Latin American Dances

Latin American Dances is an original suite of three dances for concert band; each movement characterizes a different dance rhythm from Latin America. The first movement is a Beguine, which is a ballroom dance popularized in the 1930’s. The Beguine originated in the Caribbean islands of Martinique and St. Lucia. The second movement is a Tango, a dance from Argentina which originated in the late 1800’s. The rhythm of the Tango is similar to the ‘Habanera’ from Cuba. The final movement is a Jarabe, a dance rhythm from the Mexican state of Jalisco which is popular in mariachi music. The Jarabe is in 6/8, with contrasting sections in 3/4 and 2/4.