Salsa is a latin style of music that has many influences. The word salsa literally means "sauce". The roots of salsa are firmly planted in the Afro- Spanish musical traditions of Cuba. In the 1950's Salsa gained tremendous popularity largely due to New York's influx of Puerta Ricans and their distinctive influence. Salsa music is very rhythmical and every instrument having a percussive identity. The foundation of Salsa music is "clave". Claves are pushes, little tugs, or checks given by the man at the right time in the momentum of the dance letting the follower know what to expect next.