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.

• 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.

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.

• 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.

• 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.)

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.

• YouTube Video: How to Dance the Basic Salsa (Time: 1:41)

• 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.)

• 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.