What is salsa?
Salsa is the most popular Latin club dance in the United States: an eight-count partner dance with quick footwork, cross-body leads and lots of turns. Dancers break forward on 1 (LA style, "on 1") or on 2 (New York style, "on 2"); Cuban casino and rueda de casino circle around the partner, and Colombian (Cali) style is known for very fast footwork.
History
Salsa music crystallized in 1960s–70s New York, where Puerto Rican and Cuban musicians updated son, mambo and guaracha; Fania Records and the Fania All-Stars spread the name worldwide. The dance grew from Palladium-era mambo and today's LA and New York styles were codified by teachers and performance teams in the 1990s.
Basic technique
- Basic step — quick-quick-slow over 8 counts (1-2-3, 5-6-7)
- Cross-body lead (the signature salsa move)
- Right and left turns, copa, enchufla (Cuban)
- Shines — solo footwork patterns
Music & tempo
Salsa runs roughly 150–220 BPM; most social dance tracks sit between 160 and 210. Listen for the clave and the conga's tumbao to find the count.
Songs for salsa
| Song | Artist | BPM | Key | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guaguancó | Tito Puente & His Orchestra | 151 | C major | 2009 |
| I Need Her | Joe Acosta | 152 | C major | 1971 |
| Las alas de mi corazón | Jerry Rivera | 152 | G# major | 2002 |
| La noche más linda | Adalberto Santiago | 152 | F major | 1989 |
| Caonao | Tito Puente & His Orchestra | 153 | F minor | 2009 |
| Buenavista guaguanco | Orchestra Harlow | 153 | A# major | 1975 |
| Bemba colorá | Celia Cruz | 155 | D# minor | 1966 |
| Malibu Beat | Tito Puente | 155 | C minor | 1994 |
| Volver a empezar | Jerry Rivera | 156 | D minor | 2002 |
| Triste | Joe Cuba Sextet | 156 | F major | 1966 |
BPM as measured by audio analysis; some tracks read at half or double the danced tempo.
What to wear
Smooth-soled Latin or salsa shoes; women often dance in heels with ankle straps.
How to get started
Most cities have weekly salsa socials with a beginner lesson an hour before. Choose on 1 or on 2 based on what your local scene dances.
We list 183 studios that teach salsa, or browse all dance studios by state.
Salsa in historic images
Openly licensed images via Europeana; rights statements on each item page.
Key partner-dance terms
Movies featuring salsa
- Salsa (1988)
Recent research
- Salsa Rhythms and Soul Connections. — Qualitative inquiry : QI, 2024
- Dance Is a Healing Art. — Current treatment options in allergy, 2023
- Salsa dance and Zumba fitness: Acute responses during community-based classes. — Journal of sport and health science, 2016
- SALSA-A dance on a slippery floor with changing partners. — Molecular immunology, 2017
- Shall We Dance? Dancing Modulates Executive Functions and Spatial Memory. — International journal of environmental research and public health, 2020
Books about salsa
- Entangled Mobilities in the Transnational Salsa Circuit by Joanna Menet (2020)
- Salsa by Paul Bottomer (1996)
- Salsa and its transnational moves by Sheenagh Pietrobruno (2006)
- Faith in Carlos Gomez by Samantha Dunn (2005)
- Samba And Salsa by Rita Storey (2010)
- Spinning Mambo into Salsa by Juliet E. McMains (2015)
Encyclopedia summary
Salsa is the name for Latin American dances that are danced to salsa music. Salsa is one of the most popular types of Latin dance that is practiced worldwide, and is typically danced with a partner, although there are elements of solo footwork as well. There are several distinct styles of salsa that are danced around the world.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between salsa on 1 and on 2?
On 1 (LA style) breaks forward on count 1; on 2 (New York or mambo style) breaks on count 2, matching the conga accent. The figures are similar; the timing feels different.
How long does it take to learn salsa?
With weekly classes and socials, most people dance comfortably at a social after three to six months.
What BPM is Salsa?
Salsa is usually danced to music between 150 and 220 beats per minute. Browse 261 songs that fit on our Salsa music page.
How many calories does salsa burn?
About 353 calories per hour for a 155-lb (70 kg) person, based on a MET value of 4.8 from the Compendium of Physical Activities. See calories burned salsa for every body weight.
Related styles
Mambo
Cuba and New York's Palladium Ballroom
Latin Social DanceBachata
Dominican Republic
Ballroom & DanceSportCha-Cha
Cuba (cha-cha-chá music by Enrique Jorrín)
Latin Social DanceMerengue
Dominican Republic
Latin Social DanceCumbia
Caribbean coast of Colombia
Latin Social DanceKizomba
Angola
Latin Social DanceBrazilian Zouk
Brazil (evolved from lambada)
Last reviewed October 2026 · Editorial policy