How to Salsa

Guide Note

Thanks to the influence of Caribbean and Latin American musicians over the decades, Salsa has become one of the most popular forms of social dancing in the United States.

How to Salsa will introduce you to the basics of Salsa and give you a few general tips to help guide your initiation into the world of Salsa dance.

Table of Contents

Introduction

  • Salsa refers to a combination of informal dance styles with roots in Latin America, the Caribbean and North America. It sometimes feels that there are as many variations on Salsa as there are dancers. Fortunately, the basics of Salsa apply across the board and are easy to learn. If you can walk, you can Salsa. So, let's get started.

Salsa Music

(Creative Commons photo by Rodrigo Basaure)
(Creative Commons photo by Rodrigo Basaure)
  • Ethnomusicologist Sue Steward cuts through the debate by describing Salsa as, "a mixture of Spanish and African music, filtered through the music histories of Cuba and Puerto Rico, and adapted by Latin jazz and Latin popular musicians for Latino populations with diverse musical tastes."
  • The most important thing to remember about Salsa music for dancers is that its basic step is performed over eight counts - two measures of four beats each. There are typically three steps per measure with a single count hold. Where that hold comes - on the first, second, third or fourth beat - depends on the type of Salsa dance you're doing.
  • The following Salsa tunes will give you a sense of what the music sounds like. If you are having trouble counting the rhythm, check out SalsaLessons.com online rhythm tool that will count along with the music for you.


SeeqPod Music beta - Playable Search

Holding Your Partner

  • There are several different types of holds you'll see performed by Salsa dancers. Regardless of the type of hold you use, there is always a leader and a follower. Traditionally, the leader is a man, and the follower is a woman. Obviously, you can mix up this formula. Just be sure that you've agreed upon your roles before you begin dancing.
  • As a beginner learning the basic step, you'll want to start out with either the Closed or Double Open Hold described below:

Closed Hold

Closed Hold (Photo by Mahalo)
Closed Hold (Photo by Mahalo)
  1. Face your partner. You should be standing approximately six inches away from each other.
  2. Maintain good posture with your head up and shoulders relaxed.
  3. LEADER: Place your right hand slightly below your partner's left shoulder blade. Your right arm should remain firm—lifted at a 90 degree angle from your body.
  4. FOLLOWER: After your partner has placed his or her hand on your shoulder blade, place your left arm on your partner's right arm. Your left hand should gently grasp your partner's shoulder or upper arm.
  5. LEADER: Take your partner's right hand in your left hand. Your hands should be raised to the eye level of the shorter partner.
  6. FOLLOWER: Rest your right hand in your partner's left hand.

Double Open Hold

  1. Face your partner. You should be standing approximately six inches away from each other.
  2. Maintain good posture with your head up and shoulders relaxed.
  3. Leader holds follower's left hand in his or her right hand and the follower's right hand in his or her left hand.
    • You're essentially taking the hands of the person standing across from you. The leader's places his palms up, and the follower cups his or her hands in the shape of a "C" and places them on top of the leader's hands.

Single Hold

  • This is the same as the double open hold except you release one hand so you and your partner are only holding hands on one side. (Leader's left to follower's right or vice versa.) You'll typically see this hold shortly before a turning move or during a backwards break.
Double Open Hold (R) and Single Hold (L) (Photo by Mahalo)
Double Open Hold (R) and Single Hold (L) (Photo by Mahalo)

The Basic Salsa Step

  • The basic Salsa step is performed over two four-beat measures—meaning that you'll be working with a count of 8. Which beat of the measure you start dancing on will depend on the type of Salsa you are performing. For the sake of simplicity, this guide will start the first step on the first beat of every measure. Meaning that you will dance on the 1-2-3, hold on 4, dance on the 5-6-7 and hold on 8. (You'll sometimes hear dance instructors counting this as "Quick-Quick-Slow-Quick-Quick-Slow" because of the hold on the fourth beat.)

Leader's Part

  1. Stand in the closed or double open hold facing your partner with your feet together.
  2. COUNT ONE: Step forward on your left foot.
  3. COUNT TWO: Transfer weight back on your right foot without moving it.
  4. COUNT THREE and FOUR: Bring left foot back, next to your right foot. Hold for one beat.
  5. COUNT FIVE: Step back on your right foot.
  6. COUNT SIX: Transfer weight back on your left foot without moving it.
  7. COUNT SEVEN AND EIGHT: Bring right foot back, next to your left foot. Hold for one beat.

Follower's Part

  1. Stand in the closed or double open hold facing your partner with your feet together.
  2. COUNT ONE: Step back on your right foot.
  3. COUNT TWO: Transfer weight back on your left foot without moving it.
  4. COUNT THREE and FOUR: Bring right foot back, next to your left foot. Hold for one beat.
  5. COUNT FIVE: Step forward on your left foot.
  6. COUNT SIX: Transfer weight back on your right foot without moving it.
  7. COUNT SEVEN AND EIGHT: Bring left foot back, next to your right foot. Hold for one beat.

Sideways Basic or Side Break

  • The sideways basic is the same as the basic except instead of stepping forward and backward, you step to the left and the right. (See the video below.)

Backwards Basic or Back Break

  • The backwards basic is the same as the basic except you step backwards both times you perform the 1-2-3-Hold move. (You and your partner are stepping back at the same time.) This is step is typically performed in the Single Hold, meaning that you drop one hand each time you step back. The hand you drop correlates to the foot you step back on.
  • The following video demonstrates both the side and back breaks:

Intro to Salsa Dancing

Additional Salsa Moves

  • Once you've master the basic Salsa step, you can start to add all kinds of turns, combinations, drops and footwork solos to your dancing. There are dozens of instructional videos online to get you started, and the podcast Addicted2Salsa covers all kinds of exciting dance floor moves on a regular basis.
  • The following links will lead you to instructional videos which cover the most common Salsa turns and moves. If you ever get in over your head on the dance floor, just remember that you can always return to the ever-trusty basic move.

General Salsa Dancing Tips

(Creative Commons photo by Ananth BS)
(Creative Commons photo by Ananth BS)
  • Now that you've got the basic step down and know the rhythm of the music, it's time to give Salsa dance a try. If there isn't a club near you that plays Salsa music, you can always find a dance studio that offers lessons or throw a Salsa party all your own.
  1. Salsa is a spot dance—meaning that you don't travel across the floor. You and your partner stay in one spot. Good thing, too. Salsa dance floors can get crowded.
  2. The hip movement you see Salsa dancers doing is sometimes called "Cuban motion." If you do your footwork correctly, your hips will follow naturally. You don't need to force it.
  3. Leaders should not pump their left arm up and down while dancing.
  4. Step on the ball of your foot first, then the heel.
  5. The faster the music, the smaller your steps should be.
  6. Don't grip your partner too tightly, and never press against your partner's thumb.
  7. Look at your partner's face or where you're traveling to in a turn. Never, ever look down.
  8. Some Salsa clubs or studios offer free, introductory lessons. Look at your local dance studio and club listings for more information.

Subscribe to Mahalo's Weekly How To Email Newsletter

  • Get our best How To tips and ideas in your inbox each week

Resources for How to Salsa

How to Salsa Podcast and Videos

Related Searches

Salsa Dancing | How to Dance | How to Waltz | How to Breakdance | Cuba | Tap Dancing | Ballet | Swing Dancing | Ballroom Dancing | Dancing with the Stars | So You Think You Can Dance



Have any great tips on How to Salsa? Post your thoughts to the discussion board or email them to Julia: Julia at mahalo dot com.