1. Introducing… Salsa DEEN LES Resource Bank Project 2013-2014
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence

2. What Is Salsa?
Salsa is essentially a fusion of informal dance styles having roots in the Caribbean (especially Cuba and Puerto Rico), Latin America and North America.
Shawn Briggs (and Joy) by Joel Riedesel, CC BY 2.0 ( Flickr®, accessed October 18, 2013,
DEEN LES Resource Bank Project
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence

3. History of Salsa Salsa originated in Cuba
African rhythms came to South America through slave trade
Danzón: official dance of Cuba
Cuban son
Westerners became exposed to Cuban son and Afro-Caribbean music became popular
Danzón was once called the official dance of Cuba,
The Son cubano is a style of music that originated in Cuba and gained worldwide popularity in the 1930s.
Son combines the structure and elements of the Spanish guitar with African rhythms and percussion instruments.
Son was heard for the first time in the clubs of Havana in around It represented a marriage between Spanish folk song and African rhythms
DEEN LES Resource Bank Project
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence

4. History of Salsa In 1943, Perez Prado began to create mambo music
More upbeat, big brass and drum sounds
Mambo dance soon followed
In 1951, Mambo became a craze and Perez was known as the Mambo King
Mambo: conversation with the Gods
DEEN LES Resource Bank Project
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence

5. History of Salsa
Mambo first appeared in New York’s Park Plaza ballroom
1947 at the Palladium is when it gained most attention
Palladium became the rare hangout spot where whites, blacks and Latinos could come together
Tito Rodriguez and Tito Puente brought a Puerto Rican influence to mambo music along with jazz
Puerto Ricans were the first Latinos to record and perform with African American jazz in clubs
1. A favorite hangout for dancers from Spanish Harlem
DEEN LES Resource Bank Project
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence

6. History of Salsa Salsa was born
1970s was the rise of merengue, early forms of hip hop, disco and the hustle
Eddie Torres kept mambo alive
Torres standardized the break on two and six
In 1973, Izzy Sanabria launched a TV show called Salsa
4- Latin NY Magazine, 1975, first ever Salsa Awards = created a worldwide interest
DEEN LES Resource Bank Project
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence

7. History of Salsa In the 1980s, Eddie Torres formalized mambo on two
Salsa education help move street dancing into the studio
Easier for students to learn spins
The hustle dance helped incorporate partner work into salsa
Salsa-4073 by vdrg dansschool, CC BY 2.0 ( Flickr®, accessed October 18, 2013,
DEEN LES Resource Bank Project
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence

8. Characteristics of Salsa
In salsa, the man leads and the woman follows
The music has 8 beats but the dancers only take steps on 3 of the beats, pausing for one beat
Salsa includes both turn patterns and parts where partners may separate and dance apart called shines
The hips of both dancers are always moving
New York salsa is danced on 2 whereas LA salsa is danced on 1
LA salsa is very flashy with a lot of acrobatic moves
DEEN LES Resource Bank Project
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence

9. Can you determine which couple dances on 1 and on 2?
For Fun…….
Can you determine which couple dances on 1 and on 2?
DEEN LES Resource Bank Project
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence

10. Salsa Styles LA Style New York/Mambo style Puerto Rican style
Very linear, dips, flips and arm styling, flashy
Danced on 1
New York/Mambo style
Body waves, shines, ribcage isolations
Danced on 2
Puerto Rican style
A lot of technical foot work
DEEN LES Resource Bank Project
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence

11. Salsa Styles Miami style Cuban style Comes with a tap between measures
Uses ganchos arm hooks (leader has more leverage)
Cuban style
Holds women’s wrists
Is viewed as very male dominating
DEEN LES Resource Bank Project
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence

12. Salsa Styles Rueda style Colombian style
Group dance originating in Cuba
Couples dance in a circle
Constant change of partners
There is a caller for the moves
Colombian style
No forward or backward motions of the feet
Feet alternating back or side
DEEN LES Resource Bank Project
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence

13. LA style: http://www.youtube.com/embed/gnfoBvWQqeY?rel=0
Mambo on 2:
Rueda:
Colombian style:
DEEN LES Resource Bank Project
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence

14. Benefits of Salsa Exercises and tones the body
Develops coordination of mind and muscle
Encourages poise regardless of age
Teaches participants social graces
One of the few hobbies that couples and friends can do together
Promotes confidence, self-assurance
DEEN LES Resource Bank Project
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence

15. Benefits of Salsa Reduces stress
Rewarding way to spend your leisure time
Increases energy
Helps release toxins via sweating
May help lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels
Can lead to a reduced heart rate over time
DEEN LES Resource Bank Project
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence

16. Salsa Steps Basic Cross body lead Suzy Q Left flare Front double cross
Left ½ turn / Left turn
Right turn
Swivel
Back slide
Side step
Salsa Dancing on Granville Street by John Bollwitt, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 ( Flickr®, accessed October 18, 2013,
DEEN LES Resource Bank Project
Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence