This class works on the technique of moving one's body to Latin music. It is helpful to anyone studying Latin dancing, whether at a social or competitive level. The class is open to all levels, and it makes an ideal make-up class for anyone who misses one class within the course of the cycle. The cutting edge of development for Salsa music is in NYC and Florida, both areas with large Latin communities.
Salsa works on the basis of Mambo - a pattern of six steps danced over eight counts of music.
Salsa is a more contemporary name for the same step pattern, and came about when dancers started mixing up Mambo with Hustle steps. Mambo is the dance that came to popular attention in the '40s, as Americans became fascinated with the exciting rhythms emanating from Latin countries, like Cuba. For the mood of Mambo, just think Havana in its heyday, and the famous Palladium dancers of NYC in the '40s, '50s and '60s. Shines refer to the fancy steps that partners do when they break away from each other to dance separately. Originally, the Rumba was a lively, peppy dance similar to Mambo in its feel.