LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — 13 Action News is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by taking a look at the history of Latin dancing.
“Dancing is huge for us as Latinos. We dance for all occasions. You don’t have to be Latino to feel the music,” said Jose Velez, owner of the Feel the Music Dance Studio.
Latin dance dates back to at least the 15th century. It gained popularity in the United States in the early 1930s with the rhumba.
Latin American music is often closely related to particular styles of dance. Dances like cha cha, merengue, salsa, bachata and samba each bring their own flavor.
“My favorite of all the Latin dances is salsa because salsa means sauce which is a mixture and it’s a mixture of so many different kinds of dances which also brings so many cultures together,” Velez said.
Regardless of which genre you’re dancing to, it’s all about letting loose and connecting to them while appreciating a colorful culture that brought us this music and dance.
