If I had to choose to learn a certain type of dance or two, it would be either the samba, which is popularly practiced in my home country of Brazil or salsa. There’s something so fun about watching people dance and perform salsa since they seem so liberated in doing so. Furthermore, there also appears to be a romantic element about the entire dance that takes my breath away, especially when I watch two partners gliding with one another in rhythm.

The history of salsa dance itself conveys not only the wonderful diversity of New York but also how Puerto Rican and Cuban immigrants were able to express their own respective cultures through dance. Salsa itself also helps to express the various demographics of these ethnicities, through also African and European influences, as well.

Another aspect of the exhibit that I marveled at where the various costumes I observed and took pictures of. Even the colorful and sequined tuxedos and dresses captured my attention further, especially when I saw the images of a noted salsa dancer, Celia Cruz. I realized how much this dance is a true celebration of embracing one’s culture, never being afraid to be vocal in their actions about it.

One particular icon of salsa that I enjoyed learning about was Willie Colón. His entire aura of coolness and being somewhat of this outlaw archetype gave salsa an even more popular following. My favorite image of him was this 1970s album cover of his “wanted” mugshot, poking fun at the FBI “wanted” posters. To me, in conjunction with also knowing about the history of New York City, Colón conveys that salsa was able to survive various time periods during history, such as the gritty 1970s all the way until our present-day climate. Furthermore, I admire Colón’s courage and creativity to integrate politics messages into his work, which is never an easy feat, even today.

In retrospect, salsa to me is a powerful cultural emblem of the New York City’s Latin American community and makes me incredibly proud of being a Latina. Of course, salsa has faced its own conflicts, even in recent times, as illustrated in former mayor Rudy Giuliani’s attempt to try and force salsa nightclubs to obtain licenses in the early 2000s. Regardless, it has maintained its own resilience over the years, with numerous Latin Grammy Awards to prove it.

If I had to recommend this particular exhibit to someone else, I definitely would. Although I entered this exhibit without a good deal of knowledge about the history of salsa, I can safely say that I not only have acquired more knowledge about the topic but a greater interest to explore it, as well. However, what also enhance my knowledge on this exhibit was also visiting the museum’s intriguing “Activist New York” exhibit. In doing so, we can easily see the origins of salsa New York, which was not only an expression of one’s culture but also of defiance towards an urban system that needed to work harder towards respecting diversity and giving more opportunities for their Latin-American community to flourish.