| Salsa dancing has a very distinct dance | | | | the strategic side stepping of the dancer. |
| style. It has a pattern step style | | | | Although the countries I just mentioned have |
| encompassing six steps that are danced over | | | | helped influence salsa dance and music, |
| eight counts in a musical beat. Salsa is the | | | | several other countries have also influenced |
| combination of many cultural genres including | | | | it like Columbia, Puerto Rico the Dominican, |
| Afro-Caribbean and Latin sounds. Although | | | | Mexico and several other Latin American |
| the exact origin of salsa cannot be | | | | countries. Many bands from these countries |
| interpreted, many believe that Cubans created | | | | took their music to Mexico City during the |
| this explosive dance style that has won the | | | | famous film era and then later brought their |
| world over. It is in this place where | | | | musical style to New York where it started a |
| Contra-Danze or "country dance" of England | | | | movement through cultures that had never |
| and France later known as Danzon that was | | | | heard this unique style of music, or seen |
| brought over by the French who had fled from | | | | this magical and explosive dance style. New |
| Haiti. Their experience with the French music | | | | York picked up salsa music and dance almost |
| traditions and the distinctive drum beat | | | | instantly which helped to promote the salsa |
| influences of Rhumbas of Africa and partner | | | | movement but New York was also the city that |
| dance style helped influence the development | | | | coined it as "salsa". If you listen to salsa |
| of the very distinctive salsa style of music | | | | music carefully, you will hear influences of |
| and dance that we are all familiar with | | | | Merengue, Cha Cha, Mambo and several other |
| today. However, regardless of who originally | | | | Latin American and African musical styles. |
| founded salsa, it's collaborative cultural | | | | You'll hear many of the classic old-styles |
| flavor of Afro-Caribbean and Latin influences | | | | built into the salsa rhythms. Salsa's |
| have been successful in making it one of the | | | | evolution has been explosive and only |
| most popular dance and music styles | | | | continues to evolve! Want to learn how to |
| recognized all over the world. Salsa dance | | | | dance to salsa music? Learn the easy steps by |
| moves are very distinct. Salsa moves more | | | | visiting This is the best site on the web |
| from side to side, putting much emphasis on | | | | for learning how to dance salsa. Taught by |
| turns, which are carefully synchronized with | | | | real professional salsa dancers. It's toxic! |