Salsa

Salsa is a dynamic and exciting dance that originated in Cuba and Puerto Rico. It is widely popular in many countries, including the United States. Salsa music is a fusion of traditional African and Caribbean rhythms that was largely popularized by Puerto Ricans in New York City from the 1950's onward. The modernization of the Mambo in the 1950's was also influential in shaping what would become salsa. . The name "Salsa" is the Spanish word for sauce, connoting a spicy flavor.

There are many styles of Salsa. For example, the New York style is a more elegant interpretation that leverages the momentum of the dancers to create a flowing and intricate series of turn and spins where control, timing, precision and technique are emphasized over flash, acrobatics and showmanship. Danced strictly "On 2", New York style is danced to reflect the percussion (most specifically the clave and the tumbao of the conga), rather than the melody.