Rumba

There have been many dance styles called “rumba” throughout the years but the one most commonly referred to as “Rumba” originated from Afro-Cuban dance, music, and “sol”. Some consider the Rumba the most erotic and sensual of the Latin dances, mostly due to its relatively slow rhythm and extensive hip movements. Rumba is considered the second slowest Latin dance: the spectrum, from slowest to fastest runs bolero, rumba, cha-cha-cha, and mambo.

The Ballroom version of Rumba has become Americanized and is characterized by typically Cuban hip movements and the sway that arises naturally from the bending and straightening of the knees. The Latin hip movement of stepping on a straightened leg is utilized more in the International Rumba.

The music of the Rumba is a percussive rhythm and song, which was influenced by African-style music. Unlike other dances and music of Cuban origin, the Rumba is secular, having no religious connotations. By the 1930s and 1940s, the music and dance of the Rumba made its way from Cuba to the United States and into popular culture. No one person or group is credited with the rise in popularity or notoriety of the dance.

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Also known as 

Cuban Rumba, Ballroom Rumba, Early American Rumba, 

Region of origin: 

Cuba