How can YOU possibly define the MOST popular ?-- where you happen to dance ?
Have danced in latin clubs all over the states since the late 50s and the uk and there is NEVER a set tempo for ANY type of salsa--the different styles of music does not permit that .
Many NYC clubs thrive on Descarga-- down south Miami-- Ga etc-- ALL clubs play ALL speeds .-- Once again -- this NOT ballroom.
The evidence I present is empirical- not opinion-- what YOU like-- thats a different story, and what i play for my beginners classes, generally, in a club situation , is a very small part of any DJs( including me when I play )reportoire .( Personally-- I am not a big fan of dancing to warp speed music, but I respect those that do )
And I have a flash for you-- the so called " world " champ. comps-- of which there are many ? (?)
tend to play primarily Descarga .
Again-- you are displaying your complete lack of knowledge , supplanted by opinion--
As to the present day so called " latin" that is danced-- do not tell this to any latino-- they may fall on the floor with un controllable laughter !!.
Everyone is so brainwashed as to what latin dances are supposed to look. sound and feel like ( dance schools have perpetuated this for multi yrs )--it morphed from " social " dance, to the present day debacle-- you should read what the last meeting by the chairman of one of the world bodies had to say about "latin "-- even he criticised its direction !!
the music selections proffered in the CHA post speaks volumes !!--- but-- weve been down this rd. before.
You need to walk into a " real " latino club, one where no one hardly speaks english , and the clientele are 99% latino-- only then will you start to understand what this culture, music and dance is all about .
( PS-- I was raised on the b/room " style when there was no Cha and no Jive and rumba was sq.-- at least they had that right ! )
The responses I invariably get when I site what is happening in the " real " latino world, are-- " well things have changed " -- or --" youre living in the past"-- and-- my favorite-- " progress ".
The last one might be true to a certain degree, and does have some validity-- but- it has come at the expense of obscuring the integrity of the roots of the genre, in pretty much all cases .