The History of Salsa

Salsa in Spanish means "sauce" and is used to spice up Latin food. Salsa, the dance, can in fact be regarded as a spicy mixture of various Latin and Afro-Caribbean dances such as the Cuban Son, Cha Cha-Cha, Rumba and Mambo.

It began in New York in the 1930's taking influences along the way from different Latin music styles and Afro jazz. It was the Cuban and Puerto Rican immigrants living in New York's Spanish Harlem who brought these musical elements together to create what we know today as "Salsa".

Today, Salsa is the most popular Latin dance worldwide. There are hundreds of thousands of salseros in the U.S. who regularly go to salsa clubs or attend lessons and Congresses to dance, learn and have fun. The scene is thriving not only in the U.S. but also in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East. Salsa has now risen to the status of a world dance proving that anyone - regardless of cultural background - can learn and enjoy this exciting dance.