| Learning to hear the different beats in music is like | | | | of music - leave the heal on the floor and lift the front |
| learning a new language. When you first start to learn | | | | of the foot on the second and fourth beat. After |
| a foreign language, it seems as if all the words run | | | | getting comfortable hearing and tapping on the First |
| together into one long sentence. However, after you | | | | and Third beats, start stepping on those beats instead |
| get familiar with the words, and get used to listening to | | | | of tapping. |
| the foreign language, each word becomes clear and | | | | Dances in the Latin Style tend to have a Latin flavor to |
| easy to identify. | | | | all of them. However, they can have many rhythmic |
| Music is a language; a very easy language to learn. It | | | | variations within the style. Slow melodious Latin songs, |
| basically has four main words: One; Two; Three; Four. | | | | like Rumba, are the easiest to dance and identify. |
| One or First Beat, is the strongest sounding beat in | | | | Rather than a feeling of tapping with the foot the First |
| each measure of music. | | | | beat on the Rumba makes you want to move. |
| Two or Second Beat, is a light sounding beat following | | | | American bands, playing Latin music, play easier to |
| the strong First Beat. | | | | hear beats than Latin bands because they use |
| Three or Third Beat, is a strong beat but not as strong | | | | drummers. Since most Latin Bands do not have |
| as the First Beat. | | | | drummers, many times you feel more like a "tempo" or |
| Four or Fourth Beat, is the lightest beat in the measure | | | | a "pulse" - a wave that carries you, rather than hearing |
| or bar of music. | | | | a clear beat (e.g. like feeling a pulse in someone's |
| Waltz music is the exception to the rule with only three | | | | wrist). Some dances like Cha-Cha have a strong |
| beats of music. The first beat is heavily accentuated | | | | staccato feeling while others, like Samba, have more |
| and it is followed by two light beats. The rhythm is - | | | | of a bouncy feeling. |
| heavy, light, light - heavy, light, light. | | | | The best exercise for Latin Music is to listen to a lot of |
| HEARING THE MUSIC AND CHOOSING THE | | | | Latin songs. Do not try to hear the beats, or dance to |
| DANCE | | | | them. Just listen to the music and let your body |
| The first step in dancing to the music is to identify | | | | respond to it when it wants to. After a while all four |
| whether the style of the music has an American | | | | beats of the music will become very obvious. |
| flavor, or a Latin flavor. | | | | Like any foreign language, learning to hear the beats in |
| American Style songs, like Swings or Foxtrots (e.g. | | | | the music requires practice. Listen to dance music and |
| Frank Sinatra style), are easy to identify. The music | | | | let the music move you as you concentrate on other |
| has a heavy base drum sound on the First Beat that | | | | things. There will be two benefits to this practice; the |
| makes you want to tap your foot down. | | | | beats will become very obvious to you, and you will |
| A good exercise, while standing or sitting, is to practice | | | | develop a very strong sense of rhythm. |
| tapping the foot on the First Beat and the Third beat | | | | |