Merengue dancing in Washington, DC

Merengue is the Dominican national dance — a simple 2/4 step that every country dancer learns before they're 10. It's the warm-up at any Latin social, the song the DJ plays when the floor needs to reset, and the style grandparents dance to at a wedding. Partner work is basic, the rhythm is obvious, and the whole point is to move. Not every US city runs dedicated merengue nights — it usually lives inside a mixed salsa/bachata DJ set.

If you can walk, you can merengue. The basic is a two-step shift side to side, matched to a strong double beat. Pick it up in ten minutes and use it to warm up for every harder dance that follows.