The question remains, however, is casino salsa, or a style thereof?Ĭasino is not salsa for three main reasons. But when it comes to casino and salsa, they are both danced to the same music so, for marketing purposes, it makes sense for instructors and promoters to use the term “salsa” when referring to casino. Two different musical genres, requiring two different dances. The same thing could not be said about salsa and, say, bachata. That is, if you were to play “Llorarás” by Oscar D’León, you could dance casino or salsa to it. And because the dance of salsa (L.A., N.Y styles) and the dance of casino are danced to the same music: son. The question was, in a way, answered above: because “salsa” is what people know. Why? Because if they said casino, and you lived outside of Cuba, you would not associate it with a dance, much less a Cuban one (at least that’s the argument that many people make).īut that is the name of the dance: Casino. Salsa is the word that gets your attention, picks your interest, and makes you go and take a lesson.
My point: the common denominator in all these pseudonyms is “salsa.” Salsa is what binds them together. The instructors teaching you casino may have called it Cuban salsa or salsa cubana, casino salsa or salsa casino, salsa rueda, or Cuban-style salsa.
Chances are, if you live outside of Cuba, you were introduced to the dance of casino through a plethora of names.
