Salsa music is a genre of music most commonly defined as modern style deriving from Cuban Son, Son Montuno and Guaracha, mixed with other styles of contemporary music.

Many consider Cuba to be the birthplace of salsa. But in fact, salsa music, along with the name "salsa", appeared in the 60s of the last century in the United States. On this occasion, advanced people usually tell the following story: at one concert, Latin American immigrant performers presented to the public their “new musical invention” - boogaloo - a Cuban dream mixed with merengue, bossa nova, cumbia, cha-cha-cha, mambo and boogie-woogie. Tito Puente (Tito Puente - one of the coolest latin jazz musicians of that time), watching the people in the club sausage to the new rhythms, said something like: “Well, you guys got an awesome sauce!” So they called the new direction salsa (salsa is Spanish for sauce).

In the late 60s and early 70s, a real salsa boom broke out in New York: salsa music and mambo were played everywhere, everyone knew that salsa is not only a sauce, but also a dance, several dozen specialized radio stations broadcast salsa , and Fania All-Stars concerts drew crowds of thousands in stadiums.

But in Cuba, until the 80s, there was almost no salsa. There were - Mozambique, dream-pilon, mambo. Despite almost complete isolation, salsa music eventually penetrated from America to Cuba, where it soon received an "official" status, so tightly entering the life of Cubans that they now consider salsa to be their folk music. And already in the mid-80s, "Los Van Van" sang: "salsa es la musica cubana." Salsa peaked in popularity in Cuba in the late 90s and early 2000s. Rather, it was not salsa that was already popular at this time, but “timba” - an innovative style of salsa, characterized by sharper, more aggressive rhythms, saturated with complex percussion parts. To this music, they dance an extremely sexually provocative style of salsa called despelote (literally meaning chaos or madness). "Traditional", sweet to the ear of most Europeans, salsa, in Cuba is now much less common. Well, in conclusion, we note that in our time, young people in Cuba dance more reggaeton than salsa. By the way, this is why Cubans are not always such good salsa teachers as it is sometimes believed.

Thus, salsa music includes styles of music popular in Latin America and Cuba, but it should still be remembered that salsa as a musical genre was born in New York in the 60s-70s in groups of Cuban and Puerto Rican immigrants . In subsequent years, many different directions appeared in salsa, such as, for example, salsa-romance, salsa dura, etc.

What associations do you have with the word salsa? Palm trees, golden sand, temperamental tanned guys, hot beauties, overflowing energy, crazy plasticity, wild twists of bodies? But what if it is, first of all, inner freedom, the opportunity to express one’s feelings and emotions, to become liberated, to become a completely different person for at least a few minutes (and maybe for a lifetime), but it’s just interesting to relax, make new like-minded friends, feel the joy of movement? Although one does not interfere with the other, of course. It's just that you don't have to be a glossy, tanned macho in white pants to dance salsa. This dance is available to absolutely everyone, and this is its charm. You can start dancing salsa at any age and at any level of training.

Cuban salsa

She, or just a casino, burst into Europe swiftly and in just a couple of years won the dance floors and the hearts of people. What can I say, even if filmmakers, who are not particularly fond of the dance theme, undertook to develop this fertile material. As a result, alas or fortunately, they learned about salsa even in the most remote and remote corners of our country. As a result of such popularity, the dance could not but acquire legends and stereotypes.

"Salsa Fiesta", perhaps, belongs to the main merit in the fact that in St. Petersburg, authentic Cuban rhythms finally sounded. When our school was just taking its first steps, linear American salsa reigned in the city. Cool northern capital she was wary of the dance from the Island of Freedom and as soon as she did not honor him. "Savage dances to the drums" - perhaps the softest thing you could hear about Cuban salsa. But such a dance simply could not help but win the hearts of people - over time, of course. And we, for our part, did everything possible to convey to the dancers the beauty, freedom and passion of this dance, its unique solar energy.

