Salsa can definitely be an intimate dance. I have danced Salsa for many years and with many different partners. The intimacy part of Salsa really depends mostly on who you are dancing with and what your intentions are.

Is Salsa Dancing Intimate? Salsa is intimate in the sense that two people are in physical contact with each other. For the most part though, it is not a close contact type of dance. There are times that when dancing salsa, the partners may get very close to each other to showcase a form of intimacy. But the dance does not really lend itself for much intimacy as a whole.

Salsa has the potential for intimacy, but I think it is more of a fun, high energy, flirty dance. However, there are certain factors that could potentiate an intimate scenario while dancing it.

In this article I will cover certain aspects of the dance and factors that may or may not contribute to the potential intimacy of the dance and the impact it may have on couples that dance with other people.

Is There A Lot Of Physical Contact?

When it comes to the degree of physical contact necessary to dance salsa it is very minimal.

The leader will generally have his right hand on the follower’s left shoulder blade and his left hand will support the follower’s right hand in front of him.

The distance between the partners is generally about two feet. This is a distance that stays rather consistent throughout the dance.

All the patterns in salsa consist of a lot of intricate patterns and turns. The opportunity for close contact with the partner is very minimal.

To have close contact with your partner during salsa, they would have to be led intentionally into that and would most likely contrast with most of the elements of the dance.

It would be a very obvious intention that the leader is intentionally leading a move that has close body contact. This usually done for effect.

But the dance as a whole can be danced with no body contact throughout the dance. The only contact required is through the ladies shoulder blade and the holding of her right hand.

The General Feel Of The Dance

Salsa is a fast paced dance with many intricate patterns and turns.

The music is fast and has a high energy level to it.

I would say that it is very similar to swing dance. If you watch swing dance, it does not look intimate at all, unless you are watching west coast swing.

Traditional single time swing, east coast swing, or jive are very fun dances and don’t have an intimate feel at all.

Salsa is kind of like the Latin version of swing. It is very similar as far as being a fast paced dance and the lack of intimate opportunities.

Is The Music Intimate?

The music that is danced to in Salsa is also a very high energy music.

It would be a stretch to consider it to have an intimate feel. Its very fun music and inspires fast movement rather than something slow and intimate.

I would have to say though, that the music can sometimes beg for a bit flirtation, which definitely contrast it from swing dance.

Salsa Is Sexy

Salsa is definitely a sexy dance.

It gives both partners an opportunity to display their masculinity or femininity in a sexy way. So that being said, it does offer up a bit of an opportunity for flirting.

The dance can inspire this. As far as an intimate feel, I would have to say, that is not the case.

Can Salsa Be Danced In Just A Fun Way Without The Sexy Flirtation?

The answer to this is most definitely yes.

In fact, most of the time that I am dancing salsa, it is done in more of the way of a fun sport rather than the intentions of an intimate encounter.

But obviously this all comes down to intentions.

If you are a single person looking to flirt and show of for another person, then I would say that salsa is a great way to do it.

Salsa Is A Great Way To Break The Ice

The great thing about salsa dancing is the opportunity to get to meet other people. Whether you are looking for friends or you are looking for that special someone, salsa can be a great way to get close to someone and break that ice that eventually leads to other conversations.

Salsa dancing usually has a community of dancers and once you get into that community you will find yourself meeting quite a few of people.

Its great having that option and opportunity to go out and meet people and have something in common with them right away.

And if you are looking for that special someone , how great would that be if you met dancing. To be able to go out and dance as a couple and showcase your relationship would be amazing.

So in the sense of being able to meet people a little bit easier through salsa, I would say that it is intimate enough for that to happen.

But maybe that’s just the right amount of intimacy. Just enough to be able to get to know some other people.

Is it okay for my significant other to dance salsa with other people?

This really comes down to each individual couple and the dynamics of their relationship.

Some people have a really hard time with letting their partner dance with other people.

When you take into account that when you dance with someone it is a great icebreaker to get to know them, that may be an understandable reason for you to be disturbed about having your partner dance with someone else.

I tend to believe that if your relationship is a great relationship to begin with, then trust should ultimately prevail. It can be hard watching your partner in someone else’s arms and that is entirely natural and understandable.

But I think once you started throwing down a lot of rules in your relationship and start restricting freedoms, I think that is when things start to go south.

I believe that being able to dance as a couple and share that within a community of salsa dancers, it is really a positive thing for a relationship.

I ultimately think that at the end of the day it will strengthen the relationship and not hinder it. If it does hinder the relationship then i would have to seriously think as to whether the relationship was actually meant to be.

Final Thoughts

Salsa is intimate in that the partners must be in physical contact with each other in order to dance it.

But as for the overall feeling of the dance, it is not a very intimate dance. The music is fast and has a high energy feel to it that inspires the dancers for the fast intricate patterns and turns that they execute.

It is way more of a fun dance like swing dance and inspires a more sport mentality. It can be a flirty dance and allow each partner to showcase their femininity or masculinity in a sexy way.

For this reason it does give people the opportunity to dance and flirt with someone they are attracted to. It is a great icebreaker and at the very least it is a great way to meet other people who have the same interest.

The effects of salsa dancing on a relationship can be very positive but can also bring out peoples insecurities and fears.

But overall I think that a couple that dances together is heading in a great direction in terms of the quality they have in their relationship.

Salsa can be intimate depending on who you are dancing with and the intentions you have towards that person.

I think the level of intimacy is measured by the intensity of eye contact you have with that person and the connection you feel.

Is Salsa Dancing Intimate?