Smartphones, those great devices that allow you to not only make phone calls but also do all sorts of web tasks, are increasingly becoming part of our daily lives. If you have seen the recent Verizon Wireless commercials (like this hilarious video called “Island of Misfits”) you know that these devices mean big businesses for those involved. Indeed, the iPhone, Motorola Droid, and other such devices are changing the way we interact with the world.

Salsa and Latin dancers represent a niche group that can take advantage of these great new devices in the form of phone programs called Apps. Although there are apps for everything from checking your bank accounts to finding movie times, you may not be aware that there are apps specifically for salsa and Latin dancers.

One great example available for the iPhone is the Latin Dance Factory app. This app allows a user to see video demonstrations of footwork, gives you tips for avoiding common pitfalls when leading or following, and provides a great resource overall for any salsa dancer.

Other apps available include the Ballroom Dance Channel app. This app teaches you Latin style dances like salsa, rumba, and samba beginning with simple steps and through big name instructors from shows like “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Apart from learning dance, other apps available on both the iPhone and Android Market can help you become more familiar with different forms of Latin music. Pandora, for example, allows you to build up your own music lists from free internet radio based on your own preferences. If you want to learn about different salsa artists, the program allows for great recommendations based on the salsa music you like to hear.

Other app programs like Shazam help you to learn about Latin music in a different way by allowing you to identify any song by simply playing a snippet of that song. For someone new to salsa and other forms of Latin dance this can you help you become more familiar with artists and expand your knowledge of each genre.

These are just the tip of the iceberg as I’m sure others are working on more apps for all the different smartphones coming out.  If you know of any other good salsa and Latin dance related apps send me a message via Twitter at @RitmoBello.