Anyone have any favorites for international rumba - not necessarily strict tempo...

NJDANCEGIRL. In the International Style the music must be strict tempo. Timing
4/4 Played between 25 to 28 bars a minute.The original recording of Chris De Burgh's The Lady in Red even has the percussive accents on the fourth beat which is correct, and may come as a suprise to some.It is played at 24 BPM. Another is Love Walked In. sung by Dinah Washington Both on The Ultimate Latin Album 6. Disc 2.

You are so right. It's hard to get good Rumba music at most dances. They play anything but. Jazzed up latin.disco latin,a cross between cha cha cha and jive ,you name it you get it ,but a good latin rumba?

This is the best site I have had the pleasure of visiting.
I am now 76, and a former teen age ballroom class instructor of 1948, and ballroom dancer from 1948 thru 1965.
Your comments are correct regarding the proper beat for the Rumba.
I had the pleasure in 1947! of dancing by the: Miami Beach Rumba & Siboney.
It still holds up, as the true rumba beat (tempi). As my generation says: If you do not have the swing, it don't mean a thing.! And who ever heard of dancing a waltz, by anthing but the 3 quarters of time. (3/4). I was a ballroom dancer 50 year's before the show: Dancing with the star's, and the new fad movie of last year. My most cherished dream is for the younger generation to bring ballroom dancing & the big band era back. You can not have one with out the other.
Enjoy! have fun!, and when you 'slide' on that ballroom floor again, have the orchestra play : Poor Butterfly,/slow fox trot/jive. One more time for the kid of 1948.
Sincerly'
The Ballroom Kid of; 1948
Eddie C.

Do you need strict tempo even for a showdance? I probably should have clarified that...

International dancers don't usualy do show dances unless they are profesionals,so I don't know what kind of studio you belong to?

njdancegirl. I'm not familiar with a Show Dance. What ever it is the music must be danceable. It should have four even beats for every bar of Foxtrot. Three for Waltz, and Forty Eight per minute for Quickstep.

What is Showdance and what kind of studio does this. I have heard of dance schools where students put on a show for their parents to see their progress,also shows put on for seniors at old age homes, but they usualy have more than one couple on the floor at a time.

A choreographed dance routine you would do in a showcase with only one couple on the floor at a time.

Was looking for "romantic" rumba music with a tempo that is slower than American style, more in the International style for rumba.

The ballroom CD's that you can purchase, like on this site, offer very strict tempo - but sometimes aren't as good as the original version of the song (lack emotion or whatever) or there may be a good song out there, but your can't find it on one of these ballroom CD's. That is what I meant by it not having to be strict tempo...