Dance serves as a powerful conduit for expressing the inexpressible, a language that transcends words to embody the spectrum of human emotions. This reflection journeys through the diverse tapestry of dance across cultures, spotlighting salsa’s ascendance as a global phenomenon that celebrates and preserves cultural heritage. By tracing salsa’s roots and its cross-cultural journey, this analysis highlights dance as a vibrant form of cultural exchange, fostering global appreciation and intergenerational continuity.
I find salsa particularly fascinating. Given that salsa dance originates from the Cuban Son, it is also associated with other types of tropical music. Salsa dance needs a dance partner normally of the opposite sex. However, there are some forms of salsa such as line dance, “Salsa Suelta”. In this form of dance, the dancers dance solo. “Rueda de Casino” is a round dance from where multiple couples in a circle exchange dance partners (RichmondPianist510, 2013).
Salsa has gained popularity in many parts of the world. Therefore, it is open to many modifications and improvements. I have had the opportunity to be in the audience of some salsa dance competitions. Through observation, I have realized that many new salsa styles have emerged. In most cases, they are associated with their geographical origin, which also forms the basis of naming the style. However, regardless of the many modifications it has gone through there are specific attributes that never change. These aspects keep the dance authentic. In studying this dance, I have noted a few traits that may identify a style. These include foot patterns, timing, basic steps, turns and figures, attitude and the manner in which the partners hold each other. I have come across other dance techniques being incorporated in salsa. These additional techniques added the enthusiasm and bliss characteristic of the dance.
At first, one can fail to see the impact that salsa has had on dance genre. This could lead people to interpret the dance as just an erotic dance. This to some extent is true. Salsa dance has some sleek sexy kind of style that exhibits sensual emotions between the partners. Though not necessarily meant to imply anything, salsa has been greatly appreciated as the dance needed to get people in a cool relaxed mood. This dance demonstrates the innate feelings of one individual to another. Some couples even use the dance to ease into intimacy. This is demonstrated by the close contact between the partners as they perform the dance. At the same time, the need to be in sync in terms of body movement demands both individuals to coordinate.
Having watched several salsa videos, I come to appreciate the professionalism involved in this dancing technique. While some dancing styles could be simply eased into any music playing in the background, salsa movements dictate the kind of music that can harmonize a salsa dance routine. This also makes salsa dance moves easy to execute in predetermined salsa music with most of the dance moves fitting in almost all kinds of salsa music.
I have significantly improved my knowledge of salsa starting from its origin up to its development to the current different versions. This knowledge will be essential to me as a learner because I am yet to perform the dance to have the complete feel of it. I will now need to take an initiative and have an experience in salsa dance through actual dancing. The current knowledge about the dance has increased my enthusiasm to get to the dance floor.
