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Salsa is a syncretic dance genre created by Spanish-speaking people from the Caribbean. Salsa dancing mixes African and European dance influences through the music and dance fusions that are the roots of Salsa: essentially Puerto Rican and Cuban Son, but also with influences from Guaguancó, Rumba, Boogaloo, Pachanga, Guaracha, Puerto Rico's Plena, and Bomba.

Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms, line dancing (suelta), and Rueda de Casino where groups of couples exchange partners in a circle. Salsa can be improvised or performed with a set routine.

Salsa is popular throughout Latin America, and also in the United States, Spain, Japan, Portugal, France, Eastern Europe and Italy.

The name "Salsa" is the Spanish word for sauce, connoting (in American Spanish) a spicy flavor. Salsa also suggests a "mixture" of ingredients, though this meaning is not found in most stories of the term's origin. (See Salsa music for more information.)

Basic movements

The basic step of all styles of salsa involves 3 weight changes (or steps) in each 4 beat measure. The beat on which one does not step might contain a tap or kick, or weight transfer may simply continue with the actual step not occurring until the next beat, some individuals may insert an actual pause. The option chosen depends upon individual choice and upon the specific style being danced. One of the steps is a "break step" a little bit longer than the other two. Different styles of Salsa are often differentiated by the direction and timing of the break step ("on 1" or "on 2" for example). After 6 weight changes in 8 beats, the basic step cycle is complete. While dancing, the basic step can be modified significantly as part of the improvisation and stylings of the people dancing.

As a salsa dancer changes weight the upper body remains level and nearly unaffected by the weight changes. Caught in the middle are the hips which end up moving quite a bit--the famous "Cuban hip movement."

The arms are used to communicate the lead in either open or closed position. In open position the two dancers hold one or both hands, especially for moves that involve turns, or putting arms behind the back, or moving around each other. In closed position, the leader puts the right hand on the follower's back, while the follower puts the left hand on the leader's shoulder.

In some styles, the dancers remain in a slot (switching places), while in others the dancers circle around each other.

Rhythm

Music suitable for dancing ranges from about 150 beats per minute (bpm) to around 250 beats per minute (bpm), although most dancing is done to music somewhere between 160-220 bpm. Every Salsa composition involves complex African percussion based around the Clave Rhythm (which has 4 types), though there can be moments when the clave is hidden for a while, often when quoting Changüí or Bomba. The key instrument that provides the core groove of a salsa song is the conga drum. The conga drummer slaps (high pitch) on the 2nd beat of each measure and strikes twice with an open tone (often on a 2nd lower pitched conga) on the 4th beat (see salsa music).Every instrument in a Salsa band is either playing with the clave (generally: congas, timbales, piano, tres guitar, bongos, claves (instrument), strings) or playing independent of the clave rhythm (generally: bass, maracas, güiro, cowbell). Melodic components of the music and dancers can choose to be in clave or out of clave at any point. However it is taboo to play or dance to the wrong type of clave rhythm (see salsa music). While dancers can mark the clave rhythm directly, it is more common to do so indirectly (with, for example, a shoulder movement).

Salsa styling

Incorporating styling techniques into salsa has become very common. For both men and women, shines, leg work, arm work, body movement, spins, body isolations, shoulder shimmies and rolls, and even hand styling have become a huge trend in the salsa scene.

Salsa styles

Since salsa has its roots in so many dances and is open to improvisation, salsa styles are very fluid. Dance styles are associated with their original geographic area that developed that style. There are often devotees of each of these styles outside of their home territory. Characteristics that may identify a style include: foot patterns, body rolls and movements, turns and figures, attitude, dance influences, and the way that partners hold each other. The point in a musical bar music where a slightly larger step is taken (the break step) and the direction the step moves can often be used to identify a style.

New York, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua and Panama

Found on the East Coast of North America, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and certain parts in Central America.

New York style emphasizes efficiency of movement, elegance, and body isolations. By focusing on control, timing, and precision of technique, dancers aim for smooth execution of tightly woven complex patterns. In New York City this style is danced strictly On 2, although dancers around the world often integrate elements and repertoire from New York into their dancing On 1.

On 2 timing emphasizes the conga drum's tumbao pattern, and encourages the dancer to listen to percussive elements of the music. Advocates of New York Style consider this to more accurately reflect the Afro-Caribbean ancestry of the music.

Many also refer to this style as "Mambo" since it breaks on beat 2 of the measure, though there are other dance forms with a more legitimate claim to that name. See (Mambo.) Mambo has been taught in ballroom schools throughout the world since the 1950s. For years ballroom competitions have featured Mambo as a competition dance. N.Y. style salsa therefore, has dominated Mambo and Salsa competitions over the years, although other styles are gaining respect and are sometimes danced as alternate competition categories.

The etiquette of New York style is strict about remaining in the "slot" and avoiding traveling.

