How different is Salsa in Hyderabad to the real thing?

There is no such thing as the real thing! Salsa is such an amalgamated fusion of various dance forms. There are different styles and each style has variations.

I met a gentleman from Haiti last night and we had a very interesting conversation about the roots of Salsa - more about the music than the dance form. As an aspiring salsero, I have an immediate respect for anyone from the Latin American belt of countries. To truly understand an art form, one has to learn the history behind its inception.

There's a plethora of information and opinions regarding the history of salsa, but I'll stick this up as a good starting point:

A look at the origin of Salsa

By: Jaime Andrés Pretell

It is not only Cuban; nevertheless we must give credit to Cuba for the origin and ancestry of creation. It is here where Contra-Danze (Country Dance) of England/France, later called Danzón, which was brought by the French who fled from Haiti, begins to mix itself with Rhumbas of African origin (Guaguanco, Colombia, Yambú). Add Són of the Cuban people, which was a mixture of the Spanish troubadour (sonero) and the African drumbeats and flavora and a partner dance flowered to the beat of the clave.


Read the rest of the article at:
http://www.centralhome.com/ballroomcountry/salsa.htm

The gentleman from Haiti said something similar. In ten minutes, he got me thinking of how little I know about the different forms of Salsa music. I'm doing some research on the Cumbia and Colombian Salsa - the best way to learn would be to visit Cuba, Haiti, Colombia, Puerto Rico and Spain. Alright, that last one is just 'cos I love the Spanish language!

Salsa in Hyderabad is very much at a nascent stage and the only way forward is for the small community to work together. I feel it's ok to throw in your own fusion of dance moves with Salsa. But, the music - you just can't mess around with it.

Apparently, there was a Cuban band and a small bunch of South Americans at the Taj Banjara on Saturday night. I had no clue. If you know of any Salsa-related events, please email me so I can put up information on this blog. (My email is listed on the right column, gracias.)