Salsa: More Than a Snack (u1)

     I'm serious. Salsa is more than a snack. Although the fresh tomato, onion, and cilantro mix (hopefully tossed with a hint of lime) holds a place of deliciousness in my heart, there is another salsa in my life: the dance.
    Though its roots have been linked primarily to Cuba and Puerto Rico, salsa has been expanded upon with styles taken from Afro-Samba, African dance, and can be hinted at in the cha cha cha and other dances. Though the origin of the name "salsa" has been disputed, it is a fitting name no matter what theory you choose. The word salsa in English means "sauce". In Hispanic culture, "salsa" goes beyond Tostitos (there is a world beyond the chip aisle in the supermercado, ladies and gents). Each region, city, country, etc. can have its own type of salsa that's unique. The culture of Cuba and Puerto Rico, like the other Caribbean islands and South America, is a mixture. Many variations of ethnicities and ways of life exist in these islands, with French, English, Spanish, German, and other awesome roots feeding into to the "sauce" of their life (do you understand this metaphor?).
    There are many variations on salsa (I know, I'm talking a lot about variety), but here's the basic step.

    See? Not terribly complicated. Basically you are mirroring your partner, moving one foot back, shifting your weight to the middle, and then putting the other foot forward, and so on. From here, you can make the salsa as complicado o facíl as you want. Hip shaking, arm movement, improvisations, and various moves pepper this dance. If you're wondering, "What's the specific plan I may learn in order to perfectly execute this exact dance?" then I am sorry to say that you will never really "get" salsa. It really is a sauce, a mixture. Salsa musicians, singers, and dancers alike are literally chefs, blending whatever ingredients come into their minds. It's improvisation, it's flexibility with structure, and it's moving your hips...mucho.

    I encourage anyone with some spare time (but perhaps not two left feet) to pick up salsa. Meanwhile, I'm going to keep practicing by attempting to dance by myself to a lot of Shakira.