What are the Different Latin Dances for Beginners?

Beginner Latin Dance Classes

At Arthur Murray Dance Now we teach Latin ballroom dance. But what exactly does that mean? Latin dance is an umbrella term for several different styles of dancing including ballroom dance, social dance, and competition dance.

If you are just getting introduced to Latin dance, it can be overwhelming knowing which dances you should learn first. Let’s walk through some of the most popular Latin dances and which ones are best for the beginner (and intermediate) dancers.

Different Types of Latin Dances

Cha Cha

An upbeat dance that is derived from the Rumba and the Mamba. People love the Cha Cha because it’s energetic and saucy. You use triple steps and Cuban Motion to do this popular dance. The Cha-Cha is a great beginner dance, because anyone can learn it!
Level of Difficulty: Easy / Beginner
Taught at Arthur Murray: Yes

Salsa

Salsa dancing is one of the most popular Latin dances in the world! Salsa is great for beginners, because it’s a simple dance to learn but very impressive to watch. The word “Salsa” means spicy or hot in Spanish, giving this dance its heat!
Level of Difficulty: Easy / Beginner
Taught at Arthur Murray: Yes

Rumba

Often referred to as the grandfather of Latin dance, the easy-to-learn Rumba is the most sensual of the Latin dances. You’ll work up a sexy sweat with the Latin styling and relaxed hip motions of this popular and fun dance.
Level of Difficulty: Easy / Beginner
Taught at Arthur Murray: Yes

Bachata

Known for being intimate and romantic, the Bachata is a slower dance with strong hip movements. It includes simple footwork and sensual body movements. Get close with your partner with the Bachata.
Level of Difficulty: Easy / Beginner
Taught at Arthur Murray: Yes

Paso Doble

Using the same small steps and big theatrics makes the Paso Doble an easy dance to learn. Dancers focus on tall, straight posture and a marching movement in this lively Spanish dance.
Level of Difficulty: Easy / Beginner
Taught at Arthur Murray: No

Merengue

The Merengue is first learned as a marching dance and can be turned into something rhythmical. It’s fun and feisty and fairly easy to master.
Level of Difficulty: Difficult / Advanced
Taught at Arthur Murray: Yes

Mambo

Upbeat and a lot of fun to dance and watch, the Mambo includes dance steps and foot movements like kicks and flicks. Mambo means “shake it” and dancers do as they energetically move their hips and flick and kick in this fun dance.
Level of Difficulty: Intermediate
Taught at Arthur Murray: Yes

Samba

Good dancers make the Samba look effortless, but it can be a difficult dance to master. It’s very fast and includes quick steps, vertical bounce action, knee action, body swaying, and “pendulum motion”. It’s a very lively and upbeat dance that is fun to watch.
Level of Difficulty: Difficult / Advanced
Taught at Arthur Murray: Yes

We hope this list helps you decide which Latin dances to start learning first. With our dance lessons you can easily start to pick up a few Latin dances and gain confidence in your dancing skills. The more dances you learn, the easier it will be to master some of the intermediate and advanced dances!

{{cta(‘a7d6e4e1-a911-4f2b-8b43-6210da6d93fb’)}}