Reggaeton dancing videos and lessons

Reggaeton is a style of music that blends dancehall, hip-hop, electronic, bomba, plena, and other styles to form its own. Reggaeton songs cover topics ranging from the realities of street life, personal misunderstandings, gang issues, love, and dancing. Reggaeton is a very popular dance and music style for parties. The bomba is one of Puerto Rico’s most famous musical styles, while the plena is a traditional form of Puerto Rican music.

Members of the opposite sex perform the Reggaeton dance by grinding in a “doggie style” manner. It can also be danced with the partners facing each other. Additionally, it is often danced in large groups of usually female dancers, who congregate while waiting to be asked to dance by another person. Then, they will leave the group, and dance with the singular partner.

The genre of Reggaeton began in the 1990s in Puerto Rico with the blending of the musical cultures of immigrant Jamaicans and the native Puerto Ricans. The blending of the Jamaican Reggae with the Puerto Rican Bomba and Plena, along with elements of American hip-hop and electronic House music created the unique Reggaeton style.

While it had been vastly popular in the Latin American countries of Puerto Rico and Panama, it was a slow transition to mainland United States. The first major hit in the US was “Oye Mi Canto” by N.O.R.E. Since then, many radio stations, MTV, and BET have played up songs by Reggaeton artists. Many entertainment writers believe Reggaeton is on the verge of a major popularity explosion. Already, clubs in such obscure places as Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada and discotheques in Italy can be heard playing the Reggaeton music.

While it is still gaining international recognition, many Reggaeton concerts have been touring the world and spreading the dance. Every year, the Banco Popular concerts take place and spread the dance and music further around the world.

A large following of the music and dance of Reggaeton has developed in Florida, New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and other areas where a large Latino population resides in the United States. Nearly all Reggaeton music is sung in the native Spanish, which has hindered its ability to become more widespread.

The Reggaeton culture also utilizes a special slang in its music and dance. Here are some of the terms:

Abusador: a male who bullies or abuses others

Abusadora: a female who is a heartbreaker or abuses a male for entertainment

A Fuego: something that is off the hook or really cool

Aka: name for the AK-47 automatic rifle

Al Garete: someone or something that goes wild or crazy (person, party, song, etc)

Arrebatao: euphoric, at the peak of the high created by a drug

Babilla: having the courage to say something, similar to “having balls”

Bicha: girl who is full of it or thinks she is above everyone else

Bichote: guy who is in charge of the group, the head honcho, or pimp

Inyectando: instigating or provoking others

Tirar: to diss or embarrass someone

Tripear: to trip as in “tripping”, to act foolish or say things that are false

Sin Jockey: a single woman, without a boyfriend, or shows up without a male companion