Cheesy Dancing ala Gangnam Style: Crossing Social Strata

“Dress classy and dance cheesy.” This was what the famous singer of “Gangnam Style” said. Psy, the one person who created and took over the world with his hit single has made another feat, as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, also a South Korean, deemed him and his single a strong force for world peace. It managed to easily cross social class borders and broke the global language barrier with its simple, bouncy and humorous tune and lyrics.

Even the UN Secretary General was taken by the groove and dance moves shown in the catchy MTV of this hit song that is played everywhere. The Agence France Presse interviewed Secretary General Ban about the song and he said that he had seen it several times. He expressed his pride on how Psy, whose real name is Park Jae-sang, brought the Korean wave as well as the sense of humor of the country globally through the Internet. Psy’s music video had reached more than 480 million views online since its release only three months ago. Even with the Korean lyrics, millions of people continue to listen to it and even dance to the tune. Currently, the MTV for Gangnam Style is the most watched South Korean music video, overtaking the MTVs of other South Korean pop groups.

The "Gangnam Style" (강남스타일 in Korean) is a hit single by South Korean Psy, a rapper, singer/songwriter, record producer and dancer. It was released on July 15, 2012, the title track for the artist’s 6^th album, PSY 6 (Six Rules), Part 1, debuting at number one in the Gaon Chart, South Korea’s national music record chart. Nelly Furtado and Maroon 5 even made their own cover of the song and the Harvard Business Review, CNN International, the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal and the Foreign Policy featured the song as well.

Moving to the Pulsating Rhythm of the Dominican Republic's Merengue

When the people of the Dominican Republic want to unwind or celebrate, the dance of choice is Merengue!

The official dance

Merengue is the Dominican Republic’s official dance form. Because of Haiti’s proximity to the country since they share the same island, Merengue has also reached its shores and the Haitians have created their own version of the dance. In Haiti, the dance is called Meringué.

Haitian and French influence

The Haitian Meringué or Mereng is said to have evolved from African slave music, especially chica and calenda and injected with the French influence of the Minuet ballroom dance sometime in the 18^th and 19^th centuries.

It is believed that the black slaves witnessed how the French performed the Minuet in the colonial homes and from there created their own version of what they saw when they had their own celebrations.

Unlike the rather staid and boring European dance, the slaves decided to incorporate their own steps and made the dance more upbeat by dancing it to the thump of drums and creating a faster rhythm for the dance. This transformed the French minuet into something more joyful, which is often characteristic of African dances.

The Romance and Allure of the Viennese Waltz (Silent Communication through Dance)

Capturing the Viennese Waltz

For anyone who’s ever watched any of the dancing shows on TV such as “So You Think You Can Dance” or the immensely popular “Dancing With The Stars,” it is well known that the Viennese Waltz is one of the most anticipated dances there are.

It is graceful, elegant, romantic and simply sublime. To watch a couple glide and rotate effortlessly across the dance floor is quite a sight to behold. However, modern day people probably don’t realize just how controversial this dance it.

The younger Johann Strauss probably never realized how he would revolutionize dance when he composed his musical masterpiece, The Blue Danube or An der schönen blauen Donau, its long name, which translates to “By the beautiful, blue Danube.”

Samba and the Frenetic Rhythm of Brazil’s Carnival

Fast. Fun. Lively. Energetic. Graceful. These are just some of the adjectives that describe the dance form that is synonymous with Rio’s grand carnival, the samba. Many of these types of dances originated from Latin America and have evolved into the structured dance forms that we know today. Many of the Latin dances are performed by couples while some are suited for a solo dancer, male or female. Samba, in the carnival sense is danced by everyone, whether they have a partner or not.

Samba is one of the most recognized symbols of Brazil and really a top draw for tourists and other travelers. It has become an international Brazilian icon and deeply interwoven in Brazilian culture and tradition. It is so popular that Brazil celebrates the National Samba Day on December 2 of each year.

La Cumparsita (Tango’s Most Popular Music) – Is it Uruguay’s or Argentina’s?

Unbeknownst to many, tango is not just a form of dance. Tango is also a type of music, music that accompanies the soulful dance. The most popular among all tango songs is La Cumparsita, written by Uruguayan Gerardo Hernan Matos Rodriquez.

Who was Rodriquez?

Rodríguez was born in Uruguay on March 28, 1897, in the city of Montevideo. To people close to him, Rodríguez went by the nickname Becho. He was not only an Uruguayan musician and composer, Rodriquez was also a journalist.

Rodríguez’ father, Emilio Matos, was the owner of the local cabaret, the popular Moulin Rouge. In college, he took up architecture but was not able to finish his course. At a young age, some sources said he was 17 while others said he was 20, he began composing music. His exposure to the music in his father’s cabaret must have had an influence in the young Becho. Rodríguez’ first recognized work is said to have been his best, a piece he called La Cumparsita. He wrote this piano piece while at Uruguay’s Federación de Estudiantes.

Argentine Tango – a Language of Movement and Passion

No other dance evokes so much passion than Argentine Tango. It is not merely a series of movements but a language all on its own. In fact, during the 8th Tango Dance World Championship held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the winners of the 2010 Mundial de Tango were dance partners who spoke little of each other’s mother tongue. However, they did speak a fluent language, the language of Tango.

Dancers, 21 year-old Diego Ortega and 42-year old Chizuko Kuwamoto, barely understood each other verbally. But when it came to the dance, they completely understood what each other was saying based on their movements. They share their feelings and emotions through each touch, step, sway, look, and breath on the dance floor.

The Argentine Tango history

Argentine Tango is a very exacting dance with precise movements and steps. A dance believed to have been born in Rio de la Plata some 100 years ago, it has since become a symbol of the Argentinian soul and part of the country’s national character. In 2009, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO, declared Argentine Tango as part of the cultural heritage of the world.