Cuban Salsa festivals and congresses

Original movements from Son and Rhumba, it is danced in Cuba, Miami and Nicaragua, but also popular in Europe and China; there are many dedicated small communities all over the world often organized to dance casino.

Cuban-style salsa (also called Casino) can be danced either on the down beat ("a tiempo") or the upbeat ("a contratiempo"). Beats 1, 3, 5 and 7 are downbeats and 2, 4, 6 and 8 are upbeats.

Cuban-style Salsa is danced in three points which makes up the circular motion as male and female dancers face each other in intricate patterns. This is disctinctive from the North American styles which is danced in a slot and linear positions.

An essential element is the "Cuba step" (also known as Guapea), where the leader does a backward basic on 1-2-3 and a forward basic on 5-6-7. Usually the fourth beat is not counted but is taken into consideration as the "Cuban Tap". The follower does the same, thereby mirroring the leader's movement. Another characteristic of this style is that in many patterns the leader and follower circle around each other.

The cross body lead is an essential step in this style and is referred to as Salida Cubana or as Dile que no in Rueda de Casino Dancing. This move becomes essential in the more complex caca derivative of Cuban Casino leading to the many moves of Rueda, or wheel dance. Here multiple couples exchange partners and carry out moves synchronized by a caller.

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salsa_%28dance%29