(gentle piano music)
(lively Latin music)
- [Narrator] Latine dance,
throughout the Americas,
including the United States, is striving now,
thriving more than ever,
becoming one of the most admired dance styles in the world.
- Within the Latina community, labels are very significant.
It's always been very fluid
and evolving the way people of Latin descent
have referred to themselves.
And it's highly dependent upon historical period
and geography.
For example, in the Southwest,
you have many people identifying as Mexican-American
or Chicano, or Chicana or Chicanx.
And in the Northeast you have, you know,
and in Florida, in the southeast,
you have more people of Cuban American descent,
of Dominican.
And so these terms are highly political in some cases,
and always evolving.
The latest term is Latine, which is a gender neutral,
very inclusive term, referring to people
of Latin American descent.
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- [Narrator] Indeed, dancing has always been a major part
of Latine culture, regardless of the country.
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It's all about passion, feeling the rhythm,
and connecting with the partner and the community.
Social dances, such as those performed at carnivals
in major towns across the Americas,
creating a sense of identity,
a sense of belonging.
Actually, Latine social dances are important
for any kind of celebration.
Birthdays, weddings, and local town festivals.
There's always a big dance that takes place,
a dance to get everybody involved,
a dance that includes kids and grandparents.
It is a way to pass on traditions that are essential
to the history of each culture.
And of course, there are well-known social partner dances
that are performed everywhere.
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Salsa is a lively
and energetic partner dance that incorporates elements
of Afro-Cuban jazz music,
and has become immensely popular worldwide
with various varieties, including Cuban, Puerto Rican,
and New York styles.
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The meringue is another fast-paced partner dance
with a two step beat.
It is often characterized by simple footwork
and a close connection between dance partners
In the 21st century,
Latine dance has incorporated more experimentation,
including multimedia elements,
the visions of brilliant new choreographies,
(upbeat music)
hip hop music,
(person singing in foreign language)
the Latine entrepreneurship in the music industry.
(lively Latin music)
Join us as we chronicle the over 500 year extraordinary
story in "The Genius of Latine Dance."
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