[2] The music of merengue draws influence from European and Afro-Cuban styles and mainly uses instruments like guitars, drums, and a charrasca or metal scraper.

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).

Merengue music and dance rose to popularity in the Dominican Republic during the Haitian occupation of Santo Domingo from 1822 to 1844.

The tempo of Dominican merengue was increased to differentiate it from Haitian Méringue along with other musical changes.

In terms of dance, Dominican merengue is often done with less space between partners and different hip movements as compared to the Haitian version.

[6] Also around this time, merengue began being written and spoken about disapprovingly by elites in Dominican society.

Merengue típico emphasizes traditional songs dating back as far as the nineteenth century.

[9] Previously merengue had often been as a social commentary and under Trujillo it morphed to songs that praised him and the government.