En general en todo el territorio colombiano se escucha y se baila salsa, especialmente en ciudades como Barranquilla, Medellín, Cartagena, Bogotá, y por supuesto, Cali. En ellas también se celebran diversos encuentros culturales que le rinden homenaje a este ritmo, como … [Read more...]
Culture Commentary
Get the latest news and trends in Latin culture with Dance Papi featuring historical analysis, lifestyle news and profiles.
World Records in Salsa
Do you have what it takes to beat a world record in salsa dancing—or do you want to propose a brand new challenge to the Guinness World Records? There are a slew of existing records in the salsa dancing world, and all of them are up for grabs. If you do choose to take … [Read more...]
The Korean Salsa Experience
I danced competitive salsa in South Korea—now that’s a phrase you don’t hear often. I had just finished my master’s degree and wasn’t ready for the real world yet. With no teaching experience and no TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) certification, I stumbled … [Read more...]
30 Years and Counting of KPFK’s “Canto Tropical”
In April 1986, a new show took to the airwaves on KPFK, 90.7 FM. Titled “Canto Tropical,” its mission was to play the best darn salsa and Afro-Cuban music in all of Southern California. The genius behind the show was Hector Reséndez, better known to listeners as “La … [Read more...]
Tango Dance Therapy: An Interview with Therapist Mark Word
A few months ago, we posted an article about salsa, dance therapy, and PTSD. The post led us to connect with one of the readers who commented on the article, Mark Word. Mark is a therapist who worked for many years as a social work officer in the Army. Today, he … [Read more...]
Salsa In the Movies: El Cantante with Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez
Research for an article about salsa in the movies brought me to, among other titles, El Cantante, featuring both Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez. Ever seen this one? First off, it didn’t get great reviews -- just 5.4 out of ten stars on IMDB, and a whopping one star … [Read more...]
The Most Famous Salsa Cities in the World
Traveling is the perfect way to enjoy salsa dancing. In day-to-day-life, there are plenty of excuses standing between you and your salsa goals. It can be hard to take time out of your week to stay up late and go dancing -- especially if there's a learning curve. But … [Read more...]
Conversations I Had While Salsa Dancing This Week
Me: So what do you do? Him: I just got back from Africa, where I was a microbiology researcher. Me: Awesome! What did you study? Him: Watch out, here comes a dip. I studied meerkats. Me: OMG! I have been compared to a meerkat more than once. Him: (squints) Hmm. … [Read more...]
Uncovering the Kingdom of Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa
It’s time we talked about the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz. Born in Havana in 1925, Cruz garnered 23 gold records before passing away in 2003. In addition to the popular moniker The Queen of Salsa, people also know Cruz as The Queen of Latin Music. She’s a powerhouse, and … [Read more...]
Kizomba: Americans Get Comfortable With Sensual Dance
Lately, I can’t get enough of kizomba music -- the slow, bouncy beat in combination with its dark melodies is purely addictive. Unfortunately, I haven’t tried the dance -- mostly because I’ve spent the last year traveling between Portland, Alaska, and Montana, which … [Read more...]