04Experiences

The country’s rhythm

Merengue and bachata

Merengue is dance and music woven into daily life in the Dominican Republic, from family celebrations to gatherings in squares, and it was inscribed on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list in 2016. Couples usually dance in circles with light gestures to accordion, drum and saxophone, learning more by watching and joining in from childhood than from books. Bachata is another musical and dance form that grew from bolero mixed with Antillean Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and it joined the same list in 2019. Its lyrics lean toward feeling and longing; instruments are one or two guitars with bongo, maracas and bass, and the couple’s dance uses eight-count steps with a clear hip movement. In Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata you hear both in evening restaurants and plazas; look for a small live band rather than only a hotel-lobby playlist, and ask which night suits a city evening before you plan your schedule.

2016

Merengue inscription

2019

Bachata inscription