New York style tends to place a greater emphasis on performing "shines" where dancers separate and dance solo for a time.

New York style dancers are typically very serious about the musicality and timing of their dancing. To satisfy their tastes, "socials" are often held that cater to almost exclusively playing "salsa dura" (lit. "Hard Salsa"). This is mid-to-up-tempo salsa with an emphasis on percussion and band orchestration rather than the vocals.

The longest-running social in New York is the Jimmy Anton social, which is held every first, third and fifth (if there is a fifth) Sunday of the month.

While the New York style is the predominant style found in the eastern United States, the style finds favor with professional salsa dancers and salsa teachers the world over. Thus, it can be seen at salsa congresses all around the world.

Cuban / Casino (Cuba and Miami)

Danced in Cuba and Miami, but also popular in Europe and China; there are many dedicated small communities all over the world often organized to dance Rueda as well.

Cuban-style salsa (also called Casino) can be danced either on the down beat ("a tiempo") or the upbeat ("a contratiempo"). Beats 1, 3, 5 and 7 are downbeats and 2, 4, 6 and 8 are upbeats.

An essential element is the "Cuba step" (also known as Guapea), where the leader does a backward basic on 1-2-3 and a forward basic on 5-6-7. Usually the fourth beat is not counted. The follower does the same, thereby mirroring the leader's movement. Another characteristic of this style is that in many patterns the leader and follower circle around each other.

The cross body lead is an essential step in this style too and is referred to as Salida Cubana or as Dile que no in Rueda de Casino Dancing. This move becomes essential in the more complex caca derivative of Cuban Casino leading to the many moves of Rueda, or wheel dance. Here multiple couples exchange partners and carry out moves synchronized by a caller.

Rueda

In the 1950s Salsa Rueda (Rueda de Casino) was developed in Havana, Cuba. Pairs of dancers form a circle (Rueda in Spanish), with dance moves called out by one person. Many of the moves involve rapidly swapping partners.

There two main types of Rueda de Casino:

1. Cuban-style - "Rueda de Cuba" (Original type of Rueda, not so formal)
2. Miami-style - "Rueda de Miami" (Formal style, many rules, based on a mix, hybridization of Rueda de Cuba and Salsa Los Angeles-style )

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Cali Salsa Style

The Colombian city of Cali is also known as the "Capital de la Salsa" (World's Salsa Capital); it's one of the few cities where salsa is the main genre in parties, nightclubs, and festivals in the 21st century. Almost all famous Salsa singers and bands have visited this city, which has a huge Salsa following with a unique set of styles very rarely found outside of Colombia. Every year Cali holds Salsa festivals such as "Encuentro de Melomanos y Coleccionistas", where experts of salsa history, lovers of this genre and music collectors meet in a famous park in Cali. Salsa is also well recognized and celebrated in December, when festivals are held every year. The unique Cali Salsa Style consists in keeping the upper body still, poised and relaxed while the feet execute endless intricacies.

Los Angeles

In Cuban based rhythms, the strong beats are on 1 and 3. L.A. style is danced on 1, in a slot. It is strongly influenced by the Mambo, Swing and Argentine Tango styles of dancing. L.A. style emphasizes sensuousness, theatricality, aerobics, and most importantly, musicality. The two essential elements of this dance are the forward/backward basic as described above, and the cross-body lead. In this pattern, the leader steps forward on 1, steps to the right on 2-3 while turning 90 degrees counter-clockwise (facing to the left). The follower then steps forward on 5-6, and turns on 7-8, while the leader makes another 90 degrees counter-clockwise. After these 8 counts, the leader and follower have exchanged their positions.

The L.A. style as it is known today was pioneered by what many consider some of the most famous and influential people in dance. Albert Torres, Laura Canellias and Joe Cassini rightfully deserve much of the credit for the early development and growth of L.A. Style Salsa. Later, such dancers as Alex Da Silva, Edie Lewis, Joby Martinez, Thomas Montero, Rogelio Moreno, Josie Neglia, Liz Rojas, Francisco Vazquez and Janette Valenzuela are often credited with developing the L.A. style of Salsa Dancing as we know it today.

See also

• Palladium Ballroom
• Rueda de Casino
• Dance
• Dance move
• Salsa music
• Partner dance
• Casino (salsa dance)
• Salsa Suelta
• World Salsa Championships

References

1. Waxer, Lise A. (2002), The City of Musical Memory: Salsa, Record Grooves, and Popular Culture in Cali, Colombia, Wesleyan, p. 93–94
2. "American Heritage Dictionary". Houghton Mifflin Company. 2000. Retrieved 2007-07-31.

Pietrobruno, Sheenagh (2006) Salsa and Its Transnational Moves. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, Inc.

External links

• The Salsa Beat Machine
• Salsa Bands
• WikiTravel: Salsa Dancing in Latin America
• Salsa Dancing

• Latin dances
• Partner dance
• Dance styles
• Salsa