Salsa is a genre of music derived from a blend of African and Cuban dances, music, and style. It is most popular in Latin American countries and Latino-dominated areas of the United States of America. Salsa began to gain popularity in the US in the 1940s, and in the 1970s, it reached an all-time high as the Hispanic culture became widespread in the country. Salsa has also gained a foothold in other continents like Asia and Europe, as competitions focused on Salsa such as the World Salsa Open, World Salsa Championship, and World Salsa Summit continue to attract dancers from different corners of the world.

Salsa means 'sauce' in Spanish, and while the person(s) who chose this name for the dance and the reason why the originators of salsa chose it remains unknown till today, Salsa enthusiasts believe the originators of salsa chose the name because salsa is a spicy blend of dances and music and style from various cultures and places. Salsa comprises dances like the Cuban son, Tango, Mambo, and Flamenco from multiple Latin regions and American moves like the spin and tap. Every culture that contributes to salsa's makeup has its unique style of salsa music and dance, and as a result, there are multiple styles of salsa dancing.

There are some essential rules in salsa. When dancing salsa, movement is usually minimal in the upper body, and all critical movements occur from the waist down to the legs. However, some styles of Salsa make room for upper body and lower body movements. However, dancers use their arms to pass signals to their dance partners.

Also, two people are required to dance salsa, and the dance partners must be in tune with one another as one dancer takes the lead position and the other follows. The lead dancer employs their arms in communicating the steps to the following dancer, who then executes the signaled moves in sync with the lead. In some salsa styles, dancers maintain a line and switch places periodically, while dancers circle one another in other types. Another rule is the periodic gap that occurs during every third step in the four-beat count of salsa. Salsa dancers skip a step on a beat with a tap or kick or continue the weight change even though they push the step to the next moment. Another significant rule is the primary musical instrument used in salsa music. Every musical tool plays with or around the clave, and salsa enthusiasts consider it wrong to play or dance salsa to the wrong clave rhythm.

Besides the obvious fun that salsa brings to dancers, it's also an excellent way to work out and work up a sweat. Salsa is also a classy and straightforward activity that friends or families could engage in during social gatherings, family events, and parties. Salsa is very easy to learn compared to some other dances for beginners, and salsa teachers have a saying that “if you can walk, you can salsa.” While anybody could learn and dance salsa, it's not as widespread as some modern dances. Nowadays, people regard salsa a classic style of dancing, and today, only people with sophisticated taste in music tend to engage in salsa regularly.