Salsa Links

Want to find out more about salsa on the Web? here are some of my recommendations:

www.salsa-in-cuba.com

Salsa-in-Cuba.com is a comprehensive website that educates its readers on the ins-and-outs of salsa culture. On this website, readers can learn what the term “salsa” means, as well as about its history, music and dance culture. While the site is titled “Salsa-in-Cuba,” it addresses salsa in its popularization throughout the United States and its origins from other countries and cultures. The website is even available to be read in eight different languages.

One thing that stands out about this site is that it is very thorough and clear in its explanations of the cultural roots of salsa. Its entries are rich in salsa terminology and explanation of that terminology. The website even provides a salsa glossary for those who are unfamiliar with the jargon. It’s a great contextual website for those who want to learn more about salsa, whether they want to find out about the most popular salsa artists are or about how to do the basic steps.

www.salsamagazine.com

Salsa Magazine is published by Izzy Sanabria, the man commonly referred to as “Mr. Salsa,” particularly for popularizing the term “salsa” in reference to New York’s Latin music during the 1970s. Sanabria was the official emcee for the Fania All-Stars, traveling with the salsa group to perform in countries all over the world. He was also host of New York’s television show “Salsa,” which helped him nationalize (and even internationalize) the term. Sanabria is also a graphic designer, writer, actor, dancer and stand-up comedian.

Sanabria uses the magazine to give a historical account of salsa music’s beginnings, as well as commentary its cultural roots. In doing so, he addresses the conflicting viewpoints of how it began, or even what it means. As someone who experienced the outbreak of what he calls the “1970s Salsa Explosion” firsthand, Sanabria discusses the evolution of the Afro-Cuban rhythms into a new form of urban Latin music that took hold in the United States, starting in New York. That said, Salsa Magazine highlights the cultural conflicts that have occurred in the name of “salsa.”

www.salsaweb.com/la

SalsaWeb.com’s, which proclaims itself as the “The World’s Largest Online Salsa Magazine,” is an online hub of salsa pop culture, and it is geared towards salsa dancers. The Los Angeles City Salsa Guide obviously only focuses on L.A., listing its salsa clubs, instructors, bands, dance teams, DJs, etc. However, the main site allows readers to look up salsa clubs and other information for regions all over the world. The site also provides interviews with professional dancers and musicians and updates on world-wide salsa conferences. While it seems to be more of a salsa fan site than a major journalistic endeavor, SalsaWeb.com is a site for dancers who want to stay plugged in on the international salsa scene on a national and international scale.