Under the name "Cuban salsa" dance forms appeared that had a very distant relation to this very Cuban salsa. But take away any of it distinctive features- and it won't be the same. For example, dancing in a circle. Everything in the world moves in a circle, everything rotates, dance is the world in miniature, rhythm and circle are the magical components of salsa. But some schools managed to "forget" about it. Of course, salsa is a free dance and free from the strict rules that are typical for sports dances, but it also has its own distinctive features thanks to which he is so loved all over the world. And to this day we strive to carefully preserve these features, so that even in Cuba our students can hear rave reviews addressed to them.

History of salsa

There are those who, foaming at the mouth, claim that salsa was born in New York, for others, its homeland is Cuba. And most likely there will never be a consensus on this issue, just as there are no two Cubans who would dance exactly the same. Musicologists, musicians and dancers have been arguing furiously on this topic for decades. And we will not go into uninteresting details, but simply acquaint you with the main milestones in the development of salsa and let you decide for yourself how it was.

The very word "salsa", which means "sauce" in Spanish, suggests a rich mixture of ingredients that made up the dance. Although there is another well-known version of the origin of the name of the dance, according to which back in 1957, in order to cheer up and stir up his musicians, he shouted to them: “Salsa, salsa!”, hinting at the fact that it would be possible to play both sharper and livelier.
The structure and foundation of salsa was no doubt laid in Cuba. The musicians adopted with indisputable accuracy the stylistic and rhythmic features characteristic of the Cuban son.

Actually, the rhythms and dances, on the basis of which salsa later arose, flocked to Cuba from different parts of the world, but mainly from Africa. As a result of mixing local and imported rhythms, such musical and dance styles as mambo, guaracha, Cuban son, montuno, Afro-Cuban jazz arose, which then spread throughout Latin America, from where they reached New York with emigrants. The process continued for several decades, starting in the 1930s.

In 1933, the Cuban musician Ignacio Pinheiro first used the corresponding word in the Cuban son called Echale salsita, which later became known as a musical genre and dance style. In the mid-1940s, the Cuban Cheo Marchetti emigrated to Mexico. Returning to Cuba, he founded his own group and named it Conjunto Los Salseros. In 1957, he made a major tour to Venezuela with several concerts, where the word "salsa" began to sound more often on the radio in reference to Cuban musicians performing son in Cuba and beyond. The musicians themselves began to be called "salsero". The word "salsa" in relation to music performed by Latin Americans who emigrated to the United States of America began to be actively used in New York in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

As you can see, no matter where the Cuban emigrants go to, and no matter what origin is subsequently attributed to music from their native island, rhythms, instruments, other components of the dance, as well as its essence, soul, are rooted in Cuba.

The history of salsa at the end of the last century is mainly characterized by its rapid spread throughout the world, including Europe and the countries of the East. The so-called "romantic salsa", Colombian, American, appeared. Cuba, as the land that gave rise to the rhythms that formed the basis of modern salsa dance, of course, could not stand aside. These rhythms were enriched and developed on the Island itself by virtuoso Cuban performers. What we mean by Cuban salsa has a variety of names in Cuba - songo, charanga, timba.
The variety, rich sound, energy and beauty of modern salsa can be endlessly surprised. And you can not delve into the details, but just dance. And get great pleasure from it.

salsa music

As already mentioned, the musical basis of salsa was made up of many styles, among which the leading place belongs to the Cuban son. Dance salsa in 4/4 time. The rhythmic component most characteristic of salsa is the so-called “clave son”, performed by specific percussion instruments “clave”, which are wooden sticks. Other percussion instruments that no salsa song can do without are the tumbadores or congas, a type of percussion instrument that used to be characteristic only of Afro-Cuban folk music.

In general, salsa is characterized by a wide variety of musical instruments. Timba, her modern Cuban version, is musically very rich and intense. It is this richness of sound and rhythm that provides a charge of energy and emotions on the dance floor. Indeed, in comparison with other musical and dance styles, it is characterized by dynamism, high energy, strength and passion. Hence the theme of the songs - about love, a taste for life, a challenge to social stereotypes.

Salsa lessons in St. Petersburg

You fell in love with this incendiary dance, you want to learn how to dance salsa in Cuba, we will help you with this, come to our lessons at Bolshaya-Morskaya 18, classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays at 20-00. Dance training takes place according to the program, this allows you to quickly master the initial steps and move on to more complex ones, and after a while you will be able to dance and be proud of your skills so that others admire you.

