Flamenco Beirut

The word “salsa” in Spanish literally translates as “hot sauce.” This is indeed the definition that best expresses the mix of ingredients that make up this multicultural dance, born out of diverse socio-political and cultural backgrounds.

Every country in the Caribbean area claims in turn to be the birthplace of salsa, particularly Cuba and Porto Rico.

In reality, the salsa that is popular today was born in “Spanish Harlem,” the Hispanic neighborhood of New York, towards the end of the 1960s. It was the outcome of a long maturation of Afro-Caribbean musics, mostly Afro-Cuban, with other influences mixed in.

FARAWAY ORIGINS

In Cuba, at the beginning of the 16^th c., Indians enslaved by Spanish settlers in sugar cane plantations, and later Blacks issuing mainly from the Guinea area, mingled their colorful traditions (mainly African) to the traditions arriving from Spain. At the end of the 18^th c., French people fleeing Hawaii arrived with their own slaves, and thus added more cultural ingredients.

In the melting pot that was Cuba, new musics develop from these influences, notably the “son” that would come to dominate cultural music at the beginning of the 19^th c., not only in Cuba but in other Caribbean countries as well, notably Porto Rico.

Porto Ricans, on the other hand, imported and adopted Cuban musics, but also developed their own musical genres: the seis, the bomba and the plena. As they start emigrating towards New York starting in the 1920s, their music became a product as much of New York as of Porto Rican.

The invention of the mambo around 1940 also influenced the nascent salsa. It is a fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms with swing and jazz.

During that era, Cubans in turn started immigrating in large numbers to the US. Cuban music acquired a new life outside the island of Cuba, and the stage was set for the explosion of salsa in the 1960s.

Being a mixture of those diverse musical origins and styles, the salsa therefore was born in New York, at the end of the 1960s, created by musicians of the barrios (i.e. poor Latin neighborhoods). It then grew in the Cuban milieus of New York, and blossoms starting in the mid 1970s, when the Latin diaspora enjoyed an intense nightlife.

The inclusion of piano, base, brass, and numerous percussion instruments is typical of salsa music. In addition, the clave, 2 pieces of wood that are struck together to mark the rhythm, is also always present. This alliance gives the salsa its flamboyant and jazzy overtones.

Roughly speaking, salsa in danced on an 8 beat music, during which one performs six steps in a sequence left-right-left-right-left-right. Depending on the style, one may call it Cuban, Porto Rican, or Columbian salsa.

The Cuban style: This style of salsa is very dynamic and requires perfect coordination of the two dance partners. Cubans being accustomed to dance in extremely crowded places, their style is minimalist, with very little legwork. It is a dance of the streets, popular and social. It is danced in a circle.

The Porto Rican style: It differs from the Cuban dance in that it is danced in a line rather than a circle, along an axis. It is characterized by its technical difficulty and its gentleness. The Porto Rican salsa has very elaborate moves, and the richness of the possible combinations makes it more “show off-y” and allows endless choreographies.

The Columbian salsa has few moves. It is not technically difficult, but has very elaborate legwork, with the 2 partners mirroring each other. Here, esthetics and skill take front stage.

Despite their differences in style and their varying levels of difficulty, the Cuban, Porto Rican and Columbian salsas are all salsas and can be danced to the same music. A Cuban move can follow a Porto Rican move if both partners are inspired to do so. The prime purpose of the salsa is to have fun and meet people; thus, defining strictly the style being danced is somewhat irrelevant.

Today, salsa has conquered the world, and new styles are constantly being added: salsa tango, hip hop salsa, salsa therapy… Each creates its own moves, adapted to the local tastes and needs, but always with a common love for music.

Evidently, due to its Afro-Cuban tempo, salsa is very fashionable in the Caribbean islands, and is currently danced on all the “in” dance floors. Very sensual, it lets one meet attractive dancers, as one frequently changes partners during the dance.

A few classes are needed to learn the basic moves, but months of practice are needed to totally master them.

A short flowing dress and high heels, to allow for graceful moves and easy gliding on the dance floor.