Salsa Competitions

SalsaCompetitions.com regulations and definitions

Salsa Competitions are open to all Salseros within their own style and levels.
SalsaCompetitions.com will award the prizes based on a consensus drawn by the official judges. Competitions may be influenced by popular response. Because the various Salsa styles draw their influence from within its local culture, SalsaCompetitions.com recognizes the merit of judging Salsa styles within their own cultural attitudes and with their own particular Salsa music. The following will be listed as general Salsa styles and interpretations:
Salsa will be every man’s own unique steps and style, it is also known as Street Salsa.
Cuban Salsa is unmistakable from its use of Son, Afro-Cuban, Guaguanco,
Danson, Cuban Mambo, and Rumba roots.
Puerto Rican and New York Salsa has its own style based in part on Mambo and
Clave.
LA Salsa has emerged from ballroom dance influence and the various performance
driven competitive dances.
Rueda de Casino is danced mostly in two styles, Cuban and Miami.

**South American Salsa is recognized to be within regular Salsa. It has a lot of influence from Cumbia and and regional dances.

Salsa or Street Salsa will be open to any interpretation but it will lean towards the traditional way of dancing on the one.
Cuban Salsa is danced mostly on one but it may be danced in contra tiempo.
Puerto and New Yorican Salsa will be danced on the two.
LA Salsa is danced on the one.
Rueda de Casino can be either on the one or contra tiempo beat.

Dancing is open to any person. Traditional Salsa is danced by a male and a female partner.

Judges are comprised based upon a combination of the following: sponsors, club owners, DJ’s, choreographers, dance instructors, former dance participants, and qualified individuals who appreciate dance.

Amateur Salseros are those who have never participated in a Salsa Dance Competition or whohave never taught Salsa Dancing.

Semi-Professional Salseros are those who have entered Salsa Competitions but have never won first place. Instructors who teach occasionally and do not make a living as dance instructors will be considered Semi-Professional Salseros.

Professional Salseros are those who have proven themselves with time. Paid dance performers and instructors will be considered professionals based on their level and not their popular exposure. Salsa champions will also be considered professional based on
their level.

Maestro Salseros are those who are the source of Salsa dance traditions and the up and coming original dancers who add to the wealth of Latin Salsa Dancing. These are people who can distinguish between Salsa and Ballroom Salsa and between dancing Cuban contra tiempo and Dancing on the 2. They know the difference between Salsa, Rueda de Casino from Cuban or Miami, Rumba, Guaguanco, Son, Mambo, Cumbia, Cha Cha Cha, Samba, Bachata, Merengue. Meniadito, Quebradita, Lambada, Souka, and the Afro-Cuban sounds from Cuba.

It is my opinion that a dance level is not based on the amount of steps one can execute or their degree of difficulty but rather on the impression Salseros make on the average audience. We hope that the fun of dancing is the primary reason to dancing Salsa rather then seeking to be seen.