Does Salsa belong to the (American) Latin Dances?

A growing number of organizations have started to classify Salsa Dance as part of the Latin umbrella. Even before the worldwide success of ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Ballroom and Latin Dance Schools have started to add the popular Salsa to their dance programs. Salsa Parties are being renamed ‘ Latin Parties’  so to attract more clients. 

The differences between Salsa and Latin are diminishing by the hour. ‘Freestyle’ Salsa has changed much since the Latinos started to copy and introduce (American) Latin Dance techniques, methodology, didactical skills and ranking system into the Salsa Dance business during the second half of the 1990’s. This process of ‘Latinizing’ Salsa (= transforming Salsa to Latin) has accelerated even more when (former) Latin Dance Champions and high ranked dancers discovered Salsa, started taking Salsa Dance Classes, and decided to pursue a professional career in Salsa. When asked a great deal of these Latin Dance stars declare the main attraction of Salsa being the free and happy nature of the dance. After a short time, they were not satisfied with the tons of rules and regulations imposed on them by the international Ballroom and Latin Dance organizations. Ironically, these same ‘freedom seekers’ are the ones who are indirectly responsible for Salsa evolving towards Latin Dance by introducing their superior dance skills and didactical expertise to the Salsa mix.

There is one main difference between Salsa and Latin: the standards, or for the latter, the lack of it. The professional dancers Vernon and Irene Castle together with a generation of English dancers were responsible for codifying, publishing, and teaching Ballroom and Latin Dances. Salsa Dancing has many persons who has done (and are still doing) the same job. However, more important is the fact that the World Dance Council has accredited the original work of these teachers from the roaring 1920’s as the main World Standard for instructing, dancing, and competing in the different Latin Dance disciplines. The Cha-cha-cha, the Rumb(h)a, Jive, Paso Doble and Samba are the only Latin Dances, which are now recognized as official Dance Sports by the International Olympic Committee. To date (April 2010) Salsa does not have an International Codex, and it is not on the list of official Dance Sports.

Everyone can become a Salsa Dance teacher. This is not the case with Latin Dance. Some Latin Dances have a basic dance step not entirely compatible with a 4/4 beat music. The music serves as background for the dance. Salsa Dancers are ‘ slaves’ to the music, following it’s irregularities and complex nature. 

To conclude: Salsa is getting there, but it is definitely not Latin.