DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

While merengue is the national dance, ironically few in the Dominican Republic know that 26 November is Merengue Day. The day celebrates the contagious and vibrant rhythm with its whirlwind of fast-paced steps and slow, intimate or lively dance. In 2016 the Unesco declared the Merengue an Intangible Cultural Heritage. In 2019, the Dominican Republic set a Guinness World Record for the largest number of couples dancing merengue in unison, surpassing Russia’s previous record.

For the occasion of Merengue Day, El Nacional newspaper interviewed several leading merengue experts to ask about the present status of the merengue.

El Nacional sought to answer the question: “But where does merengue stand today?”

Pochy Familia, leader of the Coco Band orchestra, believes merengue is receiving special attention: “I think there’s been a shift in the music industry in general: the...