History of salsa

There are many versions of how salsa was born. But, at least, they all agree on one thing: the Cuban son should be considered the progenitor of salsa - a rhythm that arose in late XIX century in Cuba.

In general, Afro-Cuban music, to which salsa belongs, has its own interesting story, as it was born as a result of a symbiosis of two cultures - European (Spanish-Arab) and African. From the Spaniards, Afro-Cuban music inherited string instruments, melody and poetic form, and from the African slaves (mainly from the Bantu, Yoruba and Karagali tribes) - drums and various percussion instruments, the manner of dividing into a singer and a choir and a peculiar style of performance, in which the choir repeated the estribillo (chorus) several times.

The indigenous people, the Indians, did not affect the music in any way, since they were almost completely exterminated by the colonialists in Cuba. It is known only about the Indo-Cuban Areítos, a symbol of musical, dance and religious collective protest of the indigenous people, but of such Indian influence as in the South and in the Central part South America, was not observed in Cuba.

Initially, the dream was distributed mainly in the eastern part of Cuba, especially in Santiago itself and the Sierra Maestra, as well as in the province of Guantanamo, and sounded at the Changüí holidays held there. This musical trend began to gain popularity since 1892 thanks to the performer Nene Manfugas, who performed it with his group, Montuno, at the carnivals held in Santiago. The instrument played by Nene was a wooden box with three strings and was called tres. And now this tool is considered one of the symbols of the dream. The chorus itself, which is a repetition in different variations of the key phrase of the song, became known as montuno. The main instruments used then in the performance of the son were the previously mentioned tres, the guitar (as a legacy of the Spaniards), the bongos, the maracas, the clave (the last two were usually used by the soloist) and, finally, the marimbula and the botija (later replaced by the double bass).

In 1909, the dream spread throughout Cuba, and in the 1920s, the quartets that performed the dream everywhere were transformed into sextets. At the end of the second decade of the 20th century, the rhythm acquires a new sound when a trumpet joins the standard group of instruments, and sextets become septets. This happened, for example, with the famous "Sexteto Habanero", which became a septet, although the name remained the same.

In the 30s, Caribbean rhythms had a huge impact on sleep, then, as it spread in the South and North America, North American and Latin American, gradually leading it to what we now call salsa. Thus, salsa itself is a fusion of rhythms, such as:

1. Cuban: dream (base), danson and its derivatives, rumba;
2. North American: jazz, rock, swing;
3. Caribbean: bomb, captivity, kumbya;
4. South American: samba, tango.

There are several versions of the origin of the name "salsa". It is common knowledge that salsa means "sauce". According to one version, a group playing Cuban music performed one evening in a small club in Miami, and this music “turned on” the people present so much that everyone began to shout in unison: “Salsa! Salsa!”, implying that the music was as spicy and hot as the sauce used to season the dishes in this establishment.

According to another version, the name comes from the dream "Echale Salsita", which was very popular at the beginning of the century. According to this version, in the late 60s in the United States in Madison Square Garden, a grandiose concert was held, organized by Fania All Stars, at which Latin American performers presented their "new invention" - the boogaloo rhythm - nothing more than a modernized Cuban dream mixed with merengue, bossa nova, cumbia, cha-cha-cha, mambo and boogie-woogie. Watching people from all over America dance enthusiastically to a new rhythm, Tito Puente, remembering the words of an old dream, said: “Esto es una gran salsa!”, Which literally translates as “Great sauce!”. The great sonero implied that, as in a sauce, different ingredients were mixed in rhythm, giving rise to an unusually “tasty” mixture.

The word was liked more than the original name, and quickly spread throughout America. Currently, under the influence of modern rhythms, salsa is also undergoing changes. At the end of the 20th century, in particular, two such trends emerged as "salsa dura" and "salsa nueva" (following "tango nuevo" and "nuevo flamenco").

There is another version...

