Like many Latin American countries at one time, the Dominican Republic was governed by an authoritarian regime. One of the forms of popular protests was music. In the 1970s, the debates over popular music widened to include the long suppressed issue of the country s African American heritage. This reading will serve as a catalyst to learn a dance entitled sopa de caracol. It is a lively, energetic dance depicting snails dancing in soup.
Students often enjoy learning and performing sopa de caracol.
The island of Puerto Rico is located on the northern margin of the Caribbean Sea. It is east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands. The island is a possession of the United States, officially known as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It was originally named Boringuen by the indigenous people before Columbus arrival during his second voyage to the New World in 1493. He renamed it San Juan Bautista.