A Story of Music, Dance and Grit: How Devonte Hill Fought to Bring Documentary “Houston: Con Salsa!” to Life
Unexpected Starts
Can a film change the way a city sees itself? Well, Devonte Hill didn’t set out to make that happen, but in the end, he did. And it nearly broke him.
Picture this: a laptop open in a hospital room, the soft hum and beeps of medical machines in the background, a newborn baby several hallways away attached to a CPAP machine cradled in a medical bassinet. On the laptop screen? A timeline packed with interviews, clips, music, and a timeless rich history waiting to be told. Hill, exhausted but driven, edits his first full-length documentary from his wife’s hospital bedside. The project? Houston: Con Salsa!—a groundbreaking love letter to salsa music and dance that helped changed Houston to become the most diverse city in America.
It all started over coffee with local legend and Houston salsa instructor Raul Orlando Edwards. Edwards, the founder of Houston’s first established salsa dance studio Strictly Street Salsa, had spent decades bringing salsa to life in classrooms, stages, and nightclubs across the city. Hill, no stranger to music and dance himself, was immediately intrigued.
"I’ve loved music growing up and I was a part of different dance crews in college. The thought of doing a project that combined music and dance was very intriguing," Hill recalls. "Little did I realize, there was a whole lot more to this story than I ever imagined."
Devonte Hill
Making a Documentary on Salsa
Initially envisioned as a short video, the story Devonte Hill uncovered demanded more. Much more. With a grant from the City of Houston and support from community members like Lloyd Gite (who offered his gallery as a filming location), Hill and a small team dove deep into the layered history of salsa music and dance.
The film reveals how salsa—born from Afro-Caribbean roots and popularized in New York—eventually transformed Houston’s cultural fabric. Before salsa’s arrival, Houston’s latin community was mainly Mexican. Other groups were rarely represented. Through the film, viewers get to meet pioneering figures like Angel Bermúdez, a.k.a. Angelucho, director of Houston’s first salsa music group, Angelucho’s Copacabana, and Raul Orlando Edwards, who helped countless Houstonians find their rhythm on the dance floor.
"Salsa is more than music and fancy movements. It’s about expression. It’s about creativity. It’s a reminder that life is meant to be experienced—and shared with others."
Devonte Hill
The documentary, which spans more than five decades, charts how salsa evolved from an underground music genre into a powerful, unifying cultural force. Through candid interviews, vintage footage, and passionate storytelling, Houston: Con Salsa! uncovers what the city looked like before salsa arrived, and how music and dance reshaped its heartbeat.
The film also explores how salsa continues to evolve. One segment highlights Timba, a high-energy Cuban genre infused with funk and improvisation, which Hill likens to jazz in its complexity and spontaneity. The documentary doesn’t stop there—it touches on reggaeton and the fusion of styles that younger generations are embracing. Rudy Rivera, director of the Texas Salsa Congress, shares how today’s dancers are blending hip-hop moves with salsa, creating a bold new interpretation that’s both rebellious and rooted. It’s not just music—it’s cultural remixing in real time.
Unexpected Turns and Twists
But Devonte Hill’s own journey in making the film is as compelling as the film itself. Midway through production, his wife became seriously ill during a complicated pregnancy. With no budget left and a looming premiere date at MATCH (Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston) Theater, Hill was forced to edit the entire film solo—often from hospital rooms, balancing new fatherhood, caregiving, job responsibilities and creative work. As if things weren’t challenging enough, Hill suffered from health issues of his own after needing surgery to remove an almost ruptured appendix.
"There were many times I wanted to quit this project—too many to count," he admits. "But I remembered the excitement and true appreciation for the work we were doing from all of the people we interviewed. There hasn’t been a project like this before. I didn’t want to let them down."
Devonte Hill
The first premiere in 2024 was rough. Hill was exporting the final cut in the car on the way to the theater. The reception, however, was heartfelt. Audiences connected with the overall story, the spirit, the joy that salsa brings to Houston.
After a much-needed break, Hill returned to the project. With fresh edits, new b-roll, improved audio, and a deeper sense of clarity, he relaunched the film on February 20, 2025, again at MATCH Theater. This time, the vision was more complete. And what made the event even sweeter was that he was able to share that moment with is healing wife and son.
This isn’t just a film. It’s a story of resilience. Of rhythm. Of cultural rebirth.
"This documentary is personal for me," Hill says. "It represents the power of will and determination. It represents the fighting spirit. And above all, it represents the desire to show the world a story that matters. A story that can inspire. Honestly, that’s what Total Medulla is all about.”
Devonte Hill
Houston: Con Salsa! is now available. Watch the film now by going to the Film tab of our website, and stream via Vimeo On Demand.
Interested in hosting a screening or showing the film in your organization or classroom? Contact us via our website form or email.