Where does Salsa come from?
The roots of Salsa go back to the English group dance ‘contradance’, which was brought to the Caribbean by French colonists. This dance continued to develop until the middle of the 19th century, particularly in Cuba, where African drum rhythms merged with Spanish guitar music in the 1930s, creating son, the original form of today's Salsa.
After the Cuban Revolution of 1959, many Cuban musicians left their homeland and sought a new stage in the United States. This separation led to different musical developments in the two countries. In the 1970s, salsa was born as an independent music genre.
Initially, traditional musicians rejected the term ‘Salsa’ because they saw it as a commercialised form of Son. However, the worldwide enthusiasm for this new, energetic style eventually led to Salsa being accepted as a genre in its own right. And the development continues – Salsa remains a vibrant, constantly changing style of music and dance.
Salsa dance styles and differences
Salsa can be danced in different ways, with the styles differing in timing and direction of dance.
Timing – when do you emphasise?
On1: the emphasis is on the first beat of the music.
On2: the emphasis is on the second beat of the music (also known as ‘Mambo’ or ‘New York Style’).
Less common: some variants are even danced on the 3rd or 6th beat.
Salsa On1 – the most popular styles
Salsa Cubana: danced in a circle and strongly influenced by Afro-Cuban elements.
Salsa Puerto Rican Style: danced on the line and known for elegant turns and fluid movements.
Salsa LA-Style: a dynamic, show-heavy variant, also danced on the line.
Salsa On2 – New York Style (Mambo)
Salsa On2, often also referred to as Mambo or New York Style, originated mainly in New York City. This style is based on Salsa Puerto Rican Style, but with a stronger focus on musicality and flowing movements. The music is often light and jazzy, giving dancers more opportunities for improvisation and styling.
The most famous representatives of this style are:
Eddie Torres (dancer, ‘father of Mambo’)
Tito Puente (musician, legend of Latin Jazz)
Many world-famous dancers swear by On2 as the ‘purest form’ of Salsa, as it is particularly musical and harmonises perfectly with the classic Mambo rhythms.
Which style of salsa do you learn at Bailamos Salsa?
In our regular Salsa classes, we teach Salsa On1 in the Puerto Rican style – the elegant, line-danced variant with many figures and styling options.
Our levels for Salsa On1:
Basic 1-4 (beginner)
Intermediate 1-4 (intermediate)
Advanced 1-4 (advanced)
Master 1-4 (master class)
For all On2 fans, we also offer Salsa On2 club classes:
Intermediate Open Level (intermediate)
Advanced Open Level (advanced)
You can join these open level classes at any time. Participants stay at the same level for several cycles (8 weeks each) until they feel ready to move on.
We are big fans of Salsa On2 ourselves and highly recommend these classes to develop your dance feel, musicality and technique!
Whether On1 or On2 – at Bailamos Salsa you will dive into the fascinating world of Salsa and discover your own dance style!
Take a look at two of the most well-known representatives of the styles here: