It’s flirtatious, fast and a fusion of dance styles suitable for both solo dancing or couples, originating from the Caribbean and Latin and North America.
Body benefits
“Like most dances, the salsa works your core, toning abdominals and [promoting] a stronger, healthier lower back,” Chris Dempsey, manager of Arthur Murray Dance School in Sydney, says. “But in the salsa, you’re also shaking your hips fast. So you don’t just get flat abs, you get boxer’s abs. “You need to be aware of how you’re holding yourself while dancing the salsa,” he says. “You lean forward and there are a lot of spins, which require you to have great posture and coordination. If you don’t, you’ll fall over.”
The proof
Salsa is a real source of happy endorphins, according to a study from the University of Derby in the UK. Moderately depressed volunteers who took lessons for nine weeks reported a significant boost to their mood by the end. Matt Birks, the university’s senior lecturer in mental health, says the change in mood may have been further enhanced by “social interaction, shared experience, concentrating on learning a new skill and the confidence this can bring”.