Celebrating Salsa Music

Jorge:
I was born and raised in Bolivia, but I’m also the son of a Mexican mother, so salsa dancing was part of everyday life. On the radio during bumpy bus rides, at family parties dancing with cousins, or while walking through the city at night and seeing couples, young and old, dancing in the plaza. I remember my first salsa class in high school; I wasn’t the best, but it was fun. Salsa transcends generations, and it’s almost impossible not to smile when you hear it, especially the classics, many of which we used for this video!

Xoana Herrera:

Salsa is part of the Latin cultural heritage that lives in our bodies and communities. For me, it represents joy, resilience, and the ability to connect through rhythm and movement. Growing up surrounded by music and dance, I feel it is something that flows naturally in our veins. Being able to celebrate salsa through illustration felt deeply personal, it was honoring a tradition that transcends borders and reminds us of our roots while also celebrating diversity and togetherness.

Jorge: We had long dreamed of one day working on a Doodle, and when we heard it was for Hispanic History Month and salsa-themed, we were incredibly excited. It was an incredible opportunity to revisit our memories and roots and to bring the flow and vibrancy of salsa into an animation.

Xoana: My first thought was excitement—I immediately imagined vibrant colors, movement, and characters full of life. I felt honored to be invited to represent such a powerful cultural expression. The idea of capturing dance and music through illustration was inspiring from the start, because it combines two worlds I love: visual storytelling and rhythm. I knew right away that this project would be both a creative challenge and a joyful opportunity to connect with my own cultural background and share it with others.

Jorge: Our main inspiration was the dance itself, the many salsa steps. We watched countless dance videos (and even filmed ourselves dancing!). Salsa is full of coming together and pulling apart, a push-pull tension that we used as a way to transition from scene to scene. We also wanted to visualize the instruments and music in abstraction, while drawing inspiration from the clothing, eras, and environments where salsa made its mark.

Xoana: I drew inspiration from the streets, the people, and the vibrant energy of salsa itself. Watching how bodies move together, the gestures, the spontaneity of the dance—it all guided my strokes. I imagined salsa as something vital and contagious, where color and gesture are inseparable. The chromatic palette came to me instantly, full of warmth and intensity, reflecting both the music and the spirit of Latin culture. I wanted the characters and lines to feel alive, like the dance itself, carrying rhythm in every detail.

Jorge: I want people to enjoy it, to smile, to feel the flow of the dance, and to catch a glimpse of the songs that have shaped not only countless genres of music but also entire generations.

Xoana: I hope people feel the joy and vitality that salsa brings, not just as a dance, but as a celebration of life and community. Salsa is about connection, rhythm, and emotion shared through movement. My wish is that viewers are reminded of the beauty of cultural heritage, of how traditions live on in our bodies and spirits. I want the Doodle to transmit a sense of freedom, diversity, and togetherness, an invitation to celebrate Latin culture and the universal language of music and dance.