Available:
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3906/
Baila! Latin Dance in the Spanish Classroom
Lesson Overview:
Students demonstrate and learn about the Latin dances of salsa, mambo, merengue,
rumba, cha cha, bachata, and samba through oral group presentations on the dance.
Students will also research and report on information about the country from which the
dance originated.
Using Spanish, students will write written reports on their respective dances and their
countries of origin and will provide answers to classmates' questions (in Spanish,
English optional) regarding their presentations.
Length of Lesson:
Six 45-minute class periods
Notes:
Independent work may be necessary outside of class.
Instructional Objectives:
Students will:
 apply the elements of dance to descriptions of particular Latin dances.
 create and give oral presentations about a Latin dance and its country of origin.
 write reports about a Latin country or dance in English or Spanish (optional).
 write questions in Spanish about each Latin dance presented by their
classmates.
 answer, in Spanish, questions asked by classmates. (optional).
 compare and contrast two Latin dances.
Supplies:
For the student:
 Pen and notebook
 Materials for oral presentation (i.e., markers and poster board, overhead
transparencies, etc.)
 Ingredients for a meal from a Latin American country (optional)
For the teacher:
 Computer with Internet access and digital projector or TV and DVD/VHS player.
 CD player (with audio cassette deck optional)
 Overhead projector
 Index cards, Post-it® Notes
Instructional Plan:
Background
You may wish to first review the ARTSEDGE How-To, Dancing the Elements to learn
how to assist students in using dance terminology, particularly to familiarize students
with the main elements of dance: space, time, and energy. You may also wish to first
teach the ARTSEDGE lesson, Elements of Dance 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 and won't be as intimidated to try more involved dance steps among
peers.
For tips on how to include dance in your classroom, if you've never taught dance before,
see the ARTSEDGE How-To, Dancing the Everyday.
Guided Practice
Tell students that they will be learning about various Latin dances, beginning with the
merengue. Pass out the student guide, Elements of Dance.
By connecting a digital projector to a computer, show students the Dance Store Online's
instructional video, An Introduction to Merengue. (Alternatively, you could purchase any
books or videos that provide you with the specific steps of the dances, such as a Latin
dance instruction video from The Dance Store Online or Instructional Ballroom Dance
Videos and play a DVD or VHS.) Play the first few seconds of the video, during which
the couple is dancing.
While looking at the Elements of Dance handout, ask students to describe merengue
using the dance terminology. Depending on your students' level of understanding of
Spanish, you may choose to prompt students by asking the following questions in
Spanish.
 Which movements are involved in merengue?
SPANISH—¿Cuáles moviemientos están enredados en el meringue?
 Does it consist of mostly locomotor or non-locomotor movements?
SPANISH—¿Consiste, por mayor parte, en moviemientos locomotors o
nonlocomotores?
 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)?
Explain that merengue is a lively, festive dance originating from the island of Santo
Domingo, which is located north of the Caribbean Sea. Show Santo Domingo to
students on a map. You may wish to project an image of the island using National
Geographic's MapMachine. Explain that people from both Haiti and the Dominican
Republic have claimed that the dance originated in their countries. Point out these
countries on the map. Point out to the students that these two countries share the same
island of Santo Domingo.
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, then-president of the Dominican Republic, Rafael Trujillo, and it became
the country's national music and dance. Show the beginning of the video from Dance
Store Online once more. 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 is
similar to marching music, and all steps are on one beat.
Have student's pair up in partners and mimic the closed position of the dancers in the
video. Explain that the basic step is: step, close, step, close. Play the rest of the Dance
Store Online video and have students follow along. Point out that up-and-out, downand-in, motion of the hip is an important part of the dance. When a knee bends, the hip
on that same leg should drop.
Tell the class that they'll be hearing more about Haiti and the Dominican Republic from
their fellow classmates.
Independent Practice
Explain to the class that they will be preparing 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. You may wish to ensure that there are male and female
students in each group. Refer to the Latin Dance Research Guide and go over the
students' individual roles in the group. Explain the expectations as outlined in the
assignment sheet. (For tips on avoiding and resolving conflict in group projects, see the
ARTSEDGE How-To, Creative Conflict: Resolving & Avoiding Conflict in Group Art
Projects).
Explain to the class that they will be writing individual reports as specified on the
assignment sheet, and although they will be reading their reports in English for their oral
presentations, they must turn in reports that they have translated into Spanish. Inform
students that you will be grading them on both their oral presentations and their written
reports.
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 originate in Cuba, you
may wish to alter the assignment sheet so that students learn different aspects about
Cuba from each group. For instance, one group can focus on culture and geography,
another on people and lifestyle, and a third on economy and government.)
Give students class time to coordinate with their groups and research their respective
dances in the school library. Encourage them to be creative in their presentations. They
may wish to create posters or overhead transparencies, make food from the country of
origin, dress in appropriate costumes, etc.
Final Presentations and Quiz
One or two days before the class presentations, pass out five index cards, Post-it®
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
index cards 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.
Set up your stereo so students can play music while they demonstrate dance steps.
Have each group present their dance to the class and read the English versions of their
reports. As each group gives their presentations, the rest of the class should take notes.
Inform them that they will be quizzed on the material presented. Collect all Spanish
versions of the reports and index cards or Post-it® Notes.
The day after all the presentations have been given, ask students to take out a piece of
paper for a quiz. Have them compare and contrast two of the dances they learned
about, making sure to include information about the dance's country of origin.
Assessment:
Use the Assessment Rubric to evaluate students' work.
Sources:
Print:
 Stephenson, Richard M., and Joseph Iaccarino. The Complete Book of Ballroom
Dancing. New York: Doudleday, 1980.
 Steward, Sue. Música! The Rhythm of Latin America: Salsa, Rumba, Merengue
and More. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1999.
Web:
 Active Videos
http://www.activevideos.com/ballroom.htm
 BBC News: Country Profiles
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/country_profiles/default.stm
 CIA: The World Factbook
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
 The Dance Store Online: Learning Center
http://www.thedancestoreonline.com/ballroom-dance-instruction/index.htm
 Introduction to Latin Dance on the Millennium Stage
http://www.kennedycenter.org/programs/millennium/artist_detail.cfm?artist_id=GONZAMBRA
 National Geographic's MapMachine
http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/
Authors:
 Theresa Sotto
Santa Monica, CA