The urban legend of the Merengue starts with a soldier returning home from war. The legend goes that at his homecoming party he was only able to step with his good leg and drag the other since it was wounded from the war. The result was the stepping pattern that started the Merengue.

Of course, to dance the Merengue, you don’t just drag one leg limping around the ballroom floor, but the constant stepping motion as if you are marching in place is the basic pattern, keeping your feet close to the ground. More than any other dance, the Merengue is the easiest to learn and it proves that the soul of dancing is not to be found in the feet alone. It’s the style and attitude you put into the steps that matter most.

If you haven’t mastered the Cuban Motion yet, this is the dance to practice on. The Cuban Motion can make the simplest of steps entrancing to watch and it’s a lot of fun. Simply take a step on every beat of the music as you make your way around the room. In partner dancing, the woman mirrors the steps of the man, so when he moves his left foot, she moves her right. He holds her in the classic ballroom position: left hand holding her right hand, his right hand at her waist, her left hand on his right shoulder. Then it’s just one foot after the other and away you go!

The stepping pattern can be started on any beat but it’s best to start on the downbeat. You hold your head and upper body in an upright, military-style position, giving it a regal bearing. The tempo is usually quite fast so turns are usually made in four step to four beats.

There are three basic movements to the Merengue: Forward Basic, Back Basic, and Side Basic. If you’re dancing with a partner you move forward, backward, or side to side mirroring each other’s footsteps. And you typically move for eight steps before beginning another movement.

As you move around the dance floor in a fast-paced manner, you can vary it up from mild to wild. If you’re going wild you can add twists, turns and dips as you march through the improvisational moves. But if you want it mild, you can dance in a closed position as you fall in love doing the Merengue dancing with your partner.

Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin have been performing, coaching and developing amazing choreography for over 30 years. The own NYC’s top-notch dance center If you interested in learning more history of any dances make sure you check out their site. They are currently teachingdance lessons in NYC

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