U.K. Salsa Congress

Frequently Asked Questions 1) What If I Have Two Left Feet? - Don't worry if you feel you have no rythmn or have never danced before. We can teach you. Everyone can learn in time. It just takes a bit of practise and perserverance. Some people pick it up quickly and some take a bit longer. But that doesn't matter so long as you are having fun along the way!
2) Do I Need To Bring A Partner? - No you don't need to bring a partner. If you have one that's great as you will have someone to practise with. But it's not necessary to bring a partner as we rotate in the classes so you get to dance with other beginners like yourself.
3) Do I Need To Book? - No need to book. Just turn up and pay on the door, each time you come along.
4) What Shall I Wear? - You can wear whatever you feel most comfortable in. You will get warm, so light clothing is good. Most people dress smart/casual.

WHAT IS SALSA ? The name SALSA was thought up in the early 1970s by the Fania record company in New York. The music in various forms had already been around for a long time, but the Salsa name was given to identify the dance form of Cuban and other Latin music, a bit like us Europeans call our up-beat dance music disco. The word itself was derived from the Salsa sauce which suggests the savoury mixture of spicy ingredients. The new Salsa name caught on and the whole Salsa dance scene began to grow.

WHERE DOES SALSA COME FROM ? Modern Salsa now incorporates dance styles, routines and music from Latin New York, Miami and from all over Latin America, such as Cuba, Colombia and Puerto Rico. African drumbeats and rhythms are very apparent in the music. Taking things right back to around the fifteenth century, over thirty million slaves were captured and imported from the West African coast, mainly to slave in the sugar and tobacco industry. Although they had to leave their culture behind, their chants, rhythms and drumbeats were destined to influence a whole continent.

Through the centuries, many major historical events have changed the music and dances that permeated and evolved through Cuba and Colombia. Many music and dance forms came and went. In the late 1700s, Cuba saw the Contredanse. Then the Danzon became more popular throughout the 1800s. Slavery was abolished in 1886 and the black influences broke free and were soon to emerge in music all over the region. The Son was the music and dance that came out of Havana from the early 1900s and spread throughout Cuba and other parts of the world. The Son was banned by the Government at that time, because of "the obscene and immoral way that it provoked the people who danced it", although the ban was eventually lifted in 1920. Other forms came along throughout the centuries, such as Charanga-(first appeared in the 18th century), Cha-Cha-Cha-(based on the Danzon), Pachanga-(a cross between Charanga and Cha-Cha-Cha, peaked in 1960s in New York). Then the Boogaloo-(a Caribbean rhythm that came from New York).

The music and dancing took to the streets and big names were attracting increased fame and demand. Once the SALSA name appeared, the young people took it up in masses and there was no going back. Now in the 21st Century people worldwide are becoming hooked into the Salsa scene.