This event was made possible by the City of Eugene Cultural Services Downtown Program Fund!

Introduction to Merengue, Bachata, Cumbia and Casino Lesson - 2:15 - 3:00pm ​

Spotify Music Playlist
​
​1. Merengue (Dominican Republic)
  • Origin & History: Merengue emerged in the mid-19th century, during a time when the Dominican Republic was defining its national identity post-independence. It developed in rural areas and gained elite acceptance later.
  • African Influence:
    • Rhythmic Base: The dominant 2/4 rhythm and percussive style of merengue are rooted in African drumming traditions.
    • Instruments: The tambora, a two-headed drum, is directly derived from African drum styles and plays a central role in driving merengue’s rhythm.
    • Dance Style: The hip motion and grounded, repetitive footwork reflect African movement aesthetics—emphasizing earth connection and polyrhythm.
  • European Influence: The use of the accordion and melodic structure reflects European (especially French and Spanish) musical forms, such as the contredanse.
Sources:
  • Paul Austerlitz, Merengue: Dominican Music and Dominican Identity
  • Deborah Pacini Hernandez
  • Encyclopedia Britannica: Dominican Republic

2. Bachata (Dominican Republic)
  • Origin & History: Bachata developed in the marginalized neighborhoods of Santo Domingo in the early-to-mid 20th century. It started as a form of bolero with guitar and percussion accompaniment.
  • African Influence:
    • Percussion: The bongos and guira (a scraped metal instrument) reflect African rhythmic sensibilities. The guira’s syncopation adds an essential Afro-Caribbean texture.
    • Dance Expression: The sensual, close partner connection and body isolations (especially hip rolls) draw from Afro-Diasporic dance aesthetics.
    • Social Context: Like many African-influenced music forms, early bachata was associated with marginalized communities and considered morally suspect, reflecting broader racialized social hierarchies.
  • European Influence: It borrows harmonic structures from Spanish bolero and Latin ballads.
Sources: 3. Cumbia (Colombia)
  • Origin & History: Cumbia originated along Colombia’s Caribbean coast during colonial times, where enslaved Africans, Indigenous peoples, and Spanish colonizers intermingled. It began as a courtship ritual dance, performed with live drums and flutes.
  • African Influence:
    • Drumming: Cumbia's heartbeat is in its drums--tambora, alegre, and llamador—all derived from African percussive traditions.
    • Call and Response: A common African musical form, evident in early vocal exchanges and drum patterns.
    • Movement: African dance contributions include hip and shoulder isolations, bent knees, and percussive foot movements.
  • Indigenous Influence: Use of gaitas (flutes) and maracas from Indigenous peoples.
  • Spanish Influence: Lyrical content and song structures brought by colonial settlers.
Sources:
4. Casino (Cuba)
  • Origin & History: Casino, often called “Cuban salsa,” emerged in Havana in the 1950s. The dance borrows its name from “casinos deportivos,” where social dancing took place.
  • African Influence:
    • Foundation in Son and Rumba: Casino is built on Cuban son, which itself integrates Spanish guitar with African drumming and rhythm patterns. It also heavily borrows from Afro-Cuban rumba, especially guaguancó, with its flirtatious and improvisational movement.
    • Movement: Emphasizes body isolations, syncopation, and call-and-response footwork, echoing African dance principles.
    • Polyrhythms: The clave rhythm (2-3 or 3-2) central to Cuban music is of African origin and defines the timing of Casino.
  • European Influence: Melodic elements from danzón and structured partner dances from European ballroom.
Sources:
  • Maya Roy, Cuban Music: From Son and Rumba to the Buena Vista Social Club
  • Robin Moore, Nationalizing Blackness: Afrocubanismo and Artistic Revolution in Havana
  • Eduardo Herrera, Dancing with the Enemy
  • A Brief History of Casino

These dances are all Afro-Caribbean or Afro-Latin at their core—each one reflects a unique fusion of African, Indigenous, and European elements, shaped by histories of colonialism, migration, and cultural resistance.

