What is Salsa?
While salsa originated in Cuba, it started as an appropriate “sauce” of musical and dance elements introduced by European immigrants and African slaves to Latin America.
Salsa can be traced to the early 19th Century, though it hit a stride of popularity in 1910 when Cubans started to produce actual records.
How did Salsa get here?
When prohibition in the 1920s sent more and more Americans to Havana for booze, salsa’s popularity exploded in the United States and beyond.
Is there more than one style of Salsa?
With salsa’s grand entrance into Latin immigrant-heavy cities like Miami and New York, different styles of the dance started to emerge. At present, there are up to 7 types of salsa dancing.
- New York Style: An infusion of Cuban and Puerto Rican elements, along with Jazz, R&B, and dances like Mambo.
- L.A. Style: A recent development of the late 1990s/early 2000s. Influenced by tango, swing, Latin Ballroom dance and contemporary hip hop. More theatrical than most.
- Casino Style: A Cuban style of salsa that was developed outside of the country itself.
- Miami-style Casino: Classic Cuban style with backward diagonal moves that you can’t find in any other salsa style. Obviously the most important of them all!
- Colombian (Cali) Style: Showy, sensual, and still popular today in nightclubs.
- Rueda de Casino: Emerged in Havana in the 1950s as a group-like approach to dancing, with participants in a circle following the moves called out by the lead dancer.
- Ballroom Salsa: A professional, prepared approach to salsa generally performed by a pair for an audience.
Why should I dance Salsa?
Salsa is a great way to move your body and meet new people. Dance concepts also offer excellent nuggets of wisdom that you can carry into your real-life relationships.
Sign me up!
If you’re interested in dancing, check out Salsa Driven Dance Academy for private or group lessons, as well as a schedule of salsa-inspired events around Miami.
