The Lebanon Latin Festival will once again gather dance enthusiasts from around the region for a four-day extravaganza of performances, workshops and social dancing nights.
Taking place Sept. 4-9 at Edde Sands in Jbeil, the seventh edition will take on the theme of “Hollywood Glamour” and expects to draw 2,000 participants.
The themed dance nights offer people the chance to dress up and enjoy the evening, after a grueling day of boot camps and intense training classes, where professionals impart new styling tricks and tips on perfecting technique.
“It started originally out of passion for Latin music and dance, and after to support our NGO, Happy Feet, Happy Hearts, with the idea of supporting needy and abused children through dance activities,” festival organizer Anna Chiha said. “Now, anyone and any age can join, there are workshops for everyone, whether they are beginners or professionals.”
Now a full-fledged festival since 2013, the LLF has become an annual congress for Latin dance lovers.
“It’s a four-day, four-night event that gathers all the dance academies, dance lovers, amateurs or professionals, and attracts participants from all over the world,” Chiha said. “We have 125 workshops given simultaneously across eight rooms every day, for different levels. Every night we have performances, after which social dancing parties go on in three different rooms,” she added.
“We also have top-ranked instructors and DJs, 90-plus professional shows, afternoon social dancing and beach and pool parties.”
The festival mainly focuses on salsa, and bachata and kizomba - two Afro-Latin dance styles that are slower and have different rhythms.
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Salsa, of Cuban origins, has developed into three districts styles. Cuban salsa follows a circular partner motion, whereas the more modern New York and Los Angeles styles keep to strict lines. The Dominican Republic’s bachata is a more sensual eight-count moving dance with a focus on hip movement. Kizomba, origination from Angola, bears resemblance in its rules to tango with little spaces between dance partners and a focus on footwork, following a four-count rhythm.
“We also have dances such as dabke, Oriental, Zorba, and other dances like hip-hop, reggaeton, dancehall, Zumba, Latin ballroom and merengue,” Chiha said. “There is also a special program for kids between 6 and 12 years old.”
Latin dancing has been popular in Lebanon for many years, aided by the close ties between Lebanese people living in Latin American countries and vice versa.
“Lebanese have always liked the Latin music and the Latin vibes,” Chiha said. “They connect with the Latin culture as Latinos are warm and hospitable like Lebanese, and so their music reflects it.”
This article has been adapted from its original source.
