The Black Roots of Salsa: The Emancipation of Cuban Rumba (2010)

A historical journey into dancing and music of the Afro-Cuban culture. This documentary unwinds the complexity of many traditional and cultural movements in Cuba. The deeply rooted approach to the life of the descendants of historically deported African slaves is expressed in the Cuban 'Rumba'. The traditions are carried on through the generations, and it is shown how they evolve and how they are conserved. Showing the personality of each of the artists in their cultural work, it discovers the Afro-Cuban religions as performances and manifests their influence on one of the most progressive movements of today's music and dance performance. Without the rhythmic pattern, called 'Clave', originating in the 'Abakua' tradition, the world-known 'Salsa' would not exist.