Salsa literally means “sauce” in Spanish, but it is also a type of ballroom dance. It emerged from Salsa music, which accompanies it. Salsa music is a popular type of Latin American music that often involves a guitar, trumpet, saxophone, and drums played by hands such as bongos or congas. Many Salsa moves come from other dance forms such as cha cha, mambo, and swing dance. Like these other forms of dance, Salsa is a partnered dance with a lead and a follow. People dance Salsa in places such as bars, nightclubs, restaurants, outdoor festivals, and other such social gatherings. Many find Salsa to be not only fun, but also good exercise.

Cuban and Puerto Rican Americans developed Salsa dancing in New York in the late 1960s and early 1970s. However, the origins of salsa music can be traced back to Cuba in the 1930s and 1940s. Salsa was originally a street dance before dance schools formalized it by teaching it with a curriculum. Now, there are various styles of Salsa dance from different regions, such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Columbian styles.