Latin American Dances 2 is a new suite of three original dances for symphonic band which use dance rhythms from Latin America. The first movement is 'Salsa' - a fast, lively dance which has its origins in Puerto Rico and Cuba. The second movement is a 'Bossa Nova' from the beaches of Brazil, a much more relaxed and quiet style of music. The suite picks up the pace to close with a 'Rumba' from Cuba. The 3 dances in this set each use a repeating 2 measure claves pattern of 2 3 or 3 2, which is often used in contemporary Latin music. Also, each movement begins with the same 5 note motif, beginning on the 5th scale degree of the key (5-6-5-4-5) and then 'spins' out and develops melodic material within the movement. Latin American Dances 2 was premiered by and is dedicated to the Austin Symphonic Band and its director Richard Floyd.
