Historical and cultural context of an art in the mid 20th century Formal and expressive elements Meaning the artwork holds References from credible source Salsa is a dance with its origin of Caribbe
Salsa Dance
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Salsa Dance
Historical and cultural context
Salsa is a dance with its origin of Caribbean and African roots. Its rhythm is well known since it is catchy, sensual, and easy to learn but hard to master. Its origin is dated back in the mid of the twentieth century in Eastern Cuba. Musical rhythms and elements adopted from various styles were used to create Salsa. After its popularity in Cuba, musicians' visitors from the United States became addicted to the marvellous music and dance, taking it to the US. They started the popular music and Latin dance that was unstoppable (Bosse, 2008).
Though modern salsa was established in Cuba, its roots can also be drawn back to other areas. Basic elements of salsa were carried by immigrants who went to Latin America looking for better lives or being forced to migrate against their will as slaves. Combination of African Rhumba from the African slaves, Danzon dance from France and Haitians, Spanish people music, and various other musical instruments, Salsa was performed for the first time. During this period, visitors to Cuba became aware of the new sensational musical performance and dance style, and a new implausible Latin culture was created.
The spread of salsa dance in the US portrays one of the top significant points in dance history. US soldiers were among the first to become aware of the dance during the Cuban war. Thereafter, Cuba was visited regularly by many jazz musicians from the US who fused Latin styles in their musical performances. By the mid-twentieth century, musicians from Cuba had already started creating music that rapidly found its way into North America, referred to as "Salsa," which characterized music beat imported from the Latin music into the United States.
A catchy mix of different dance styles like tango and mambo started spreading into the Caribbean with different inventions acquired from night clubs in Havana. As the US passed through incredible deviations, with many tourists going to the Caribbean region, this allowed the spread of the music dance and styles into the western region. In a few years, Cuban music and salsa were played on various States radio stations. Salsa became even more famous in the 1970s with the entry of Puerto Rican and Dominican laborers into the US. The dance style was spread more by the music superstar Willie Colon, Johnny Pacheco, and many others.
Formal and expressive elements
Salsa is practiced everywhere these days as dancers dance in nightclubs, festivals, and ballrooms. Salsa is also held in annual festivals, which bring together dancers from different cities to celebrate together. Modern salsa is integrating different movements like lifts and rolls from other dances. Famous music dancers like Liz Lira is a perfect example who practices modern salsa dance.
Salsa dancers
Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/484277766154626238
Salsa is expressive and allows dancers to use a different segment of the beat to express their personality. Dancers can play with their dancing partner, sometimes suppressing expected moves like the drop of hand or foot-dragging until it's possible before the next beat kicks in. Dancers can also discuss clave flips or breaks-they are expressions given to any alteration of the beat- and the way to deal with them on the dance floor; the flexibility and preparedness of a dancer towards these alterations during dancing defines skilled and good musical dancers.
The issue of feeling and flowing with the music allows dancers to connect with their partners well. Those who can feel and flow with the music are considered more musical than their counterparts who cannot. When dancing, one can simultaneously listen, predict, and draw attention to the music through certain parts of his body.
Salsa dance also helps an individual in building confidence. Most people's common fear is the lack of experience of how to dance. Training on how to dance, especially salsa, can help eliminate fear. Also, the experience learned on how to be a good dancer help in building one's confidence. It helps build confidence since during dancing; one tends to meet many new people and interact, which helps increase the confidence as it will frequently be happening during dancing.
Salsa dance helps in creating a new social relationship. Within a certain group setting, people tend to develop a natural understanding with time. When people are dancing together, they discover a unique way to communicate through body language. Salsa helps express feelings, personality, and emotions and is a good instrument when it comes to creating a new friendship or relationship. Salsa also helps in exercising our bodies. It is a form of exercise that provides heart-health benefits through aerobic exercises that integrate social activity (Berrios, 2004).
Salsa dancing helps in:
Losing weight
Releases stress
Helps in releases toxins from our bodies
Improves body fitness and well being
Building strength and endurance
Meaning the artwork holds
Dancing is essential in life. Human beings are born to dance, and it's in our genes. It helps improve our lives and the health of the people around us. Old civilizations were aware of the thrilling power of dancing. Consequently, the modern world also realizes how relevant dancing is for happy and healthy living and how people can be changed in several ways through dancing.
For a long time across different cultures, nations, and people, dancing is in our genes; the desire to dance or watch other people dancing is deep in everyone. It enriches everyone in our communities, and its benefits and delight are immeasurable.
Dance and other art cross all divides; whether it is intangible or physical, people from different cultures and social backgrounds can always understand. That is the reason why music is known as a musical language. Through experiences of different music and dances from different cultures, it is possible to understand their insights, history, and whatever is happening in their lives. Salsa dance or music is good for mental well-being; for instance, it is widely used for battling depression and other mental illnesses. Art creators and musicians, and dancers performing their art, have helped people with the mental-related illness feel better whenever they are performing in their presence.
References
Berrios-Miranda, M. (2004). Salsa Music as Expressive Liberation. Center for Puerto Rican Studies Journal.
Bosse, J. (2008). Salsa Dance and the Transformation of Style: An Ethnographic Study of Movement and Meaning in a Cross-Cultural Context. Dance Research Journal, 40(1), 45-64. Retrieved November 28, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20527592
Teaiawa, K. M. (2014). Culture moves? The Festival of Pacific Arts and Dance Remix in Oceania. Dance Research Aotearoa, 2, 2–19. Retrieved from http://www.dra.ac.nz/index.php/DRA/article/view/27
