Welcome back to campus! The Dancing Illini is pleased to announce the first dance event of the semester:
What? Ballroom and Salsa dancing
When? Sunday, Jan. 13
8pm-10pm (Ballroom, Latin, Swing, and Nightclub)
10pm-12am (Salsa)
Where? Illini Union Rooms 314 A & B
This will be a great chance to come out and refresh the steps you learned last semester, before studying gets the best of your schedule. Even if you seem to have forgotten things, we'd love to see you there- you'll be amazed at the recall you can gather from just watching other dancers or asking someone else a question or two. (p.s. Did we mention this is a great way to meet people?)
Also don't forget:
Another fantastic session of ballroom classes will be up and running shortly. Stay tuned for the announcement of what types of classes will be taught and when...
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Dancer's Corner- RUMBA
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Rumba is a general term for different types of West Indian music or dancing. Rumba originated in Cuba as a fertility dance, but also has African ties. In the late 16th century, black slaves imported to Latin America held a "rumba influence". I guess that, combined with the heat, led to a lot of.. well.. dancing. Rumba is essentially a sexual game with an intense chase. The native folk dance is very fast with exaggerated hip movements, but with time has become slower and more reserved. The players are always the same though- a sexually aggressive male trying to dominate the flirtatious yet defensive female. This is embodied in the three rhythms inherent to Cuban Rumba: Guaguanco, Yambu, and Columbia. I admit, Guaguanco is a bit racy for me to talk about in an official email. Let's just say the male is successful in winning over the female. In Yambu, the male is less successful, as the female flirts but denies the pelvic thrust of the male. Columbia is a later development and is only danced in a few country towns.
Rumba was introduced to North America as early as 1913, but continued attempts were necessary until the late 1920's, when an interest developed and Latin orchestra leader, Xavier Cugat, opened at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles. His career excelled into the late 1930's and he was recognized as having "the outstanding Latin orchestra of the day." At about this time, the European introduction to Rumba and other Latin American dances was significantly due to London's leading Latin American dance teacher, Monsieur Pierre. With an unbeatable energy and partner, Doris Lavelle, he popularized Latin dancing starting in London. He and Lavelle also introduced what finally (in 1955) became an official version of Cuban Rumba. The lasting versions of Rumba in the U.S. are Bolero-Rumba (Bolero) and Son-Rumba (Rumba).
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