Essay on Merengue - A vivid Kaleidoscope

The genre bachata was developed in the Caribbean island of Dominican Republic. This genre was created based on boleros (slow-tempo Latin music), son cubanos, waltzes, Mexican music and merengue. Bachata is well known as love and depressing songs in which many people describe them self with this genre. At one point back in the earlier 1960s, bachata was considered vulgar and low-class. “Acceptance of the music has increased significantly in the last two decades, although some dominicans, both individuals living on the island and stateside, still do not accept the music because of the implication of its lower-class origins and associations with such themes as crime, poverty, drinking, and prostitution’’(Stavans 47). The genre Bachata has spread and grown so quickly for the past few years that is has become very famous in the United States, Europe, China, and South America. The genre bachata is well known to attract people with its lyrics, instruments, and dance since it identifies many people with real life events.

Until about 20 years ago the Latin genre of music known as bachata was undesirable in its country of origin. Bachata is known as guitar music that originated in the Dominican Republic during the 1920s around the time when dictator, Rafael Trujillo, took over. The Dominican Republic is right next to Haiti and close neighbors with Cuba. The capital is Santo Domingo and also the largest city in the country. Like many other styles of Latin music bachata came from the poorest social class in the country, it was considered too rude, vulgar, and musically rustic, and was not accepted by the wealthy people in the country. It wasn’t 1961 until after Trujillo’s death that the artists were able to go to the capital and record their music because Trujillo’s family had monopolized music in the country when he was still alive.

Merengue is often mentioned as the ‘National dance’ of the Dominican Republic. The music has some similarities with méringue from Hati but merengue is sung in Spanish and not Creole. It is also influenced by the Cuban music called ‘Upa Habanera.’ Merengue music gained recent popularity in the west but has been popular in the Dominican Republic since the 1800s. The instruments used are an accordion, a tambora, and a güira. Some important singers of merengue include Miriam Cruz & Las Chicas del Can, Wilfrido Vargas, Johnny Ventura and Cuco Valoy. There is also Milly Quezada who is known as the Queen of merengue. Just like plena and bomba, merengue helps tourism in the Dominican Republic with festivals. Bringing tourists from all over the world to listen to the bumping beat of merengue. This helps bring money to the island. As well as spread talk of the Dominican Republic to others in faraway places. Merengue helps to keep pride and culture to the Dominican

Salsa also can be known for the most familiar and biggest impact form of music from Puerto Rico. Salsa is a big part of Latin pop music. (Centralhome) There is no real evidence has to who invented salsa music. (Centralhome) Most of the cultures that do listen to salsa music are the Cubans or Puerto Ricans. (Centralhome) Many people of the Latin culture feels that the salsa really gathers the feeling of many emotions into

Hispanic’s music had a great impact in USA. Nowadays, Americans listen to Hispanics’ music. Hispanics’ music now is part of American’s culture. These changes in USA began around of 19th century, when Hispanics immigration increases in the USA. One of the big changes in music occurred around 1940s, when Americans began to recognize the efforts of Cuban-American musicians. One of the Cuban bands was Cugat. It was known better Orchestra ‘based in New York’s Waldorf Astoria’ which had a great visual and musical style. Another Cuban band was Machito who were dominated as one of the best New York’s scenes at that time. Thanks, to those bans Americans adopted some of Cubans’ dances and performances such as rumba, mambo and cumbia. Americans used and still using the Cuban instruments like bongos and maracas to create their rhythms. Later on, Americans created Jazz by African Americans with the influenced of Cuban’s music.

During the 1950’s Latin America had its last major influence on music, dance, and culture. This last major genre of music is known as the mambo, which originated in Cuba. In1948 a man named Perez Prado moved to Mexico hoping to make more money in the music industry. He did just this! While in Mexico Senior Prado made a band that focused mostly on mambo. They where known as El Rey del Mambo.

Los Angeles doesn't have its signature type of Salsa. Bands here adopt the classical Puerto Rican music. The dancing style moves are both exciting and sexy. In Cuba, the type of Salsa is called Timba. The movement is fast influenced by Afro Cuban music. Musicians blend in the popular Reggae and Pop music in between the breaks. The dancing style is called "Casino" simply because when it was started it was played in gambling joints or casinos. One notable difference is that Cuban Salsa is circular rather than linear. The man keeps moving around the woman. The Columbians have maintained their Salsa Dura up-to-date. The dancing style is spectacular with a swift movement of feet and tight spins. The dancers stay close; bodies almost touching. The West Africans also have their Salsa. Traditional music instruments are relied upon to give the rhythm. The dancing style is what they call Salsa Mbalax more African than Latino. Some contemporary Salsa musicians are:

Indigenous traditions, European-derived music, and African-inspired musical activity make up the music of Central America, South America, and Mexico.