In 1928, Cuban Ignacio Pinheiro uttered the words "Echale salsita!" ("Let's add a spark!") and made them the title of his new song. Soon this phrase was simply transformed into “salsa” and the dance of the same name became insanely popular. "Salsa" in Spanish is also "sauce". Until the early 1970s, the word "salsa" referred to a mixture of a wide variety of Latin American styles and rhythms, including guaracha, cha-cha-cha, pachanga, rumba, mamba and many more. The simple, catchy word has become a trademark of Latin American dance music.

Later, after the music came the dance. Salsa is a mixture of various musical genres and dance traditions from the Caribbean, Central and Latin America. Her rhythms and figures combine all the colors of Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico and Cuba, which is considered the cradle of Salsa. It was there that these melodies originated in the early 20th century.

Salsa, a slower, more elegant version of the rumba in which the dancers almost never touch, is said to have been favored by the Latin American white bourgeoisie in the old days.

Everything changed in the 40s. It happened in New York. At that time, the Hispanic community was conquering the west side of Manhattan. It was the New York South Americans - Puerto Ricans, Panamanians, Cubans, Colombians - who mixed Salsa with the rhythms of jazz and blues. The new genre, called "Salsa Subway", was "taken out" from New York in the 70s and spread around the planet with wild success, becoming the most popular dance of Latin American origin.

The character of salsa comes through in its basic step. It arises due to the immobility of the upper body and the shift of emphasis to the legs and waist. The movement of the legs is extremely important, as they set the movement of the hips characteristic of salsa.

At club Latin American parties, no one will come up and ask: “What are you dancing, salsa, merengue, cha-cha-cha or rumba?” People simply immerse themselves in the atmosphere of incendiary rhythms, dance and have fun.

Salsa, which combines different areas of Latin American dances, like all of them, does not differ in complex technique. The main requirement is not to be indifferent, but to express your emotions and feelings openly. Salsa is not just a mechanical execution of movements: there is an element of intrigue here. The partners are too close to each other, emotions and feelings arise, the dance becomes a game: there are elements of courtship and rejection, seduction and passion, but in any case, the dance becomes the work of two people, intimacy appears, and in this respect each dance is unique. You can know a few movements, but each time, with a different partner or partner, to a new melody, something unique, inimitable, with its own emotions and passions, will be born.

Basic step

With minor adjustments for different styles of salsa, the basic movements consist of fast-fast-slow steps to the four percussive rhythms (counts, beats) of the music.

Every fourth count is used for slow weight transfer, pause, or, in some styles, for a kick (throwing the leg) or tap dance (kicking the floor with the foot).

A number of styles have a clear definition of the beginning of the dance. Los Angeles, London - start on the count of "1" - a strong beat. New York (= ModernMambo = EddieTorresstyle = On 2), Puerto Rico, Palladium, and Cuban Dream all start at 2.

Other types (Cuban, Colombian, Venezuelan) can begin on any beat of the music.

In some regions, the strong beat is considered correct, in some - tiempo, in some - contratiempo, in some - not fixed at all.

• Venezuelan and Colombian styles

They also differ in that, due to the specifics of a number of elements in the dance, a rhythm shift can occur. That is, during 1 dance there may be a beginning of movements on “1”, and on “2”, and on other accounts. This happens after certain figures that can change the rhythm of the dance.

• Cuban style

Dance in Cuban style may begin on any count, but the pattern of the dance may not change in the middle of one dance.

Salsa in any style as a dance is tied to Latin American music with a 4/4 time signature, where the active beat falls on time. By virtue of the latter, the first active movement in the dance also begins at the time, whether it be a step or an active check into the parquet.

Due to the fact that many styles use a check on the floor for a strong musical beat (count of times), others often mistakenly perceive this as an active beat on 2.

Moreover, the active first step cannot in any way start at 3, since this is contrary to all musical laws and rules, the only exception is syncopation (dancing the broken rhythm as a result of complex movements to the next active beat).

And of course, the dance cannot start from the last 4th beat, as this is the end of the musical phrase.

The most important thing in the dances of the Latin American group is musicality and rhythm, since the dancers are a verbal continuation of the flight of the soul of the music itself.

salsa styles

In the world, salsa is divided into two types and five main subspecies:

« Circular» salsa, it includes:

• Cuban salsa (casino),
• Venezuelan (Dominican) salsa and
• Colombian salsa.

