SALSA

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Salsa is a  dance genre from Cuba, as the meeting point of European and African popular culture. It later spread to Puerto Rico and the rest of the Caribbean islands. Salsa is essentially Cuban with deep Afro-Cuban beats, and additional musical influences from Son,Guaguancó, and Rumba. Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms. 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.

Basic movements

Dancing Salsa in Mexico

The basic step of all styles of salsa involves three weight changes (or steps) in each four-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.

Every Salsa composition involves complex African percussion based around the Clave Rhythm. The key instrument that provides the core groove of a salsa song is the conga drum. 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. 

Salsa styles

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

Salsa's roots are Cuban, but salsa is open to improvisation and thus it is continuously evolving. Dance styles are associated with the original geographic areas that developed them. 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.It has a Funky,sexy,spicy feel to it. You must feel the vibes between you and your partner.

The basic styles are:

1. Latin American Styles, originating from Cuba and surrounding areas and then expanding to Colombia, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and the rest of the Latin states; also heavily influence "Miami" style which is a fusion of Cuban style and North American version.
2. North American Salsa, (sometimes referred by Latin Americans as "American Salsa"). Two types of Salsa with distinct tempo differences; Los Angeles Salsa which breaks on the first beat "On 1" and New York Salsa which breaks on the second beat "On 2". Both have different origins and evolutionary path, as the New York Salsa is heavily influenced by Mambo and Jazz instruments in its early growth stage.

Miami-style Casino

Developed by Cuban migrants to Florida, and centered around Miami, this form of Cuban-salsa fused with American culture and LA Style. Major differences of Miami-style Casino is that it is exclusive dance to downbeat  and has elements of shines and showstyle added to it following repertoires of L.A. Style.In the 1950s Salsa Rueda or more accurately Rueda de Casino was developed in Havana, Cuba. Pairs of dancers form a circle (Rueda in Spanish means "Wheel"), 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 consisting of about 30 calls)
2. Miami-style - "Rueda de Miami" (Formal style, many rules, based on a mix, hybridization of Rueda de Cuba and Salsa Los Angeles-style )

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.

The elements of Cali Salsa Style is the strong infusion of Colombian rhythms particularly Cumbia and Boogaloo. Dancers do not shift their body weight greatly as seen in other styles. Instead, dancers keep their upper body still, poised and relaxed while the feet execute endless intricacies.

A major difference of Cali or Colombian salsa is that the dancers have a dance speed in steps. they not execute Cross-body Lead, or the "Dile Que No" in Cuban salsa.

Every year Cali holds many Salsa festivals such as "world salsa Cali festival" and "Encuentro de Melomanos y Coleccionistas", where experts of salsa history, lovers of this genre and music collectors meet in the city. Salsa is also well recognized and celebrated in December, when festivals are held every year.

New York style

Original evolution from the 1960s Mambo era when Cuban music was introduced to New York due to influx of Cuban dissidents and other Latin migrants, the New York Salsa (NY Salsa) has its own evolutionary path as old Mambo (Mambo Tipico) is fused with New York jazz and swing to create a new salsa genre. 

New York style tends to place a greater emphasis on performing "shines" where dancers separate and dance solo for a time, suspected origins from Swing and New York tap.

New York style dancers are typically very serious about the musicality and timing of their dancing. 

(Courtesy of Wiki Encyclopedia)