Salsa - History And Culture
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17th June 2008
Salsa – as a dance, its history and culture
Salsa refers to a fusion of informal dance styles having roots in the Caribbean especially famous in Cuba and Puerto Rico, Latin and North America. The dance originated through the mixture of a variety of dance forms like Mambo, Danzón, Guaguancó, Cuban Son, and other typical Cuban dance forms. Salsa is danced to Salsa music. There is a strong African influence in the music as well as the dance.
Derived from the Spanish word for "sauce," the dance is aptly named for the flavor or "spicy" technique upon which it actually centers upon (Bachata Crazy.com). With room for both partners to strut their stuff, this method of dance is becoming increasingly popular throughout dance institutions and afternoon school programs not only across the United States but also the most of the other parts of the globe like India etc.
Salsa dancing works with a kind of music which is basically designed with two bars consisting of four steps. Salsa dance is eventually designed for a world where leg and arm work with mesmerizing body movements give rise to passionate emotions and at the same time tend to be equally romantic. Salsa dance is actually a partner dance which is usually danced to salsa music.
“The history of the Latin popular music known worldwide as “salsa” began centuries ago in the islands of the Spanish Caribbean, in a context of slavery and colonialism. Yet, it is inextricably tied to twentieth-century New York City and the growth of a thriving Latino community here. Its distinctive polyrhythm and vocal and instrumental call-and-response identify the Afro-Caribbean roots of Latin music –traditional and contemporary, sacred and secular (Salsaweb.com)”.
“Over the years, the sounds of salsa and the steps of the dance migrated to the U.S. as early as the 40s, where further cultivation...
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