Rumba is the most luxurious of the Latin dances as well as one of the most popular ballroom dances. The slower tempo of Rumba makes it easy to learn, but the music is exciting enough to prevent you from feeling like you are sleepwalking. It is danced in 4/4 time and can be performed in a simple box, but it can also travel around the dance floor.

This dance is so popular, it is offered in both our Ballroom Sampler Group Dance Class and Latin Ballroom Group Dance Class.

History of Rumba

Rumba originated in Cuba and was introduced in New York City in the early 1900s. At that time in Cuba, couples were enjoying a dance called Son. When it was brought to New York City, the name was changed to Rumba. In Cuba, the name Rumba was associated with a faster dance, not the slow, smooth dance presently connected to the name in the United States. The Rumba danced in the ballrooms of America is a direct descendant of Son, and the original Cuban Rumba morphed into Mambo and then Salsa.