Salsa is one of the most amazing forms of dance. Salsa can not be defined easily. It’s a unique dance with lots of appeal and class. The roots of salsa can be traced to Latin and Caribbean culture. Several Afro-Caribbean and Latin dances combine together to create one pure form of salsa. Different cultures played crucial part in evolution of salsa.
Mambo is another Latin dance form with similarity to salsa in terms of pattern. Technically, eight counts of music are played in salsa and six steps pattern is followed. Salsa gives more of a side to side dance movement feel whereas mambo is more about back and forth movements.
Cuba was the place where salsa is said to be originated. Cuban music mixed with Latin and African dance to create a magic called salsa. Soon its popularity followed all over the region including Colombia, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic etc. The salsa movement then headed for Mexico and finally USA. Proliferation of salsa moves in these places gave it a worldwide appeal and soon many dance studios and movies started to incorporate salsa as their integral elements. Other forms of Latin music also got popularity the likes of which include, Cha cha cha, Mambo, Rhumba, Samba, Cubop, Plena, Bomba, Guaracha etc.
Salsa dance moves along with built-in the rhythm of different songs. Salsa is performed all over the world including major parts of Oceania and Asia. India could not escape the charms of salsa as well. It took salsa some time to establish in India but slowly it is gaining popularity. It’s a tough dance to master but Indians are not shying away from accepting salsa. Salsa dance involves two basic movements; the forward basic movement and the back basic movement.
Salsa is all about how two partners complement each other using their foot-tapping movements. The forwards and back movements create all the effects in salsa. These two movements are combined with several other small movements and body positions to create magic in salsa dance. Normally a move in salsa is of eight steps sequence. The female partner faces the man and will perform steps which compliment his partner’s movements. Salsa is a very sensible and sensuous dance with precise steps movements.