What is Salsa?
A dance that is known throughout Latin America and now throughout the world is Salsa. It is a dance with many different styles and meanings all over the world. Salsa is used sometimes as a reference to the "music" Salsa, while at other times it is used as a reference to the "dance" Salsa. Sometimes, it is used interchangably. Salsa as a music evolved very much at the same time Salsa as a dance evolved. Their histories are intimately tied together going back to its origins in Havana, Cuba.
The dance Salsa derived from the music salsa which roots lie in Cuba. The music is a blend ofAfrican rhythms brought to Cuba by African slaves and Spanish guitars. Today Salsa is a high beat style of music which has been influenced by American jazz and popular music. In the late fifties when a flood of Cuban immigrants when to New York they took Salsa with them. In 1971 the music became so popular that they produced the first Salsa record under the label Fania Records in 1971, Salsa was born.
Shortly after the rise in Salsa music the dance started to take wave all over. The dance originated in Cuba and became popular in Cuban Social clubs which we call casinos today. When the Castro regime over through the Cuban government, many Cubans fled to Miami. Salsarueda.asp was resurrected in Miami and eventually spread to Salsero communities all over the United States. This is why Miami style salsa is also referred to as "Casino" style salsa. Because Miami style salsa is the original style of salsa created in the casino social clubs of Havana, Cuba. Presently, there are many different styles Salsa such as L.A. Style, New York Style, and even Chicago Style Salsa. Salsa has evolved from casino’s in Cuba to an all out phenomena.
Today salsa continues to thrive. It is still growing and changing as Salseros (Spanish term for people who dance Salsa) innovate new ways to twist and twirl the night away. Salsa is one of many Latin Style dances that include Cha Cha Cha, Mambo, and Tango to name a few. Its rich history and wide attraction has given it a permanent place in the theatres and dance clubs of today.
Though Salsa can be defined as a music as well as a dance it is truly an element of them both combined. Salsa’s history from the Cuban casino’s to the American nightclubs have shown how it has evolved. Today, you can see Salsa almost anywhere in styles ranging from New York to L.A.. It’s music which originated in Cuba’s rich African culture is now heard and performed all over the world. Salsa has taken on a name of it’s own all the way from it’s origins in Havana, Cuba
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i love your article about salsa becuase now people could find out a little bit more of spanish roots.
Thanks for the article. Now, I know the original root of salsa. Seriously, I learned how to dance salsa but the instructor doesn't know the history of it. She only said that it's from New York. Thanks for educating me about this.
ShockerBlazer
Many people do believe Salsa is from New York. But its true roots lie in Cuba. Though, there is a New York Style Salsa which is danced on 2 beat instead of 1.
i didn't know the salsa had a history like that I had always thought it came from Mexico though
I just love the Salsa, and now I know it's roots too.Thanks.
I think Ricky Ricardo made it clear on I Love Lucy that the Salsa came from Cuba.
The origins of salsa are trully from Cuba, with the 'son' as its main ancestor. The 'Son' musical and dance origin comes from the 'danzón' from the end of the 19th century. Danzón derives from the french word 'Dansons' which means 'Let's dance' and comes from the upper-class poupulation of the 17th century who migrated into the new World at that time, and Cuba and most of the Antillas 'belonged' to the French Colonial empire. Going back to salsa, as its own cultural sense, salsa appeared in New York in the early 70's. It was an adaptation of Mambo dancing. From there, there was (is ?) some kind of rivalries concerning those origins,but truly, salsa appeared with the tipicas and then the charangas, with its most famous band, the Fania All Stars. From the dancing point of view, there are so many different styles ! NY Style, with Eddie Torres as a legend of it, based on mambo and beginning on 2, the LA Style from the Vazquez brothers, very spectacular, with a lot of spins and figures, the Cuban Style, derived from the Son, moving around a circle with lots of arms' tricks, the Miami Style (with Henry Herrera as a major figure of it), which kind of combines LA, NY and Cuban Style on 1, and then, you have now European style (Paris Style - Uforia, David Lartist -, London Style - Leon Rose, Supermario -, Salsa Mix Style - Hamidine-, ...) and RnB style (with Salsa Conga, Hamidine) and let's not forget now the influence of Raggaeton... Salsa is very well defined by itself as it is a mix of several genre, with different roots, and is the best representation of multicultural display ! Have fun dancing or listening salsa !