« Linear» salsa or salsaCross-bodystyle. Salsa includes:

• Los Angeles,
• London,
• New York,
• Palladium
• Puerto Rico.

Due to the huge popularity, some endure and rueda de casino (RuedadeCasino).

• Salsa Casino

The style is based on traditional Cuban music and varieties of dance son - montuno and guaracha. The basic step starts on any beat, the rhythm is maintained throughout the dance. The geometric pattern of the dance is circular (the center of the circle is the center between the partner and the partner), but sometimes there are linear components - mostly borrowings from Son and Rumba.

In many countries, salsycasino dancers use the so-called tep (a short and light hit with the toe or heel of the foot on the floor) to the count of 4 and 8. Salsa's characteristic features are 4/4 time, fast tempo, a complex rhythmic pattern, which is a combination of tumbao and clave rhythms.

Casino- This is a Cuban dance that began to develop from the middle of the 20th century. Around 1956, at the CasinoDeportivo club, individual couples began to separate from the general rueda, which they liked to dance in this club and danced separately from all couples.

Most often danced a timepo- on the first beat, in some provinces of Cuba (for example, Camagüey), salsa is danced on contratiempo (on a weak beat, "for two"), in Cuban villages simple people- on the third share. It should be noted that in Cuba there are dance options: "performance" or show style - Salsa Casino and street style Salsa Cubana.

characteristic feature show style Salsa Casino is the abundant presence of nodes ( complex figures hands) and special plasticity, the source of which is Rumba and Son.

• Street Cuban salsa (Salsa Cubana)

More relaxed and contains less complex elements, while focusing more on the artistic game between partners. The hands of the partner and the partner are sometimes torn, especially in a street casino, but at the same time the dance still maintains a circular dynamics.

• Venezuelan (Dominican) salsa

The basic step starts on any beat. During one dance, the proportion for the basic step may change due to the specific elements of the Venezuelan salsa. The geometric pattern of the dance is circular, the center of the circle is usually the center between the partner and the partner. A characteristic feature of the Venezuelan style is "impulse" leading. Salsa music for this style of dance is fast.

• Colombian salsa

The basic step starts on any beat. During one dance, the proportion for the basic step may change due to the specific elements of Colombian salsa. The geometric pattern of the dance is not rigidly fixed, there can be both linear and circular elements.

A characteristic feature of the Colombian style is the presence of a large number footwork and the permissibility of using elements of acrobatics. Salsa music for this style of dance is fast.

• salsa los angeles

The modern style of L.A. salsa was created around the 90s in Los Angeles by the founders Luis Vazquez, JobyVazquez and Luis's two brothers, Francisco and Johnny.

The basic step of this style is danced to the strongest beat of the music - count 1, the geometric pattern of the style is linear and based on movement. cross body lead(translation by a line partner), L.A. salsa is characterized by a fast and dynamic tempo, a lot of fast combinations, less improvised solos, but a lot of female and male style.

The dance is aimed at the speed and clarity of performance, the use of acrobatic elements is typical, demonstrating and emphasizing the skill of the dancing couple.

• Salsa New York

Style created in New York Eddie Torres, who himself calls this dance as Modern Mambo, based on the Cuban son (traditional Cuban music and dance, which is the progenitor of salsa). The basic step to the weak beat of the music - on the count of 2, the partners step back.

It is believed that since the partner starts with a step forward, this style was created to show the partner in all her beauty, so there are a lot of movements in it, where the partner elegantly defiles past the partner.

The geometric pattern of the style is linear, fast and dynamic tempo, but at the same time soft and delicate leading, the figures are made in short impulses.

The presence of solo compositions, pauses and delicate accents in music is characteristic. Acrobatic elements are used to a lesser extent. It looks like a "cat", soft dance style.

• Salsa Puerto Rico

The national style of salsa in Puerto Rico. A characteristic difference is that the girls step 2 not forward, but backward. From here come some features in the conduct and execution of various figures.

