By Staff Writer, Garen Srapyan

Danceable Latin music began in 1933, giving birth to salsa. It all began when Cuban song composer Ignacio Pińerio wrote the song “Echale Salsita,” which means “heat it up.” Pińero got the idea after tasting food that lacked Cuban spices. He wanted to begin a protest against tasteless food.

Salsa has many roots. It is a mixture of essentially Cuban and Puerto Rican dance music. It is a melting pot of many Latin and Afro-Caribbean dances, as each culture played a huge role in its evolution.
Cuba is the root of many diverse dances, such as the Son and Guajira. African rhythms of Rhumba were also incorporated into salsa dancing. Puerto Rican musical culture also contributes into Salsa.
The dance is described as a fair mixture of brassy arrangements, continuous and repetitive choruses, and jazzy solos. Dancers seductively shake their hips and skillfully move their feet with the beat of this music.
Dancing Salsa can be flamboyant or simple, depending solely on the dancer. The style of Salsa will depend on the dancer’s origin. Simply put, one must feel the beat of the music and move with it to dance Salsa.
Salsa is a fairly simple dance, but requires strong creativity. There are four basic beats in Salsa, and three step patterns are repeated throughout. Three of the steps have their own unique beat and the remaining fourth beat is added to the third step. The result is a quick-quick-slow pattern. To add personal flair to the dance, some dancers insert an extra step or movement, such as a kick or a switch of the hips.
As a partner dance, there must always be a leader and a follower on the dance floor. Traditionally, men take the dance floor with other dances, but in salsa, either partner has a chance to lead.
Salsa is also known to help with weight loss. The strenuous movements of the hips and legs when dancing Salsa can quickly burn calories. Salsa offers a healthy workout without going to the gym and working with heavy equipment. One will be able to enjoy the presence of his or her partner while listening to great music. The smooth, melodious music combined with the swift, energetic beat makes dancers move their hips.
Today, Salsa dancing has become a popular art form reaching out to people as young as 20 to couples who are much older.
The basic pattern of the foot and hips is quite common, but many skilful Salsa dancers combine it with a highly mixed, amazing high-speed turns, twists, and spins.