A Brief History of Salsa Dancing

A Brief History of Salsa Dancing

“Salsa”, the Spanish word for sauce, or “mixture”, is an exciting Latin dance with a rich history. With cultural influences stemming from Cuba, Africa and Puerto Rico, Salsa dancing exploded amongst immigrants in New York in the 1970′s. Corresponding to Salsa music with complicated percussion rhythms and a fast paced tempo, Salsa dancing soon followed. Dancers of all levels were immediately drawn to the inviting and vibrant sounds, creating a dance that is now known world-wide.

As Salsa dancing spread around the world from North America to Asia, Europe and Australia, variations of the dance developed. Some of these styles include Colombian, Salsa Rueda, New York Style, Los Angeles style and Casino style. This playful and passionate dance has made it’s mark as the world’s the most popular Latin dance today.

Did You Know…

Did you know that the Dominican Republic was where Bachata dancing originated? Dominican natives performed the Bachata as a celebration of the end of each working day. Poor locals would gather around and dance to enjoy their time together with instruments created from garbage cans, pipes and fences.

As Bachata dancing became grew in popularity amongst the lower class, it move into the brothels and bars. With this, it was frowned upon by the government, making the dance taboo. From the 1950′s to the 1980′s, other dances like the Merengue developed until Bachata dancing came back into style once again.

Today, the Bachata has varying styles from traditional to urban and moderna. It is seen as a warm and romantic dance that has gained acceptance among the people of the Dominican Republic once again.