitions around the world and danced socially within ballroom dance studios. It is characterized by a still upper body, emphasizing hip movements and a close connection between partners. Even though it is traditionally danced to slow Latin music, the Rumba is now commonly danced to current, popular ballads, and as such it is a popular style choice for slow partner dancing and is also a popular style for a wedding couple’s first dance. The rumba is slower than some of the other Latin dances, representing a fusion of Spanish and African dance styles.
A Brief History of the Rumba
The Rumba originated in the sixteenth century in Cuba among the African slaves as a rare form of expression and began as a sensual and fast dance with exaggerated hip movements. In 1886, many social dances including the rumba were performed in cities like Havana at social gatherings and parties among Afro-Cubans and continued to evolve. The rumba gained fame among the upper and upper middle classes of Cuba who adapted this version to be less hip focused and slower.
The word Rumba is used to illustrate different styles of dancing. It could be used to encompass a range of dances concerning the rumba genre of Afro-Cuban music.
Although Lew Quinn and Joan Sawyer attempted to introduce the dance to the United States in 1913, it wasn’t until about 10 years later that the rumba started to catch on. In the 1920s the rumba gained popularity in the United States when band leader, Emil Coleman imported a pair of rumba dancers and some rumba musicians from Cuba to New York and in 1925 when Benito Collada opened the Club El Chico in Greenwich Village. By 1929, there was a real interest in Latin music and Rumba dancing became very popular in New York. When Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers danced the rumba in 1933 in their first film together, Flying Down to Rio, the dance received a further boost in popularity. In the present day, the rumba is a popular style of dance and is featured in ballroom dance competitions worldwide. Rumba was danced slowly in America in the early 1920s and was made more civilized by the dance studios of that time. The Rumba’s introduction into Europe was supported by Monsieur Pierre and its popularity continued to expand throughout the United States. Pierre was the lead Rumba dance teacher in London, and his display in the 1930s with Doris Lavelle, his dance partner popularized Latin American dancing in London. They introduced the Cuban Rumba which was eventually established in 1955 as the official recognized version of the dance.
Rumba Dance Today
The ballroom style of Rumba is presently highly popular throughout the world. It is the slowest of the five Dancesport Latin dances in competition-style dancing. The World Dancesport Federation which is the international governing body of dancesport and is recognized by the International Olympic Committee, hosts national and international ballroom dance competitions year round, featuring the Rumba among other ballroom dances.
There are two different styles in competitive Rumba dancing : International and American. The Rumba is considered a Latin dance within the International dance structure while it is considered a rhythm dance within the American dance structure. International style rumba uses counts 2,3 and 4 while American style rumba uses counts 1,3 and 4 while the hip motion greatly varies. In the International style the dance steps onto a straight leg while in the American style, dancer steps onto a bent leg.
In the present day, the Rumba is danced to slow rhythms. The feet stay close to the floor using a sliding action while the hips move easily from side to side. The spirit and the soul of Rumba lie in Latin American music and dance while the dance has evolved over the years. The beautiful body expressions and rhythms of this dance make it one of the most popular ballroom dances.