• Rueda de casino

The geometric pattern of the dance is circular with the participation of two or more couples. All figures are performed synchronously at the command of the leader or singer (cantador). Rueda is somewhat reminiscent of a round dance, but is performed in pairs with a frequent change of partners and partners.

Rueda is characterized by figures based on knots with a very clear and accurate exit, while not letting go of the partner’s hands until the exchange of pairs.

The partners pass the partners in a circle and improvise according to the music. Now widespread in Cuba rueda de casino the so-called new style, which is characterized by a rearrangement from a circle to a line within the framework of the rueda dance, the formation of several circles of the rueda either side by side or one inside the other, and the so-called dua-elements that dance within the framework of the rueda in two pairs, which, after the end of the figure, again return to general circle, as well as the use of acrobatic elements.

Also, a modern figure is characterized by a more frequent change of partners and partners, so during the execution of one figure, partners and partners can change several times. Rueda de Casino is divided into 2 subspecies: Rueda de Cuba and Rueda de Miami.

The second subspecies arose in the USA under the influence of linear styles, in connection with which a number of linear movements are used in the dance.

Salsa is a national Cuban dance containing interesting combinations, relaxed and passionate movements, fun and flirting, flirting with each other.
Salsa is a dance of love and freedom.

If you like fast, fiery Latin American rhythms, try salsa!

Salsa combines many styles and their variations. This term can be used to describe most of the genres that came out of Cuba, such as cha-cha-cha (chachacha) and mambo (mambo).

Be that as it may, salsa refers to a specific style developed in the 60s and 70s by Cuban and Puerto Rican immigrants in New York, and its stylistic derivatives, such as salsa romantica (salsa romantica).

history of occurrence

There are several versions of the origin of the name "salsa". It is common knowledge that salsa means "sauce". According to one version, a group playing Cuban music performed one evening in a small club in Miami, and this music “turned on” the people present so much that everyone together began to shout: “Salsa! Salsa!”, implying that the music was just as sharp and hot as the sauce used to season the dishes in this establishment.

Salsa is largely native to Cuba, although the style is also a hybrid of Puerto Rican and Latin American styles mixed with pop, jazz, rock and R&B.
On the other hand, more than other Latin American peoples, Puerto Ricans developed and promoted this musical style. Colombians remain the custodians of the musical tradition of salsa, while other contemporary musicians continue their experiments within the style.

Salsa as a dance - a slower and more elegant version of Rumba, in which the dancers almost never touch - was in the old days loved by the local white bourgeoisie. But everything changed in the 40s. It happened in New York. At that time, the Hispanic community was conquering the west side of Manhattan. It was the New York South Americans - Puerto Ricans, Panamanians, Cubans, Colombians - who mixed Salsa with the rhythms of jazz and blues. The new genre, called "Salsa Subway", was "taken out" from New York in the 70s and spread around the planet with wild success, becoming the most popular dance of Latin American origin.

the basic step and the constituent elements of the dance

In the world, salsa is divided into two types and five main subspecies:

• "Circular" salsa, it includes: Cuban salsa (casino), Venezuelan (Dominican) salsa and Colombian salsa.
• "Linear" salsa or "Cross-body style" salsa. Salsa includes Los Angeles, London, New York (on 2), Palladium and Puerto Rico.
• The "rueda de casino" is so popular that it is sometimes referred to as salsa in its own right.

Despite such a variety of styles, there are common features in the dance.

• Main step.
  With minor adjustments for different styles of salsa, the basic movements consist of fast-fast-slow steps to the four percussive rhythms (counts, beats) of the music. Every fourth count is used for slow weight transfer, pause, or, in some styles, for a kick (throwing the leg) or tap dance (kicking the floor with the foot).
• Basic movements
  rotation of the partner relative to the partner, change of the partner in a circular or linear pattern.

nature of the dance and social context

Unlike ballroom Latin American dances, which are, in essence, a sport, salsa is available to people different ages and various physical training. It is more of a means of communication. There are no permanent couples in salsa, the change of partners allows you to learn mutual understanding in the dance between complete strangers. And having learned this, you can dance salsa in any club in the world, communicating with a partner in the universal language of dance.