As they interacted, they played music together. They mixed the rhythms and forms of music from their native countries. This mixing contributed to the mixing and fusing of music giving birth to a superior form of music. Bringing together these elements gave rise to a type of music called the Mambo bred from the Cuban Son, Conjunto and Jazz music elements. Somehow this new type of music found its way back home and still went through more transformation.

According to him, growing up around both musical genres influenced him to develop a passion for the music. At the same time, it had a big influence on the music he likes and interprets. By my own experience, as a proud Dominican, I could say we have Bachata and Merengue in our blood. Those genres are part of our identity and culture, which shape our views in terms of music. Both genres are characterized by their unique rhythms, and specific ways for dancing. This caused many people to get interested in them, which made them popular around the

Afrocuban cultural structures, especially dance and music, were significant to the meaning of the new country during the neocolonial republic. Afrocubanismo, the union results of the African majority share's a way of life and that of the prevailing European minority, was the "applied system of present day Cuban culture." African rhythms were embedded into popular music, and the Eurocuban dances "danza" and "contra-danza" and the Afrocuban moves "son" and rhumba wound up noticeably well known. Expressive language, dance, and music are a cultural legacy that Cubans express often. Any Cuban can dance and appreciates performing at Carnivals, for sightseers, or at parties. Afrocuban music is performed on street corners and in parlors everywhere

The drums are made from barrels of rum which are then adjusted to match its corresponding role, and then goat skin is added to the top of the drum in order to create the low, and high pitches. Added to these are the cua. A unique instrument which is made of two sticks that had been struck on a resonant surface, and one maraca (Bomba 6). As previously mentioned, bomba it’s a connection, a challenge between the dancer and the lead drummer. Thus then giving each person a key role for an outstanding performance. As we already know by now, it is the lead drummer (primo) responsibility to replicate every single move of the dancer. Not to mention, the importance task buleadores drummers have; keep a repeated, steady and rhythmic pattern over and over again. As well as the cua, and maracas players keeping track of time, and supporting high pitches notes alongside the drummers. Not less important are the singers who just like the dancers are essential to its performance due to its improvised lyrics. Singers keep the music traditional, modern, and original because they use African words and phrases to maintain its roots, alongside lyrics revolving around events currently within the community in order to preserve their current tradition. Lastly, the dancer’s roles: keep the music alive. One cannot say it enough, but dancers are what make bomba. Although, each person has an important responsibility during a performance. In my opinion they are the key to its ongoing success in Puerto Rico. In what other genre of music have we seen dancers been in control of the whole performance? It is usually the music that moves the dancer(s). Nonetheless, in bomba dancers are essential for the reason that besides the actual drum “leader”. The dancer is the one directing the whole performance with each move that he or she does. A dancer role is to keep everyone alive, not just to entertain, but to follow and

The relationship between the city of Trujillo and the Marinera is special, because one of the mainly things that represents the city is this precise dance. This affirmation was made official when in January 24 1986; the city of Trujillo was declared the capital of the Marinera. When they saw that it was something meaningful for the city’s population, the congress decided in 2012 that October 7 was going to be the Marinera day (nationwide) in honour of one of the most famous Marinera music composers: Augusto Ascuez Villanueva. In Peru, they teach kids in school how to dance it. This dance is thought so that children can know more about their culture, feel “more” Peruvian, and see if they might want to dance it professionally. Furthermore, during

Salsa has become an ever more popular dance in the United States, especially with the emergence of Latin artists including Marc Anthony, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, and Shakira. Go to any club or ballroom dance and you will hear a pulsating beat moving you out of your chair and onto the floor. Even Broadway has been affected by Latin music. For instance, Cell Block Tango in the smash hit Chicago has a driving Latin beat. It doesn't matter if you are partying in Miami or sipping martinis in Massachusetts, Salsa has invaded America and taken a grip on the culture. Some even consider Salsa an addiction. "Perhaps it's because of the addictive quality inherent in this rhythm which fuels the desire to become part of it and express it