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Learning Objectives 

Students will: 

• Apply the elements of dance to descriptions of particular Latin dances.
• Model elements of a traditional Latin dance.
• Research and gather information to answer essential questions. 
• Create an oral presentation about Latin dance and its country of origin.
• Write informative text about a Latin country or dance in English or Spanish (optional).
• Ask and answer questions in Spanish about each Latin dance presentation.
• Compare and contrast two Latin dances.

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts StandardsNational Core Arts Standards

Common Core State StandardsCommon Core State Standards

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents: Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

Videos

Additional Materials

• Computers
• Sticky notes
• Index cards

Teacher Background

Teachers should review the , which explores the elements of dance by demonstrating various simple movements. If every student begins with the basics—regardless of whether they’ve never danced in their lives or if they’ve taken dance lessons for years—students will be more comfortable moving their bodies in a classroom setting. For tips on how to include dance movements in your instruction, see the 

Student Prerequisites 

Students should have a general knowledge of Latin American cultures, but it is not necessary. Some knowledge of Spanish, but this lesson can be adapted to fit different levels of proficiency.

Accessibility Notes

Modify movements and allow extra time as needed.

Engage 

1. Introduce students to the genres associated with Latin dance. Tell students that they will be learning about various Latin dances, beginning with the merengue. Distribute the . 

2. Show students a portion of one of the videos, or . 

3. While looking at the , ask students to describe the merengue using the dance terminology. Use the following questions in English or Spanish to facilitate the discussion:

   Which movements are involved in merengue?
   SPANISH—¿Cuáles movimientos están enredados en el meringue?

   Does it consist of mostly locomotor or non-locomotor movements?
   SPANISH—¿Consiste, por mayor parte, en movimientos locomotores o no locomotores?

   Does there appear to be leading and following?
   SPANISH—¿Parece que hay dirigir y seguir?

   How would you describe the tempo or pace? - fast, medium, or slow?
   SPANISH—¿Cómo se describa el tiempo - rápido, medio, o lento?

   Are the dancers at a low (on the ground), medium (kneeling), or high level (on one or two legs, full-body)?
   SPANISH—¿A qué nivel son los bailadores, bajos (en el suelo), medios (arrodillados), o altos (en uno o dos pies, o todo cuerpo)?

Build

1. Explain the geography behind the dance using the . The merengue is a lively, festive dance originating from the island of Santo Domingo, which is located north of the Caribbean Sea. Explain that people from both Haiti and the Dominican Republic have claimed that the dance originated in their countries. Examine the country's locations and point out to the students that they share the same island of Santo Domingo.

2. Explain the history behind the dance. Both Haiti and the Dominican Republic have legends that trace merengue dance steps to a war hero with a limp who danced in a stepping motion. In the 1930s, merengue was promoted by the then-president of the Dominican Republic, Rafael Trujillo, and it became the country’s national music and dance. Tell the class that they’ll be hearing more about Haiti and the Dominican Republic from their classmates.

3. Have students learn to dance the merengue. Have students pair up and start . Point out that the steps have a limping appearance. Clap and count with the music, counting “1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4...” Note that the tempo and rhythm are similar to marching music, and all steps are on one beat.

4. Play the rest of and have students follow along. Point out that the up-and-out, down-and-in, motion of the hip is an important part of the dance. When a knee bends, the hip on that same leg should drop.

Apply

1. Explain to the class that they will prepare oral presentations about a particular Latin dance and its country of origin and will teach the dance to the rest of the class. Divide the class into groups of four. Refer to the and handouts to go over the students’ individual roles and expectations. Encourage highly Spanish proficient students to do the entire assignment in Spanish using the  handout. Inform students of how they will be assessed. 

2. Assign one of the following Latin dances to each group: salsa (from Cuba), mambo (from Haiti), rumba (from Cuba), cha cha (from Cuba), samba (from Brazil), and bachata (from the Dominican Republic). Note: Since three of the dances originated in Cuba, you may have the groups focus on different aspects of Cuba. For instance, one group can focus on culture and geography, another on people and lifestyle, and a third on economy and government.

3. Give students class time to coordinate with their groups and research their respective dances. Encourage them to be creative in their presentations. They may wish to make posters, digital presentations, food from the country of origin, appropriate traditional clothing, etc. Presentations can be in English or Spanish, depending on the students’ proficiency level.

4. One or two days before the class presentations, pass out five index cards or sticky notes to each student. Tell students to write down one question in Spanish that they would like each group to answer. Make sure they write down their names. Pass these questions to the appropriate groups and have each group pick out four questions. Each person in the group must answer one question in Spanish at the end of their oral presentations.

Reflect

1. Have students present their research and dance. Set up the appropriate devices to play music. Have each group present their dance to the class and present their research. As each group gives their presentations, the rest of the class should take notes. Inform them that they will be asked to write about the material presented. Collect all Spanish versions of the reports and index cards or sticky notes.

2. Assess students' knowledge of a Latin dance by responding to the following writing prompt: Compare and contrast two Latin dances. Include information about the dance's country of origin and important facts. Compara y contrasta dos bailes latinos. Incluya información sobre el país de origen del baile y los hechos importantes.