zapateo

[ Spanish sah-pah-te-aw ]

noun

, plural za·pa·te·os [sah-pah-, te, -aws].

1. a Cuban dance in three-quarter time emphasizing staccato stamping footwork.

Word History and Origins

Origin of zapateo¹

1920–25; < Spanish: tapping with the feet, derivative of zapatear to tap with the feet; zapateado

Example Sentences

He started studying drumming and zapateo at age 4 and performing folkloric dances like the malambo at 11 — a background shared, he said, by most “Che Malambo” dancers, all of whom are Argentine.

From New York Times

He found himself captivated by the drumming and the percussive footwork, or zapateo.

From New York Times

We moved to one side of the room for diagonals, or traveling steps with zapateo, footwork and turns.

From Seattle Times

Además del tour gastronómico, los asistentes se deleitaron con espectáculos folclóricos peruanos como la marinera norteña y la danza de tijeras, un impresionante baile andino caracterizado por el zapateo y elasticidad de sus bailarines.

From Washington Times

At the end of the season he is allowed half a benefit, on which occasion only he delights his numerous patrons by enacting the fore-paws in a dancing donkey, to the tune of the Zapateo, a popular negro double-shuffle.

From Project Gutenberg