Performances - 3:30 - 4:00pm

Juan Garcia and Susan Dunn - Son is a traditional Cuban partner dance that evolved alongside Son Cubano music in the early 20th century. As a precursor to salsa, the Son dance reflects a blend of African and Spanish influences, and is known for its refined, rhythmic style.

Corazón Oaxaqueño is a group that dances, loves, promotes and spreads the different dances of the state of Oaxaca, Mexico through its music, dance and textiles that tell the history of our ancestors. We are a group that seeks to represent a small part of the cultural wealth that Mexico has.

(Español) Corazón Oaxaqueño es un grupo baile, ama, fomenta y difunde de los distintos bailes del estado Oaxaca, Mexico a traves de la música, danza y textiles que relatan la historia de nuestros antepasados. Un grupo que busc representar una pequeña part de la riqueza cultural que tiene Mexico. 

  • Flor de Piña - This Oaxacan dance was created by the Tuxtepecana teacher, Paulina Solis Ocampo, with the purpose of representing each municipality in the Papaloapan region, as well as recovering the indigenous roots of this region. The clothing worn in flor de piña is a mix of Mazateca and Chinanteca. 

Salseros Dance Company - All-Levels Salsa Team Founded by Artistic Director Jose Cruz in 1999, Salseros Dance Company is dedicated to promoting Latino culture through salsa dance and music in the local community and beyond. Salseros Dance Company offers group classes and training & performance teams. They also have salsa dances every Friday at the Vet's Club building, plus live music once a month. Get more information at https://www.salseros.com/. 
 
Azucar was founded in 2011 and aims to spread the joy of Cuban dance and Timba music throughout Oregon and beyond. Cuban Salsa, or Rueda de Casino, as it is called in Cuba, is a fun and interactive dance from Cuba. It is danced in a circle with multiple partner switches and is the perfect way to meet and interact with a variety of new and interesting people. Azucar is led by Vito and Courtney Garcia and we teach Cuban casino, rueda and more. Check out eugenecubansalsa.com for more information.

Ballet Folklorico Colibri was established as a community dance group to meet the needs of the community. Their mission is to reconnect children and teens with their roots and culture by helping them form their own identity through dance and other forms of art. Colibri aims to provide an inclusive and safe place where children and teens can learn through art, thrive as connected individuals, and shine with the light of their own inner radiance. They will be performing Los Barreteros and Mexicapan dances. You can find more information by looking up Ballet Folklorico Colibri on Facebook and Instagram.

Live Band: Son De Cuba - 4:30-6:00pm

Son de Cuba is a quintet created in August 2015 by musicians from The USA and Cuba. We are based in Portland, Oregon. The majority of us are Cubans with roots in Latin, African, and Jazz rhythms. We blend this vast knowledge of beats together in classic and modern Latin songs. We play different genres including Salsa, Timba, Son, Merengue, Bolero, Cumbia, Bachata, Latin Jazz. The band: Vocals, bass and piano player, Nelson Morales; lead singer and minor percussion, Geisy Almanza; Sax, flute and vocals, Ramon Brizuela Martinez; Timbal player, Omar Pons; and percussion, vocals and band manager, Tony Gonzalez. With only five performers, we have a full sound and will draw a crowd with our energy, joy and love of music. Dancing is encouraged, we may even join you! Thanks so much!

Keep the Rhythm Alive – Support Latin Dance & Live Music!

Love the energy of events like Festivalito? The live bands, the dancing, the community? Help us make it all happen again.
​
This event wouldn't have been possible without the generous funding from the City of Eugene Cultural Services Downtown Program Fund. We are very appreciative of this funding - and it is not guaranteed this event will be funded every year. 

Your donation keeps Latin dance music thriving—funding live musicians, venues, and an unforgettable time of culture and connection.
​
🎶 Donate today to keep the music playing and the dance floor alive. Funding will be used towards future community dance events as well as providing partial support to BIPOC Festivalito vendors that paid a $271 one-time event fee to the City to be here today.
Thank you for your support!
– Azucar Cuban Dance y Mas