Salsa is a huge part of social life in Latin America. Dancing is a form of communication that uses body language and physical connection, not words, to form emotional bonds with other people
Salsa dance takes strength and stamina, making it a viable form of exercise. However, unlike traditional workouts—like running on a treadmill or lifting weights—salsa has a social aspect. Salsa has been proven to increase endurance and stamina, boost weight loss, help the body release toxins, and even help to lower heart rate. In September 2005, BBC Sport asserted that salsa is good exercise because of its fast tempo, with dancers burning 200 to 400 calories in a half-hour session. The article also mentioned that this form of exercise can improve cholesterol and lower blood pressure.
Salsa dancing is also a method of releasing tension and negativity, which can lead to a lower stress level. Salsa Beat, website of dance instructor Ivan Rodrigo Garcia, emphasizes that dancing can be helpful in stimulating the brain—a benefit studied and proven by the New England Journal of Medicine, which concluded that dancing may help to reduce risk of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.