What makes this dance recognizable? What is typical, distinctive or characteristic?
Sensual dance with a count that resembles the mambo: a movement on the three counts, the fourth beat follows the typical hip movement instead of a pass.
Examples
Sacrifice - Elton John
Diamante - Zucchero
One day in your life - Michael Jackson
BPM: 27
Cuba called Bolero what we call the Rumba.
Rumba has an unclear etymology. The Spanish - Cuban would have (been) for 'amusement, shack, fun."
The word itself comes from Spain (rumbear) and literally means 'festivities'. Perhaps the name has something to do with rum. (ba?)
Video: as it may look ...
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The original African rumba was danced very quickly. The movements of the men were aggressive and those of the woman defensive. The rumba is regarded as the dance of seduction. Unlike the African version it is here the woman who seduces her partner alternately attracting him and then reject again.
A singer tells his story, only accompanied by percussion (some drums and a wooden block). Bystanders are dancing, singing and clapping along. By slave trade is this way of making music charged to the American continent - in this case, Cuba. In addition, there is also a Spanish rumba and (back turned) African rumba. Both are inspired by Cuban popular music: son and salsa.
Rumba is the oldest known Latin American dance. In the sixteenth century it was already danced. Rumba originated in Cuba as many African slaves remained faithful to their culture and danced diligently the slow rhythm. On three count a step is made, on the fourth following a hip movement. There is a story that this is because the length of chains of slaves permitted only 3 steps. The fact that the shoulders are kept at the same level can be derived from the movements that slaves could do when wearing heavy yokes.
Precursors are Latin (European) and African rhythms melt into the Creole culture, and of the Contra Dance later made the Contradanze Habanera of Havana. Which later became with a syncopated rhythm the Danzon. And still later, which then delayed again and was abbreviated to Son.
The dance form then was inspired by the behavior of the rooster and the hen. Observe the interference of the Spanish bolero and cover it with a hot creole sauce. And voila, there is the Rumba. The current form was in the 30s of the 20th century known as the Cuban Rumba.
It is a dance of seduction in which the woman dominates the man with her charm. She lures the man with sensual movements. A rumba with good choreography always has that element of courtship: the man is first lured and then rejected by his partner. To the sensual and erotic advances of the woman the man reacts with a macho image, through its physical performance to win her favor. Comes the man closer, she points him again and so it goes on. The man tries to seduce the woman, but fails here.
Rumba is an erotic and passionate dance. The movements of the body are the focus point for the implementation of the dance. Good timing and well placed dynamic movements are crucial at the Rumba.
Rumba has as the characteristic feature beautiful hip movements. The chest is moving opposite to the hips. This creates the ‘Latin Motion'.
The rumba has evolved into a modern dance after he was made popular by Xavier Cugat and his orchestra at the Coconut Groove in Los Angeles during the twenties of last century.
Cuban musicians led by Don Aspiazu introduced this music in 1929 in New York and in 1930 in Paris and London.The new dance was on both sides of the Atlantic in the flavor and within a few years the first form, the square rumba was popular.
Cuban Rumba
In Cuba, the rumba evolved. There are three main forms:
The Yambú a slow form, in which a national story is told. Usually to begin the party with place for the dance of the elderly.
The guaguancó: faster and sharper. A more urban form where the temptation in dance stands central.
Columbia: very fast and virtuosic. With a competitive element in an acrobatic solo dance.
This Cuban rumbas are performed on the tumbadora 's (congas), the claves and catà (a type of woodblock). The (rumba) clave is the rhythmic base, the first two in a four-four, the last one in 6/8 measure.
Around 1954, the dance was introduced in France and then in the rest of Europe. The performance was more styled with elegant movements of arms and legs. The basis of that style was laid by the dance duo Pierre and Lavelle in 1955. They were two famous Latin Dance Teachers in London. They were fascinated by the simplicity of the Cuban rumba (which, as it was later said was actually a slow mambo). Therefore, they saw huge potential for this dance and were confident that he would do much better then the square rumba that was danced in the West during that time.
But it took another 14 years before the Cuban rumba would supplant the ancient square rumba.
The rhythm of the rumba was getting slower with time.
The 14 -times world champions latin dancing Donnie Burns and Gaynor Fairweather influenced this evolution to an even slower pace so they could make faster movements in syncopated steps.
A typical movement of the rumba is seen especially in the hip that tilts outward at the first of the four counts. In the basic step this is as follows: went forward (man, right foot; count 2) and back (count 3) and side (count 4). And now only the weight is placed on the hip and this leg is stretched (count 1). As a result, the hip is high and the other low. Steps you puts on count 2, 3 and 4. Moving weight you do just between those beats. The dance is more determined by moving with the body, then with the feet.
Rumba in standard dancing has a rhythm of 24/26 beats per minute. Few years ago this rate was still a 2-measures higher.
The rumba is one of the five Latin competition dances and it is the dance in which most personal expression can be laid.