Salsa’s origins come primarily from “Son” music, originally played by African Slaves mixed with Spanish musicians. Salsa is a fast and spicy dance with many turns, spins, and shines (fancy footwork). It can be danced with partnerwork with two dancers dancing together, or the dance can be danced apart as partners showcase individual shines. Salsa incorporates body movement, body isolations, shoulder shimmies, rolls, and even acrobatics, and lifts. The music is danced in 4/4 time with a full latin band or to djs who play popular recordings from Fania All Stars and others.
Salsa’s origins come primarily from “Son” music, originally played by African Slaves mixed with Spanish musicians. The rhythms are also influenced by Rumba, Guaguanco, Charanga, Pachanga, Mambo, Cha-Cha-Cha, Guajira, Danzon, and Guaracha. Some believe the name for Salsa music came from Djs who referred to the new school of Afro-Cuban music coming out of New York in the 1940s, mainly El Barrio, Spanish Harlem, and the Bronx. Other’s believe the name for Salsa came from a 1933 song, Échale Salsita, composed by a Cuban song composer, Ignacio Pinerio, who referred to food that lacked Cuban spices.
Salsa is a fast and spicy dance with many turns, spins, and shines (fancy footwork). It can be danced with partnerwork with two dancers dancing together, or the dance can be danced apart as partners showcase individual shines. Salsa incorporates body movement, body isolations, shoulder shimmies, rolls, and even acrobatics, and lifts. The music is danced in 4/4 time with a full latin band or to djs who play popular recordings from Fania All Stars and others.
Because Salsa developed from many dance styles in many parts of the world, there are many recognized styles of Salsa today. These styles include, New York Style, Puerto Rican Style, Los Angeles Style, Cuban Style, Miami Style, Colombian Style, Cali Style, and Ballroom Style. Some styles include tricks, some involve basic footwork variations, others have timing differences.
