Latin American dance some vassals attempted (5)
I believe the answer is:
salsa
'latin american dance' is the definition.
(style of Latin American dance)
'some vassals attempted' is the wordplay.
'some' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue (some parts of the word are used).
'SALSA' is hidden in the letters of 'vassals attempted'.
(Other definitions for salsa that I've seen before include "Steps" , "Latin-American dance" , "Sauce; Afro-Cuban dance" , "Latin American dance music" , "Chilli sauce" .)