Rumba is the slowest of the five competitive International Latin dances: the paso doble, the samba , the chachacha and the jive being the others. The international ballroom rumba is a dance of about 120 beats per minute which corresponds, both in music and in dance to what the Cubans of an older generation called the bolero-son. It is easy to see why, for ease of reference and for marketing, rumba is a better name, however inaccurate; it is the same kind of reason that led later on to the use of salsa as an overall term for popular music of Cuban origin.
All social dances in Cuba involve a hip-sway over the standing leg and, though this is scarcely noticeable in fast salsa, it is more pronounced in the slow ballroom rumba. In general, steps are kept compact and the dance is danced generally without any rise and fall. This style is authentic, as is the use of free arms in various figures. The basic figures derive from dance moves observed in Havana in the pre-revolutionary period, and have developed their own life since then. Competition figures are often complex, and this is where competition dance separates from social dance.

When you are learning a new dance, getting some good music to practice to, or just to enjoy, can be very difficult. The music is taking over and you want more of it in your life, but don’t know where to start.

To make the process a little easier, we’ve rounded up a selection of our favourite pieces by genre, and provided links to iTunes where available. If you have a particular track that you think should be featured here, let us know. Remember, musicians have to earn a living too. If you like it, please buy it.

Artist	Title	Level	Buy
Ibrahim Ferrer	As Time Goes By	Beginner
El Chicano	Viva Tirado	Beginner
Maroon 5	She Will Be Loved	Beginner

Rumba Competition

Another Rumba Demo