conga
Hands-on Cuban percussion
A conga is a tall, narrow drum of Cuban origin, played with the hands and typically used in Latin music.
It also names the dance performed to such drums—a line dance where participants form a chain, hands on the hips of the person ahead, stepping in unison with periodic kicks: The wedding reception ended with everyone doing the conga around the dance floor.
Blending African and Cuban
- percussionSound through impact
- slapOpen-handed blow
- toneQuality of sound
- heel-toeSequential foot-strike pattern
muted · timbales · bongos · cowbell · clave · salsa band · Latin jazz · hand drum
Stressed unexpected beats
- claveLatin music's rhythmic spine
- polyrhythmOverlapping musical beat patterns
- Afro-CubanBlending African and Cuban
- grooveNarrow cut or routine
beat · pulse · pattern · cascara · downbeat · accent · swing · feel
Spicy tomato condiment
- merengueLatin partnered dance
- bachataDominican romantic music genre
- mamboFast Cuban ballroom dance
- rumbaAfro-Cuban partner dance
cha-cha · samba · line dance · kick · shuffle · chain · polonaise · bunny hop
Ceremonial public procession
- floatBuoyant object or vehicle
- TrinidadCaribbean island near Venezuela
- CubaCaribbean island country
- SantiagoChile's largest city
carnival · costume · feathers · revelry · festival · Mardi Gras · Rio · soca
Linked segments forming length
- processionFormal moving line
- snakeLimbless scaled reptile
- kickFoot-delivered strike
- shuffleRandomize by mixing
leader · follow · weave · party trick · single file · winding · join in · spontaneous
Afro-Cuban
Blending African and Cuban
- percussionSound through impact
- slapOpen-handed blow
- toneQuality of sound
heel-toe · muted · timbales · bongos · cowbell · clave · salsa band · Latin jazz · hand drum · drumhead
syncopation
Stressed unexpected beats
- claveLatin music's rhythmic spine
- polyrhythmOverlapping musical beat patterns
- Afro-CubanBlending African and Cuban
groove · beat · pulse · pattern · cascara · downbeat · accent · swing · feel · tempo
salsa
Spicy tomato condiment
rumba · cha-cha · samba · line dance · kick · shuffle · chain · polonaise · bunny hop · locomotion
parade
Ceremonial public procession
Santiago · carnival · costume · feathers · revelry · festival · Mardi Gras · Rio · soca · calypso
chain
Linked segments forming length
- processionFormal moving line
- snakeLimbless scaled reptile
- kickFoot-delivered strike
shuffle · leader · follow · weave · party trick · single file · winding · join in · spontaneous · wedding
- hand drumsdjembe, bongos, tabla
- line dancesbunny hop, line dance, snake dance, locomotion, stroll
- Afro-CubanAfro-Cuban, Yoruba, Santeria, orishas, rumba
- Afro-Cuban Musicrumba, clave, bongos, claves, timba
- carnival musicsamba, calypso, steelpan, brass band, parade music
- drumsbass drum, bongo, tambourine, snare, snare drum
congastanding still
Absence of motion
waltz · tango · slow dance · circle dance · ballroom dancing
- conga lineSequential dancing procession
- conga drumsTall Afro-Cuban hand drums