About

Salsa Vida is your guide to the salsa dancing lifestyle

Salsa is the most popular partner dance in the world, danced in nearly every major city across almost every country and continent.

For many of us, salsa is not just a hobby. It’s a lifestyle.

Salsa Vida exists to help you live that lifestyle, whether you’re looking for socials and classes nearby, planning your next festival trip, or going deeper into salsa music, culture, and community.

What you’ll find on Salsa Vida

Salsa Vida is built for dancers and aspiring dancers of all levels. Here are the main sections of the site:

Global salsa event calendar

Find socials, classes, festivals, and congresses, organized by location so you can quickly see what’s happening in your city, your region, or anywhere you’re traveling.
Browse event guides

Festivals and congresses

If you travel for salsa (or want to start), Salsa Vida makes it easy to discover major events worldwide, compare destinations, and plan ahead.
Explore upcoming festivals

Articles, news, and learning resources

We cover the broader salsa lifestyle, including dance, music, culture, community spotlights, and practical guides for beginners and experienced dancers.
Read news | Read articles

Glossary and Dancepedia

New to salsa, or deep in the rabbit hole? Use the glossary and Dancepedia to learn steps, terms, genres, and salsa history faster.
Explore the glossary | Explore Dancepedia

Videos and media

Salsa Vida also features videos and media content, including dance lessons and dance performance videos.
View videos

Merch shop and dancer gear

Support the project, rep the lifestyle, and grab dancer-friendly merch.
Visit the Salsa Vida Shop

Salsa Vida at a glance

• 5,000+ events listed from around the world
• 120+ countries covered with local event calendars
• Guides, news, articles, and dancer resources
• Glossary content for faster learning

Behind Salsa Vida

Hi, I’m Takeshi Young (aka Salsakesh). I’ve been dancing salsa for over 20 years now and it’s been a huge part of my life ever since.

I started dancing in college, and eventually joined local performance teams like Pretty Boys & Girls and Salsamania Dance Company.

I also coach and direct Spartan Mambo, the salsa dance team at San Jose State University, which I founded in 2010. The team has since grown to over 50 members and has won more championships than any other college team.

I’ve also competed internationally in the Pro division at events such as the World Latin Dance Cup and Euroson Latino, and I love all things salsa, from social dancing, performances, travel, photography, videography, and everything in between.

Salsa Vida is how I share my passion and my knowledge, helping more people discover salsa through a comprehensive, well-organized resource that makes it easy to find what you need.

The first version of Salsa Vida launched in 2009. It began as a local site (South Bay Salsa, later Salsa By The Bay), that has since evolved into a global platform.

Today, Salsa Vida covers events and resources worldwide, along with news, articles, glossary content, merch, videos, and more.

We hope you’ll join us on this journey!