Cuban Salsa in the Netherlands

Cuban salsa is the Cuban branch of the salsa family. Its official name in Cuba is Casino; the label “salsa cubana” came later, to distinguish the style internationally from the New York and North American variants. What sets it apart is the circular motion — dancers orbit an invisible centre — and the focus on connection and improvisation rather than fixed choreography.

The music matters as much as the steps. Cuban salsa leans on Cuban genres like Son, Timba and Songo, with signature breaks, percussion fills, and call-and-response between sonero and coro. Dancers learn to “read” the music and translate their movement to what the band is doing in the moment.

Cuban salsa's direct ancestor is Son Cubano, a fusion of Spanish melody and West African rhythm that emerged in eastern Cuba around 1900. In 1940s and 50s Havana, a social dance developed that would later be called Casino — named after the Casino Deportivo, a social club where the dance caught on with young people.

In the 1970s and 80s, Rueda de Casino emerged: the group version in which multiple couples form a circle and dance the same calls in sync, with partner rotation at its core. Around the same time the Cuban band Los Van Van developed the Songo genre, and in the 1990s Timba broke through — faster, funkier and musically more complex, the soundtrack of the scene ever since.

From the 2000s onwards, Cuban salsa spread worldwide as Cuban dancers and musicians moved to Europe. A recognisable Dutch scene formed from roughly 2005, with schools in Amsterdam and Rotterdam as early engines.

Salsa has three main international strands: Cuban, LA-style (Los Angeles) and NY-style (New York, also known as “On2” or Mambo). They differ in direction, timing, repertoire and feel.

• Cuban — circular, On1, social and improvisation-driven. Strong Afro-Cuban influence, no lifts, little choreography.
• LA-style — linear (in a straight line), On1, heavily choreographed. Known for shows, performances and dramatic dips.
• NY-style — linear, On2 (the break falls on the second beat), elegant and musical. Often danced to classic New York salsa dura.

No style is “better”, but Cuban salsa has a lower barrier for beginners and a stronger community feel, because partner rotation is the norm.

Cuban salsa is not a monolith. Under the umbrella you'll find several overlapping styles on the dance floor:

• Casino — the core technique: partner dance, circular, with turn patterns like dile que no, enchufla and setenta.
• Rueda de Casino — several couples in a circle; a caller (cantante) calls the passes and everyone executes them at the same time, often with partner swaps.
• Son — the oldest style, slower (usually 90–110 BPM), elegant, with a signature pause on the first beat. Perfect for developing your timing and musicality.
• Timba — faster, funkier, with Afro-Cuban breaks (despelote, tembleque, reparto) where partners release each other and dance solo for a moment.
• Afro-Cuban folklore — Rumba (Yambú, Guaguancó, Columbia) and Orisha dances are often taught alongside, because they train the body and a feel for rhythm.

The Dutch Cuban scene is small but active. The Randstad has several weekly socials, and festivals and weekenders run year-round. The biggest clusters are:

• Amsterdam — several schools, weekly Casino and Rueda socials, plenty of Cuban DJs and visiting teachers.
• Rotterdam — strong timba scene, regular parties with live bands.
• The Hague & Leiden — closely connected, shared teachers and events, a relaxed student-town feel.
• Utrecht — centrally located, with a few recurring socials a month.
• Eindhoven, Zwolle, Groningen, Zandvoort — smaller scenes with loyal communities and worthwhile events here and there.

Want to know what's on this week? Check the live calendar or filter by your own city.

The best route for a complete beginner: take an intro workshop, go to a social within the week to practise what you learned, and then sign up for an ongoing 6–10-week course. You don't need a partner, any experience, or special shoes — just shoes you can turn in on a wooden or concrete floor.

Our long-form guide how to learn Cuban salsa walks you through a step-by-step plan, schools per city, and tips for your very first social.