• Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
  • e-Catalog
  • Gift Catalog
  • Donate
  • Register Now
  • Contact Us
Call Us: 800-487-1074
Global Volunteers
  • Countries
    • International Partnerships:
      • China
      • Cook Islands
      • Cuba
      • Ecuador
      • Greece
      • Italy (Sicily)
      • Nepal
      • Peru
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • St Lucia
      • Tanzania
      • Vietnam
    • USA Programs:
      • Aguadilla – Puerto Rico
      • Blackfeet Reservation – Montana
      • Española – New Mexico
      • Rio Grande Valley – Texas
  • Projects
    • Community Work Projects
      • Delivering Essential Services
      • Teaching Conversational English
      • Supporting Community Development
      • Supplementing School-Based Curricula
      • View All Community Work Projects
  • Dates & Fees
    • Seasonal
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
    • Monthly
      • January
      • February
      • March
      • April
      • May
      • June
      • July
      • August
      • September
      • October
      • November
      • December
      • All Service Program Dates
  • Give
    • Giving Options:
      • Donate Now
      • Changemakers Club
      • Gift Catalog
      • Ways to Give
      • Philanthropy
  • Impact
  • News
  • Request Information
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
Cultures and Traditions

Dancing in Costa Rica

dancing in Costa Rica

Ever wondered what dancing in Costa Rica looks like? Costa Rica’s central geographical location and colonial history have resulted in a varied musical culture that incorporates elements from North and South America and the Caribbean islands. Popular dance music includes tropical Latin rhythms such as salsa, merengue, bolero, and cumbia. Cumbia is perhaps the most commonly heard dance rhythm and Costa Ricans have their own way of dancing it. It originated in Colombia’s Caribbean coastal region and in Panama as a courtship dance practiced among the African population, and was later mixed with Amerindian steps as well as European and African instruments and musical characteristics. Drums and other percussion instruments create the beat, which plays out in a 4/4 rhythm structure of long-short-short-long.

Costa Ricans make this dance all their own and call how they dance it swing criollo. This swing mixes elements of the Lindy hop and jive to create bouncy steps and small kicks that are danced in a circle of complex footwork and fancy spins. This dance style is very Costa Rican and a source of national pride.

Dancing as Part of Costa Rican Culture

Dance is very much a part of Costa Rican culture, as it is basically throughout Latin America. Any party, however small, will include dancing. Children learn the basic steps of many different rhythms from a very young age. Even the final celebration of volunteers at the high school where we serve often includes a bit of dancing. It wouldn’t be a party without it!

Here’s a short video of Costa Rican swing criollo! Wow!

There’s no better way to learn to dance than to be in the midst of naturals who are more than happy to share what they can do!

The students at our last celebration were more than happy to teach our volunteers, who had never tried to dance a single step of salsa in their lives, how to do it. The results are in the photos!

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket
July 17, 2015/by Maggie Bjorklund
https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/94-resized.jpg 999 1500 Maggie Bjorklund https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png Maggie Bjorklund2015-07-17 18:49:352018-05-18 20:22:56Dancing in Costa Rica
0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Partner Communities

  • China (62)
  • Cook Islands (44)
  • Cuba (112)
  • Ecuador (89)
  • Greece (70)
  • Italy (52)
  • Montana (50)
  • Nepal (20)
  • New Mexico (2)
  • Peru (110)
  • Poland (97)
  • Portugal (44)
  • Puerto Rico (2)
  • South Dakota (8)
  • St Lucia (56)
  • Tanzania (230)
  • Texas (5)
  • Vietnam (33)

Categories

  • Classroom Assistance (8)
  • Conversational English (94)
  • Cultures and Traditions (136)
  • Development Impact (121)
  • Family Volunteering (61)
  • Free Time Options (79)
  • Group Volunteering (19)
  • News and Updates (146)
  • Partners' Stories (16)
  • Projects for Professionals (23)
  • Reaching Children's Potential (237)
  • Ripple Effect (7)
  • Service-Learning (49)
  • Staff Worldwide (26)
  • Volunteer Voices (683)
  • Why I Give (18)

Tags

American Indian culture Care for children Caribbean island College groups Conversational English Cuba people-to-people development impact Earthbox gardens Essential Services food insecurity Funding your fee gender equality Health and nutrition High school groups Labor projects retiree volunteers Spring break student volunteer summer volunteer program support children Support women teaching children teaching english team leader things to do peru top places to visit peru tourism cook islands tours peru travel peru volunteer benefits Volunteer impact volunteer time off work on reservations Work with youth youth volunteering

Get Global Volunteers News Here!

Enter your email address to receive fresh new posts in your inbox.

  • About Us
  • Boards of Directors and Advisors
  • US and International Staff
  • Our Beginnings
  • Our Vision
  • Community Partners
  • Collaborators
  • Compare Us
  • Volunteer Vacations FAQs
  • Accountability and Agreements
  • Travel Risks
  • Impact and Outcomes of Service
  • Donate to Global Volunteers
  • Donate to a Volunteer
  • Money Matters – Explaining Your Service Program Contribution
  • Discounts & Fundraising
  • Alumni Center
  • Covid-19 Policy
  • News/Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Agreements
  • Site Map
  • Contact
  • Podcast
  • Volunteer Portal
  • Employment
Global Volunteers
375 East Little Canada Road
St. Paul, MN 55117-1628 USA
(800) 487-1074 | toll-free
(651) 482-0915 | fax
globalvolunteers.org
email@globalvolunteers.org
Federal EIN: 36-3352680

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST!

Subscribe to receive updates, new blog posts, and inspiring stories from our work around the world.

Global Volunteers - Partners in Development ® | © Copyright 2002 - Present Global Volunteers
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
  • Global Volunteers is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization. Our tax ID is 36-3352680. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent provided by the law.
  • Send feedback about this web site and its administration.
I’ll Always Remember the Smiles of the Kids in My Classmaking friends in PolandReflections on A Volunteer’s Role in Greece
Scroll to top