Music and dance have been intrinsically linked in nearly all human cultures since the beginnings of our history. Latin American dance music has a particularly rich cultural heritage. During the 16th Century, Spanish and Portuguese settlers brought their music from overseas. The percussion instruments of the indigenous South American peoples brought their own distinctive flavour; local drums, guiros, maracas, turtle shells and unique wind instruments such as the zampona (pan pipes). The contribution from Africa brought rhythmic enrichment to the mix, resulting in the variety of Latin American dances we enjoy today. A Little Latin introduces this richly rewarding area of music and should encourage further exploration of this exciting genre.
