salsa classes in london with nelson batista
Essentially Cuban in Origin, Salsa originated in the 1920’s from an unlikely
mixture of African Rhythms and the melodies of the Spanish Colonies. This was
called “Son”, which together with other Cuban rhythms like Rumba and Danzon,
merged to create a rich four-beat musical style. In the 1950’s, Jazz, Blues and
other Black American rhythms begun to influence Salsa. At this time, horns such
as the trombone, trumpet and saxophone were introduced giving the music its rich
distinctive sound. Other Latin rhythms such as Mambo were incorporated into the
Salsa musical structure; this was reflected in the dance, creating faster and
more complex footwork with more twists and turns, giving birth to the extremely
stylish dance we know today as “Salsa”. The music spread rapidly with the large
migration of Cuban and Puerto Rican people to America since 1959. Many famous
musicians, among them Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, Celia Cruz & Mongo Santamaria
began to play at well-known venues in New York, such as the Palladium,
establishing Salsa in the United States. More recently the music migrated to
Europe. With the expanding Latin American population in London there is now a
thriving Salsa scene, with many Clubs and bands involved in it.
