The Merengue Dance

The dialogue in the movie Dirty Dancing mentions the merengue dance twice. Both mentions indicate that the merengue is a relatively easy dance -- a dance for beginners.

1) At the beginning of the movie, when the Houseman family is unloading their car, Max Kellerman says:

There's a merengue class in the gazebo in the next few minutes. The greatest teacher. Used to be a Rockette.

2) When Baby Houseman, Johnny Castle and Penny Johnson are discussing whether Baby might substitute for Penny in the Sheldrake performance, there is the following conversation.

Baby Houseman
I can't even do the merengue.

Johnny Castle
See?

Penny Johnson
Johnny, you're a strong partner. You can lead anybody.

Johnny Castle
But you heard her. She can't even do the merengue. She can’t do it. She cannot do it.

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The Wikipedia article about the merengue includes the following passages.

Merengue is a style of Dominican music and dance.

Partners hold each other in a closed position. The leader holds the follower's waist with the leader's right hand, while holding the follower's right hand with the leader's left hand at the follower's eye level. Partners bend their knees slightly left and right, thus making the hips move left and right.

The hips of the leader and follower move in the same direction throughout the song. Partners may walk sideways or circle each other, in small steps.

They can switch to an open position and do separate turns without letting go each other's hands or releasing one hand. During these turns they may twist and tie their handhold into intricate pretzels. Other choreographies are possible.

Although the tempo of the music may be frenetic, the upper body is kept majestic and turns are slow, typically four beats/steps per complete turn.

In the social dancing of the United States the "empalizada" style is replaced by exaggerated Cuban motion, taught in chain ballroom studios for dances of Latin American origin (cha-cha-cha, rumba, mambo, salsa).

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The two dance captains of the German-language stage musical provide the following simple lesson.

The following lessons go somewhat farther.

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The following video shows skillfull merengue dancers dancing fast.