The History and Main Styles of Salsa Dance

In Spanish, 'salsa' means 'sauce'. This dance came to us from Cuba and was originally called 'Son'.

From the 14th to the 19th century, many African slaves were brought to Cuba for hard labor, bringing with them interesting music and dances that laid the foundation for salsa.

Salsa itself originated in the 19th century. It is considered a passionate and fiery dance that incredibly lifts the mood of everyone around.

Salsa's Journey from Latin America to Russia

In the 1930s, salsa spread widely throughout Latin America, becoming quite popular and winning many hearts. By the 1950s, it had conquered Europe, mainly in Italy and Spain, and in the 1970s it reached Asian countries, though it was danced there without much enthusiasm.

Salsa entered Russia in the 1990s and developed very slowly until 2005. Everything changed with the opening of schools and dance courses incorporating this dance. In 2002, at the first international festival in St. Petersburg, this dance direction was presented to a wide audience, further strengthening salsa's position in Russia.

Today, salsa is one of the most popular types of dance and music worldwide. Salsa is the romance of a glance, flexibility of movement, fluidity of silhouette, a sea of emotion and passion. It's also called the music of the tropics.

Main Styles of Salsa

In the process of evolution and establishment as a dance, salsa split into several directions that are popular and well-known among the masses and dance circles.

New York salsa — this style was formed in New York City by Cuban emigrants, based on the equally famous Cuban dance 'Son'. It is danced predominantly with backward steps in geometric shapes on count 2. The style was created for the woman to showcase her beauty in the dance, parading around her partner gracefully and at a fast, dynamic pace.

Colombian salsa — Colombians dance it in geometric circles, with fast movements, the woman swaying her hips as she goes around the circle gracefully while looking at her partner.

LA salsa — danced since the 1990s, on count 1 in a linear geometric pattern. This style is characterized by fast movements in tempo with male and female figures, almost without solo moves or hand breaks. The dance includes acrobatic elements performed clearly and at a certain speed, demonstrating the couple's dance mastery.

Casino salsa — its prototype was the same 'Son' and 'Guaracha'. Danced in a circle on step 1. Partners perform a geometric pattern where the partner is in the center and the partner rotates around the circle, holding hands and turning not only around the partner but also around herself, making knots and feints. It incorporates movements from dances like cha-cha-cha, mambo, and rumba. In other countries, the dance is accented with toe or heel taps on the floor on counts 4 and 8 in a fast and dynamic tempo.

Rueda de Casino — on the dance floor, several couples perform synchronous circular movements. Together they resemble a round dance, with frequent swapping of partners.

Salsa should be danced with a spark in your eyes; this dance requires trust in partnership and complete relaxation while dancing. As a result, a woman begins to feel and control her body, which over time becomes flexible and slender. Salsa has been danced worldwide for a long time, and since 2002 it has been included in the program of the international dance festival.