So what exactly is Salsa? Well if you want the facts and figures version you can check out the Salsa article at Wikipedia, but otherwise I'll go through the things that I think are important to know. This could get a tad long and rambly, so grab a mug of hot chocolate and settle in! (If this looks like too many words, head to the videos page and just watch!)
getting started!
Salsa first and foremost is a partner dance, danced on the spot (as opposed to around the room like a Waltz), and so is a great social dance for small (or big!) club environments. It belongs to the Latin family of dances like Ballroom Rumba and Cha-Cha, but it is unlike the Ballroom dances in most other respects. Salsa doesn't have set steps, levels and medals as found in Ballroom dancing, it is a "street" dance that has developed and grown throughout social dancing scenes all over the world. So, unlike Ballroom where you will find a nationally recognised set of steps and techniques that have been ratified and must be conformed to for correctness, Salsa is very much more about the style and the feeling of the movement. Much of Salsa has grown from improvisation on the dance floor, and re-interpretation from teacher to teacher. Having said that, all Salsa has a common core, and a good dancer Salsa dancer will be able to dance and adjust to dance with anyone from anywhere. Salsa is not without technique either, and you will find that depending on who teaches you and what style of Salsa you learn, many similar concepts exist in Salsa, Ballroom, and other styles of dance.
circular vs linear
There are two main branches of Salsa, circular and linear, which describe the general motion of the couple as they dance. Circular is the more "traditional" style of Salsa, often referred to as Cuban style, with the couple continuously circling around each other in a constant flow. This style is also often accompanied by complex arm movements and knots, less spins and turns, and a more punctuated body movement. Linear style is the more "modern" style of Salsa, where most of the development of Salsa has taken, or is taking place. As Salsa has spread out from its origins and grown all over the world, so it has adopted concepts and techniques from different dance styles and regions. You will see many different variations and sub-styles that fit under the "linear" designation, with influences from Ballroom, Hip-Hop, and other styles, and regional variations from LA style to New York style and London style. The main concept behind linear style is that the dancers mostly dance along a fixed line or "slot", which gives a more dynamic look and feel to the dance with the dancers snapping back and forth along the line. There is more greater focus on spins and turns, with flashier and more spectacular moves, and it is danced with a more refined and smoother body movement and styling.
what's a rueda?
You may also encounter the term "Rueda", which refers to when Salsa is danced with all the partners in a circle and a caller calling out the moves for everyone to do at the same time. There are many unique and funny moves that can only be executed in the context of the Rueda, and it's a great social way of dancing Salsa as one of the main ideas is to frequently change partners between, and also within the moves. If that still doesn't make sense, check out this video.
can't we all just get along?
And to top that all off there's also "On1" and "On2" Salsa, which is a bit beyond the scope of this page, but basically refers to whether the "break" step is done on the first or second count of the music (but it's a bit more complicated than that). Once you can do it one way though, it's reasonably easy enough to switch to the other.
so why have I read all this stuff?
Why is any of this important? Well different people are suited better to different styles, and it's important to be aware of the differences so that you can pick the right one for you. Or you could just ignore all that and jump straight in! :)
