Write a Substantive Response in a minimum of 150 words to this discussion .
Music and Dance
I am currently deployed, but fortunately they have a salsa class here. There are a few military members of Hispanic descent who teaches the class. Unfortunately, there were no live musicians playing but there was salsa music being played. The instruments that were being used in the songs were maracas, piano, bongos, claves, and horns. Salsa dancing originated in Cuba in the 1920s and 1930s and eventually made its way to the United States (New York to be exact) in the mid 1900s.
During the Cuban War in 1898, American soldiers were the first U.S. citizens to be introduce to salsa in Cuba. Radio broadcasting traveled to Cuba in 1922 and also Americans who were trying to escape prohibition. Salsa is heavily influenced by African rhythms, different dances from Puerto Rico and Cuba, and also other Spanish influences. There are many different styles of salsa such as Cuban-Style (also known as "Casino"), Cali-Style, New York Style, Miami Style, and LA Style salsa. When participating in salsa you need a partner, but there are some forms of solo dancing such as "Rueda de Casino" and "suelta" where people dance in a circle and switch partners. Unfortunately, no one knows where the term salsa originally came from.
I figured since I like to dance why not try the salsa class they offer here. Attending a salsa class for the first time was a challenging experience but also a fun learning experience. Learning the basics of salsa was the exciting part but trying to stay on beat was a little complicated. After I practiced with my partner for an hour and a half I felt like a pro at salsa. Salsa is still actively growing all over the world and can be a great hobby. Overall this whole experience of learning about salsa and how to salsa has been a great one. (309)
References:
By Mid-century, This Music Came to Havana Where Foreign Influences Were Absorbed, Particularly American Jazz and Popular Music Heard on the Radio. "History of Salsa Music & Dance - SalsaGente." SalsaGente History of Salsa Music Dance Comments. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.
"Salsa History - The History of Salsa Dancing and Salsa Music." Salsa History - The History of Salsa Dancing and Salsa Music. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.