Ballroom Dance - Intermediate - Bolero

Along with cha cha, rumba, east coast swing, and mambo, bolero is one of the five rhythm competition dances in American style ballroom dance competition. The bolero is a close cousin of the Rumba, sharing the same footwork timing and many similar figures. Bolero is the slowest rhythm dance. The music tempo is only 96 beats per minute. As with rumba, the basic footwork timing is slow-quick-quick. As with rumba, three steps are taken to four beats of music and the music is written in 4/4 time. For spectators, it is often difficult to distinguish bolero from rumba. It is also difficult to class music as either rumba or bolero. In competitions, the ?standard tempo? of rumba music is 104 beats per minute, which is slightly faster than the ?standard tempo? of Bolero music, which is 96 beats per minute.

The history of Bolero is a bit of a mystery. Bolero has the same Afro-Cuban roots as the Rumba and is thought to have originated from Cuban or Spanish folk dances such as the Danzon and Beguine. It was introduced in the United States in the 1930?s.

Originally a Spanish dance in 3/4 time, it was changed in Cuba initially into 2/4 time then eventually into 4/4. The music is frequently arranged with Spanish vocals and a subtle percussion effect, usually implemented with guitar, conga or bongos.