34 Gringo-Friendly Spanish Dance Songs for an Intercultural Mexican Wedding · San Diego Corporate DJ Track Star Staci (2024)

Hola 🙂 I’m a gringa, so you know these Spanish songs are 100% authentic “gringo-friendly.” I am a full-time, professional, American wedding DJ/MC, and I have lived in Mexico for 7 years. My husband is Mexico-Mexican (you know what I’m saying…a paisano!) Spanglish is the official language of our house…and we always have music going (half his, half mine).

DON’T PANIC

I think you should have fun with your cultural differences, rather than being nervous about them. To get you in the right frame of mind, watch the video below highlighting the differences between Mexican and American music (FYI, it is R-rated). OK, let’s have a good laugh and move on to tackling this situation.

BEFORE THE PLAY LIST, LEARN THE RECIPE!

So the good news is that I have compiled a fail-proof list of gringo-friendly Spanish dance songs for your intercultural wedding. I have tried these songs out many, many times…and they are golden. Mexicans love them. White people don’t hate them. If things go well, gringos will even dance to these bad boys! Black people will dance to them. Japanese people will dance to them. Yep, I’ve seen it first hand.

BUT…before we get to the juicy list of gringo-friendly Spanish dance songs for your intercultural wedding, you need to know the recipe. Here’s the deal…us white people are famous for being crappy dancers who need to be buzzed to get out on the dance floor (generally speaking). Mexicans don’t suffer from this affliction (generally speaking). Likewise, us gringos like to wrap it up at 9:00 PM so we can get to bed. The Mexicans are just getting ready to rock n’ roll about that time.

So here’s how you use that to your advantage: the first 15-45 minutes of your reception should be gringo music. The Mexicans will wait…it’s OK. Then have your DJ ease gently into a 3-song block of Spanish music (like “Suavemente,” “Danza Kuduro,” and “La Vida Es un Carnaval” or “Bailar” by Deorro). No “La Bamba.” No “La Isla Bonita.” Nothing by Herb Alpert or Marty Robbins. And please no “Macarena.” AT THE START of the Spanish block, quell the gringos’ fears by having your DJ announce, “Cupid Shuffle coming up in 10 minutes.” Phew! White folks stop panicking, knowing some more English music is right around the corner.

Go into a second set of “real” Spanish music after a few English songs…start with Salsa, Cumbias, or Merengue. Save the Corridos, Banda, and Zapateados until the white people go to bed in another 20 minutes. Now generally what happens is that there are way more people dancing to the Spanish music than the English music by now (now that you’re playing the good Spanish music, right?) So now instead of predominantly English music with Spanish music peppered in, have your DJ switch to predominantly Spanish music with English music peppered in.

GRINGO-FRIENDLY SPANISH WEDDING DANCE SONGS

• “Suavemente,” Elvis Crespo
• “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi
• “Danza Kuduro,” Don Omar
• “Bailar,” Deorro, Pitbull
• “El Mariachi,” Antonio Banderas
• “Oye Mi Amor,” Mana
• “La Vida Es Un Carnaval,” Celia Cruz
• “La Camisa Negra,” Juanes
• “Vivir Mi Vida,” Marc Anthony
• “El Toro,” Joan Sebastian
• “La Vaca,” Mala Fe
• “Cumbia Sobre el Rio,” Celso Piña
• “Escandalo,” Sonora Dinamita
• “Mi Cucu,” Sonora Dinamita

*Make sure the DJ tells the gringos that the reason y’all are having so much fun dancing to this gringo-friendly Mexican wedding dance song is because it’s like the Spanish equivalent of “Baby Got Back” 🙂

• “A Mover la Colita,” Sonora Dinamita
• “Intentalo,” 3BallMTY
• “Vamonos de Fiesta,” Banda el Recodo
• “Estos Celos,” Vicente Fernandez
• “Tumbando Caña,” Banda Maguey
• “El Baile De La Cachucha,” Banda Pelillos
• “Las Mujeres Lo Bailan Bien,” Los Torros Band
• “La Chona,” Los Tucanes de Tijuana
• “Arrepegaito,” Raza Obrera
• “Chango,” Ozomatli
• “Cachete, Pechito, y Ombligo,” Los Reyes Locos
• “El Za Za Za (Mesa Que Mas Aplauda),” Grupo Klimax

>>NOW WE ARE GETTING INTO MEXICAN WEDDING DANCE SONGS THAT ARE HEAVIER ON THE ACCORDION BUT STILL FAIRLY TOLERABLE TO GÜEROS<<<

• “Camaron Pelao,” Los Polifaceticos
• “El Tao Tao,” Control
• “De Rodillas Te Pido,” Los Alegres de la Sierra
• “Cumbia Campuesana,” Aniceto Molina
• “Serian Las Dos,” Los Intocables del Norte
• “El Mechon,” Banda MS
• “El Camaleon,” Los Diferentes de la Sierra
• “La Puerta Negra,” Los Tigres del Norte
• “Chilito Piquin Cuñao,” Los Caminantes

LISTEN TO THE GRINGO-FRIENDLY SPANISH DANCE SONGS FOR AN INTERCULTURAL MEXICAN WEDDING

OK…and one final tidbit…this is a great example of the Mickey Mouse/Oompa Loompa sound you want to avoid (i.e. TUBAS) with gringos in the midst…Remember when comedian Pablo Francisco above said, “It’s a love song puto!”

Finally, for a successful intercultural/bilingual Mexican wedding, hire a great bilingual wedding DJ who has expertise with these kind of crowds and situations. If you are having a destination wedding in Mexico, check out this DIY wedding DJ guidebook.

P.S. Need Spanish Mother-Son wedding dance songs too?