History of Salsa Dance

Salsa’s origins are found in the rural eastern Cuban dance music known as the son. Bandleader Arsenio Rodríguez, born in Güira de Macurijes, Cuba in 1911, pioneered son motuno, which blends Spanish guitar-playing with traditional African musical complexity and call-and-response elements. The grandson of Congo slaves, Arsenio was deeply connected to African rhythms such as rumba and Santeria. The Cuban and African were deeply rooted and intertwined in his identity as a human and a musician.

Son music uses a syncopated rhythm structure wherein the downbeat is preceded a half-beat by the bass line. This style of music became the framework for “a wide variety of dance-oriented Afro-Cuban musical styles, from the bolero to the conga and from the rumba to the mambo.”

Son spread to Mexico and into the US, reaching all the way to New York City. There, starting in the 1940s, son began its transformation into salsa.

“Through salsa, we learn that our shared humanity is more significant than the divisions...”

New York's salsa scene was and is still a vibrant tapestry woven from the threads of countless cultures. Latin American immigrants, particularly from Cuba and Puerto Rico, brought with them their own dance styles like mambo and cha cha cha. These energetic rhythms collided with New York's existing jazz and swing influences, creating what we now know as salsa. In the social clubs and ballrooms of the city, dancers from all backgrounds embraced this fusion, adding their own personal flair and evolving salsa into the dynamic and expressive dance we see today.

Eddie Torres, often referred to as the "Mambo King," is a highly influential figure in the salsa world we see today. Starting his career in the 1970s, his contributions have had a profound impact on the development and popularization of salsa dance, beginning in New York City and now reaching a global audience. Eddie Torres began his formal dance career in the 1960s, drawing initial inspiration from watching dancers in popular Latin dance clubs in New York City, such as the Palladium Ballroom. The Palladium was famous for its mambo nights and featured legendary musicians like Tito Puente, Machito, and Tito Rodríguez, who profoundly influenced Torres.

Salsa as we know it today only emerged in the 1960s, with its popularity peaking in the 70s during hip hop's birth in New York City. The development of salsa and hip hop aren't directly linked, but they share interesting connections. The energetic rhythms of salsa, especially the strong percussion breaks, were subconsciously and consciously absorbed by early hip hop DJs like Grandmaster Flash. This "sazón," or Latin flavor, influenced the way they built their beats, adding another layer to the emerging sound of hip hop. So, while salsa didn't directly create hip hop, it definitely existed in the same cultural space and may have subtly influenced its early development. From its beginnings in Spanish Harlem, salsa expanded throughout the Americas, evolving into different styles as it went.

Styles of Salsa Dancing

As salsa expanded its reach, many variations emerged across regions. Here are some of the most well-known styles.

Cuban Style Salsa (Salsa Cubana): This style employs body isolations and Afro-Cuban hip movements. Partners tend to travel around each other in a circular pattern, rather than in a line.
New York Style Salsa (Salsa on 2): A more grounded and footwork-focused style with a focus on mambo and cha-cha-cha influences.
Colombian Style Salsa (Salsa Caleña): Danced to Cumbia music, the Colombian style is known for its fast and intricate footwork. Dancers move with incredible speed and precision, often performing complex patterns that interweave partners' steps. The longer pauses allow for more hip movements and body isolations.
Los Angeles Style Salsa (Salsa on 1): The L.A. style is fast, flashy, and theatrical. It’s heavily influenced by swing, and jazz. L.A Style salsa is danced in a line and focuses on quick turns, hand patterns and styling.
Rueda de Casino: In this playful style, multiple couples dance in a circular pattern and follow the moves that the “caller” dictates. The caller and dancers need to be attentive and responsive to learn hundreds of possible moves and be able to execute them fluidly so as not to break the circle.
CONTRA-TIEMPO Style Salsa- CONTRA-TIEMPO’s unique dance style is rooted in the Afro-Cuban tradition, and being based in Los Angeles we dance a mix of Salsa Cubana, LA style salsa, and we love dancing Rueda de casino! In our evening length work ¡azúcar! you can see CONTRA-TIEMPO dancing in each of these styles. Our rueda de casino takes on the LA style flash and flare with lifts and tricks. The LA style is juxtaposed and blended with the salsa cubana and rumba. CONTRA-TIEMPO acknowledges all the ways that we exist in the inbetween - the both/and.

