EXPERIENCE THE DANCE OF LOVE... RUMBA!

The Rumba is a dance that tells a story of love and passion between a strong, male lover and a coy, teasing woman. Full of sensual movements, the Rumba is considered by many to be the sexiest of the ballroom dances. "Rumba" is a term that refers to a variety of dances or a "dance party." This dance of love is one of the most popular ballroom dances and is seen around the world at nightclubs, parties, weddings and dance competitions.

The Rumba is a very slow, serious, romantic dance with flirtation between the partners. The dance is fun to watch, as many of its basic dance figures of the dance have a teasing theme in which the lady flirts with and then rejects her male partner, often with apparent sexual aggression. The Rumba spotlights the lady's rhythmic body movements and hip actions resulting in intense, almost steamy, scenes of passion.

The dance style is often referred to as the "grandfather of the Latin dances." Originating in Cuba, it first came to the United States in the early 1920s. The Rumba is the slowest of the five competition Latin and American dances. Rumba rhythms, while once influenced by African-style music, have found their way into Country Western, Blues, Rock, and other popular music types. Homemade instruments from the kitchen such as pots, pans and spoons sometimes enhance the music.

The distinctive hip movement, called Cuban Motion, is a very important element of the Rumba. The bending and straightening of the knees generate the hip movements and distinctive sways of the Rumba. The intensity of this dance is increased by sharp eye contact that is maintained between the man and the woman. The stillness of the upper body, while adding dramatic intensity, also emphasizes the strong, sensuous leg and foot movements. Hip movements are exaggerated, but are not generated by the hips - they are simply a result of good foot, ankle, knee and leg action. When these weight transfers are well controlled, the hips take care of themselves.