History

Salsa is more than music. A movement born abroad and nurtured by immigrant communities in the heart of New York City, the uptempo, percussive and horn-driven music combined Latin and Afro-Caribbean rhythms to create the first pan-Latin musical genre

NY Style

• On-2 or Mambo, Eddy Torres
• Musician Examples: Celia Cruz,Willie Colon,Eddie Palmeiri,The Spanish Harlem Orchestra,Jimmy Bosch
• Initially influence by Cuban dance, but with the embargo Puerto Rica dance was the predominant influence combined with Jazz.
• Smooth, polished, jazzy sound.
• Lead steps left back

LA Style

• On-1 with influence of Ballroom dancers
• flair, sexy and flamboyant with lots of dips, spins and drops
• Lots of shines and performance orientated
• Music: more varied, less jazzy.
• Musician Examples:

SON Style

• Son is a dance on true two .

Cuban Style (Casino)

• Musical Style, Timba, influence by African rhythms, mixed with hip-hop, reggae in a Rumba style , Fast, Fun and Upbeat.
• Danced on on-1 usually can also be dance true-2, on two is Son (Contra Tempo or true 2 or Clave Tempo)
• Musician Examples: Los Van Van, Pupy Y Los Que Son Son, Maraca,Charanga Habanera, NG La Banda
• Group Version is Casino Rueda, "Square Dancing for Salsa Dancers!"

Others Styles

Colombian, African, Puerto Rican

The Basics Rhythms

• Counts represent steps in the salsa style. 123 567 based on 8 count start on 1
  
  • LA Style: . Lead step forward on 1 with left, follow back on 1 with right.1,2,3,_, 5, 6,7,_
  • NY Style Eddie Torres  . Lead step back on 1 with left, follow forward 1 with right. Timing is 1,2,3,_, 5, 6,7,_
  • Mambo Lead step back on 2 with left, follow forward 2 with right. Timing is ,2,3,4,,6,7,8
  • Cuban Style,
    • Guapea and Lead step back on 1 with left, follow back on 1 with right.1,2,3,_, 5, 6,7,_
    • Son Timing is ,2,3,4,,6,7,8
• Count on true two is know as contratempio
• Instruments, Clava, Tumbau Desc Clave ,Piano, bongos, congas, timbales, trumpet, trombone, claves, cowbell, maracas, güiro
• Rhythms: Tumbau (congas) 4  and 8  , Clava 23, 56~7 (slight delay befor 7), cowbell 1, 3, 5, 7,  Piano full 8 counts. 
• Think Small Steps, Explain Break Step is when you reverse momentum
• Followers ready to take a small step back on one when waiting
• There is a hand for most figures, not so much more advanced moves.

Instruments

Timing

On 1

On 2

True on 2 (Son , ContraTiempo)

 This is dancing on 2,3,4   and 6,7,8

This video describes how On 2 sometime turns in to True on 2 or Mambo, Son

Feel the Music