Latin dance has a long and complicated history, but the elements that come back again and again are self-expression and rhythm. While some Latin dances are almost wholly descended from one cultural sphere, the vast majority of Latin dances have three distinct influences: the native influence, the upper-class European influence, and the African influence. Dating back at least to the 15th century, which is when indigenous dances were first documented by European explorers, the roots of Latin dance are both deep and geographically far-reaching.