Salsa music and salsa dancing originated in Cuba and before from the United States of America U.S.A regions of New York and Puerto Rico and Cuban folk dances and different styles of dance.
The movements of the Salsa dance style and salsa rhythm are a combination of the Afro-Cuban dances Son, cha-cha-cha, Mambo, Rumba, bomba, and the Danzón.
The dance, along with salsa music, saw major development in the mid-1970s in New York.
Different regions of Latin America and the United States have distinct salsa styles of their own, such as Cuban, Puerto Rican, Cali Colombia, L.A., Cali style salsa, Miami Style, and New York-style (created by Eddie Torres - the mambo king).
Salsa dance socials are commonly held in night clubs, bars, ballrooms, restaurants, and outside, especially when part of an outdoor festival.
Salsa dancers in many dance styles of dance, the salsa dancer in the basic step shift their weight by stepping, the upper body remains level and nearly unaffected by the body weight changes.
In the basic steps, the weight shifts cause the hips to move. Arm and shoulder movements are also incorporated.
Some common moves in main styles of partnered dance like salsa on1, New York style, Miami style, and other styles are basic steps, cross body lead open position, and closed position
Salsa generally uses music ranging from about 150 bpm (beats per minute) to around 250 bpm, although most dancing is done to music somewhere between 160–220 bpm.
The basic Salsa dance rhythm consists of taking three steps for every four beats of music.
A measure in salsa music is the number of beats per minute. Most salsa songs are around 120-130 beats per minute.
If you want to see dancers performing some dance style of salsa on1, New York style, Miami style, or other main styles check youtube videos where you will see dancers using some of the steps described in this blog.