Dancing: World Salsa Festival ends in Colombia

More than 20 international delegations of professional dancers took part in the 17th edition of the World Salsa Festival.

Spectacular dance moves and strong beat animated the 2-day event in Cali, western Colombia.

Amateur competition also attracted many dancers. In his black and white tuxedo, Andres Leudo champions dancing as the best sport routine.

"I am 57 years old. I jump, laugh and dance as if I were 15. To me, that's life and that's what I recommend to the whole world: dance salsa, don't pay for an EPS (health plan)", he says laughing.

Salsa is extremely popular in South America and the Carribean. The Cuban salsa style or the salsa Rueda, are just two of the 6 main different styles that exist.

"People come from all over the world to learn our style. There are different ways of dancing salsa, but our Cali style has taken the world by storm", salsa school owner Maria Isabel Velez.

Many parts of the world were indeed represented during the festival.

Solo as well as couple competitors from Latin America, Asia or Europe showed off their best moves.

"In Switzerland people mostly know how to dance Salsa Cubana and LA Style Salsa", professional dancer Morganne Guillaume explains.

"I am one of the only people in French-speaking part of Switzerland who teaches Salsa Caleña [Editor's note: also known as Colombian Salsa]. Little by little it is growing and I am very happy to be part of it and to show the joy and the richness of dancing Salsa Caleña."

111 elite dancers were awarded in the different categories in which over a thousand competed to be crowned the best salsa dancers on the planet.

In addition to the dance, the music was also celebrated. Salsa orchestras battled to come off as the best in their categories.

Nearly 30,000 people attended the closing ceremony in late October.