Rhythms
Rhythms in Cuban Dance
Cuban dance is deeply connected to rhythm. Whether you're dancing timba, rumba or changüí — knowing the rhythm helps you move with confidence, musicality and sabor.
Explore the most important rhythms below:
Afro-Cuban
These rhythms are rooted in African traditions and are often danced solo with strong body movement, isolations and polyrhythms.
- Rumba: Yambú, Guaguancó, Columbia
- Yoruba: Danced to batá drum rhythms for orishas
- Makuta & Yuka: Powerful rhythms often seen in shows
- Bembé: 6/8 rhythm, often used for practice or Afro-fusion
Traditional Social Dance
These are the roots of Cuban partner dancing, great for timing, leading, and building musical awareness.
- Changüí: Fast, syncopated — danced close to the ground
- Son Cubano: The classic – elegant and precise
- Danzón: Graceful and slow, with sudden tempo changes
Modern Dance
These are the rhythms behind casino (Cuban salsa), rueda, and timba parties.
Fusion & Urban
These newer rhythms mix Afro-Cuban tradition with modern styles.
Rooted in Havana’s bustling 1950s dance halls, Cuban Casino mixes tradition and flair in a partner dance style that spread worldwide.
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- Son traditional
- Son urbano
- Son montuno
- Son moderno.
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- No clave
- Feet not lifted of the ground
The dance features a shuffling footwork style—dancers glide their feet rather than lifting them.
- Originated in Guantánamo
Lees meer >Cuban rumba is an Afro-Cuban music and dance genre characterized by complex rhythms, call-and-response vocals, and expressive, often flirtatious movements, rooted in African and Spanish traditions.
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- Oldest of all, Late 1800s
- Clave blanco ( Son clave used in yambu)
- Originated in urban areas of Matanzas and Havana
- Not related to religion
- A form of collective culture
Lees meer >Rumba columbia dancing is a fast, acrobatic solo male dance in 6/8 time, where the dancer shows agility, balance, and improvisation—often mimicking machete fights, martial moves, or acrobatics—while dialoguing playfully and competitively with the lead drum (quinto).
Lees meer >The dance involves a flirtatious "chase" between a male and female dancer, with the male attempting a symbolic pelvic thrust called the vacunao,
and the female using body movements to evade or accept it.
Lees meer >Afro-Cuban Orishas are deities from the Yoruba religion, brought to Cuba through the transatlantic slave trade, who embody natural forces and human traits, and are honored through music, dance, and ritual in Santería.
Lees meer >Batá Drums
Used in Yoruba religious music and Afro-Cuban fusion.
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