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"#00FFCC" size="5">"#99FF99">The
Merengue
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The Merengue has existed since the early years of the Dominican
Republic around the time of the Spanish-American War (1898,)
as well as in Haiti and was written
about in the mid 1800s. The dance comes from the Upa
Music (Urpa Dance) of Havana around 1840 which featured
a part called Merengue.
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Colonel Alfonseca
is reported with developing the Merengue and was supposedly created
from a great Talanquera Battle (this
is a myth). The Merengue is sometimes called the "Palm
Beach One Step" or "Pambiche"
(1916). A slower and fewer syncopated version was being called
"Jaun Ester" in Puerto
Plata, while later being called the 'Pambiche'. The Merengue has
roots in the Spanish "Jaleo."
- The original dance was fast &
agitated, while the newer (1950s & up) ballroom
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version
being much slower and uses more hip movements. The Merengue was
not introduced to the
United
States
till about 1950 and
had seen
some acceptance and
popularity. (Craze Magazine [1957] reported that "the
Fred Astaire dance studios were teaching the 'New' Haitian
Merengue ?).
There are two folk stories as
to the style of the dance .
1) Slaves,
who were chained together by the ankles would use this "walking
style" as they cut sugar cane to the beat of the drums (this
has merit).
2) A
great hero, (sometimes said King or General) was wounded
in action, and upon his return a great party was thrown in his
honor. This hero/king loved to dance and tried to dance at the
party but was not able with his wounded leg, the best he could
do was limp and drag his wounded leg through the dance, so the
dancers feeling sorry for him and not wanting to offend, limped
and dragged one foot to the beat just as he did (popular story
but sounds fictional.)
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The "merengue confection" used in pies and such has
been said to be the source of the name on occasion.
More
To Come!
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Birth Place |
Creation Date |
Creator |
Dance Type |
| Haiti |
1840's |
?Colonel
Alfonseca? |
Latin |
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Night Clubs |
Theaters |
Locations |
| n/a |
n/a |
Cibao |
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Cuba |
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Dominican
Republic |
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Haiti |
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Puerto
Rico |
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United
States |
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Dancers, Choreographers etc. |
Political |
| n/a |
n/a |
Rafael
L. Trujillo Molina (1891-1960) |
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Ulises
Francisco Espaillat (1823-1878) |
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Musicians |
Bands |
Singers |
Song Writers |
| Johnson,
[John] Rosamond |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
| Juan
Espínola |
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| Juan
F. García |
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| Juan
Luis Guerra |
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| Julio
Alberto Hernandez |
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| Luis
ALberti |
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| Monchito |
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| Torio
Abreu |
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Misc. Research Words that may be related ... to help your searches |
| Apambichao |
Copla |
merengue
de salón (Ballroom Version) |
Pambiche |
| Baddurrias |
Cuban
Upa Style |
Tambora |
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