(Cuba) Salsa

Since Columbus landed in Cuba in the 15th century, Cuba has experienced a long period of imperial colonization, pirate looting, independence war, political intervention and economic blockade. This historical process is like a shackle, firmly imprisoning Cuba. The bitter history has created the "Land of Sugar" and the "Island of Music". Cuba's tenacity and vitality are evident and deserve applause. Spanish colonists, African slaves and Chinese coolies all transformed into the colorful Cuban culture. "SALSA" originally refers to a kind of sauce. Latin people are very fond of spicy tomato sauce. From 1960 to 1970, many musicians shouted "SALSA" to the dancers at that time, which meant that they should be more wild. , be more enthusiastic. The main rhythm of "SALSA" comes from Son & Rumba. These two dances originated from African slaves in Cuba.

In addition, Salsa dance types: including national standard Latin dance and Latin American folk dance

Types of Latin American folk dance: (Salsa dance is a type of Latin American folk dance)

1. Salsa (Salsa): Salsa means a kind of food seasoning sauce. Banyan is pronounced "salsa", so it is also called salsa dance. It originated in Cuba and is one of the most popular social dances in Europe and America today. It was developed in the Latin communities in New York and Florida and was gradually divided into two regions. There are many styles of salsa dance in different countries and regions, but the basic steps are the same. There are New York Salsa (New York Salsa), Colombian Salsa (Columbia Salsa), and Los Angeles Salsa (USA). Dance music (L.A. Salsa) and Cuban Salsa dance (CubaSalsa) are based on Mambo dance and extend the structure of Son music. Each music beat is 6 to 8 beats, and the main points of movement are the waist and hips. The "8" shape swing has fascinated many fashionable men and women.

2. Salsa circle dance (Rueda de Casino): Rueda means "wheel" in Spanish, and it is vivid. It expresses the form of this dance. Rueda is based on salsa dance and combined with the form of French court dance. Two men and women dance in a circle. The "commander" calls out the name of the movement, and the other dancers follow the same movement. . It advocates group socialization, does not have fixed dance partners, and promotes team awareness. It is a highly entertaining and performative social dance.

3. Merengue: The word Merengue means. "Meringue" is a cookie. This may be the reason why the dance first appeared in the Dominican Republic. It has been popular in Dominica, the Caribbean and Central and South America since the mid-19th century, but it did not open to the United States until the 1990s. Because of its bright rhythm and simple dance steps, Merengue has gradually become one of the most popular Latin dance types in the beautiful island country of Dominica in the Caribbean. Merengue is popular in the streets and all local men and women can do it. A kind of dance. The strong rhythm of two beats fills those who hear it with joy; the simple and easy-to-learn dance steps allow you to dance along even if you don’t know how to dance.

4. Cha Cha Dance ( Cha Cha): The Cha Cha dance originated from the musical structure of the Mambo. The two-beat Mambo dance music was added with syncopation, and it gradually evolved into the Cha Cha dance we know today. It consists of three fast beats and a beat. The two slow beats are 1 bar, divided into On1 and On2. This is also the difference between Cha Cha dance and Cha Cha Cha dance. It can be said that Cha Cha dance originated in Cuba, but developed in the United States. From 1954 to the present, it is known as "playful" and "cha cha cha". The "lively" dance style is popular in social dances in the United States.

5. Rumba: Rumba is a kind of music from the West Indies, and later developed into a non-religious peasant dance. Rumba has a history of more than 100 years in Cuba. The music rhythm is based on the structure of beats 1, 2 and 3, 4, 5, which is exactly the opposite of the music rhythm of salsa. The dance movements are mainly based on exaggerated swings of the hips, showing men's offense and women's defense. There are also labor movements describing life, such as shoe polishing, horseshoeing, and rope climbing. The fascinating musical structure and physical expression elements are used in many dance choreographies, thus influencing the development of many Latin American folk dances.

6. Bachata (Bachata): Bachata has many fans in Haiti and Venezuela. The dance movements are easy to learn and very romantic. The music is in 4/4 beat, and in 3 It is divided between the beat and the 4-beat, and is expressed in the form of a 3-beat swing across the body. Generally speaking, the movements of Salsa are too intense, while Bachata is relatively gentle. It is one of the social dances especially suitable for couples to express their love.

7. Cumbia: Cumbia originated from San Basilio in Colombia. It is a national dance of Colombia. It was developed in Caribbean areas such as Venezuela and Peru, and was influenced by African and Spanish cultures. . The dance form is mainly based on cross-part rotation, and many dance moves are derived from local elements of African dance. During the colonial period, African slaves and locals gathered on the beach to dance in the evening. This social lifestyle was gradually inherited and became an important factor in the development of Cumbia. Cumbia's music has been added to many Latin American music so far, and dancers sway freely to Cumbia's music.

8. Mambo: Mambo originated from African dance and later spread to the Caribbean. It became popular after its development in Cuba. The dance forms at that time had begun to diversify, with pauses or intensifications on beats 2 and 4 of the 4/4 beat of the music. Since Mambo was limited to group performances of solo dancers, Mambo did not become popular for a long time. In the 1950s, Mambo became popular in Broadway shows in the United States. Later, after splitting the syllables, Cha Cha and Cha Cha Cha were developed. , later developed in the United States and finally became popular in many dances.

9. Lambada: Its melody originated from the Amazon region of South America and was later spread to Bahia Province in eastern Brazil. Over time, it became popular among the people and later developed into a dance. The form was introduced to China in 1989, and people still feel familiar when they hear its music.