Salsa Ahora

As salsa continues to thrive vibrantly in our society, its evolution is unmistakable. Originally rooted in the social dance spaces, salsa has gracefully expanded its presence onto concert stages and commercial spaces. This dynamic transformation reflects a blend of influences.

In choreography and on social dance floors, we now witness an infusion of ballet, modern, ballroom, and acrobatic dance elements, creating a more diverse expression of salsa.

Not only has the movement in salsa evolved, but so have the roles within the dance. The new generation of salseres are intentionally moving away from traditional gender roles, embracing a more inclusive and non-binary approach. In this contemporary perspective, it’s not just about a male body leading and a female body following. Instead, the focus shifts to the dynamics of leading and following, regardless of gender.

This progressive shift opens up an entirely new realm of possibilities, allowing roles to be fluid and interchangeable during dances. By breaking down these gendered barriers, dancers are able to explore deeper connections, creativity, and freedom in their movements, enriching the salsa experience for everyone involved.

This ongoing evolution of salsa is a testament to its ability to bring people together. Through its vibrant movement, rich history, and continuous development, Salsa remains a powerful connector of cultures and communities. It transcends boundaries, creating a shared space for joy, creativity, and unity.

El Futuro of Salsa

As we look to the future, salsa's ability to adapt and incorporate diverse influences ensures its place as a beloved and ever-evolving dance form, continuing to inspire and connect generations of dancers and enthusiasts worldwide.

Salsa's transcultural nature lies in its capacity to transcend borders and unite people from various cultures and backgrounds. This dance form has retained its ancestral roots while transforming in ways that draw diverse cultures together, creating a universal language of movement. Salsa congresses and festivals have taken this vibrant dance to places like Japan, Barcelona, Poland, Spain, and many more, highlighting its global reach and appeal.

The importance of preserving the integrity of salsa lies in constantly revisiting its fundamental movements and rich history. Salsa embodies resilience, resistance, and is an ancestral technology carrying forward the legacy of those who have danced before us. By honoring these roots, salsa remains grounded in its origins while embracing contemporary influences.

Salsa challenges traditional notions of borders around nations, identities, and cultures. It serves as a powerful reminder that art, especially dance, transcends physical and social boundaries. Through salsa, we learn that our shared humanity is more significant than the divisions that separate us. This dance form becomes a language of our shared futures, promoting unity and understanding.

Here at CONTRA-TIEMPO, we blend salsa rooted in Afro-Cuban, contemporary dance, and original music to create physically intense and politically astute performance work that moves audiences to imagine what’s possible. We create communities where all people are awakened to a sense of themselves as artists and social change agents who move through the world with compassion and confidence.

As a Los Angeles-based activist dance theater company, we wield the power of art to influence social change, live out our values, and teach others to engage in art activism! Explore our engagement offerings, upcoming events and performances, and virtual engagements for a taste of what we bring to the Los Angeles community and beyond! Join our familia and connect with us, or support our movement by purchasing from our shop or donating today!

Bibliography

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DanceUS_org. (n.d.). Salsa dance history, origin, movements, dancers & competitions. DanceUs.org. Retrieved May 4, 2024, from https://www.danceus.org/salsa/salsa-history-movements-styles-dancers-and-competitions/
Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Salsa. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved November 4, 2024, from https://www.britannica.com/art/salsa-music
Salsa con Sabor: The many flavors of Salsa dancing. Straz Center. (2017, September 5). Retrieved May 4, 2024, from https://blog.strazcenter.org/2017/09/05/salsa-con-sabor-the-many-flavors-of-salsa-dancing/
Cuba 50. Arsenio Rodriguez – godfather of Son Montuno, root of salsa. Cuba 50: Celebrating Cuban Culture. (2020, June 17). Retrieved May 27, 2024, from https://cuba50.org/2020/06/17/arsenio-rodriguez-godfather-of-son-and-mambo/