Salsa dance steps list: 7 Salsa Moves for Beginners (The Building Blocks for Everything)
7 Salsa Moves for Beginners (The Building Blocks for Everything)
by Robin Campbell
(Dancing on 1 with @johaceta 💃🏽 – not sure what dancing on 1 means? click here)
So many people want to learn salsa, but they just don’t know where to start. The fact every teacher has a different approach and they don’t explain WHY doesn’t help either.
These seven beginner salsa moves are the building blocks for everything in linear style salsa.
Learn them, practice them and read on to understand why they’re so fundamental.
And after if you’d like to learn them, you can try the online Salsa Course completely free for a week here.
Let’s go!
1. Basic Steps
We show you the five most common salsa basics.
Although there are more, nail these ones first. Get comfortable shifting your weight and learning how to lead and follow the transitions between them.
- Salsa basic on the spot
- Salsa basic side to side
- Salsa back basic
- Salsa back basic (crossing) – often called cumbia basic
- Salsa basic front to back
2. Right Turn
The right turn is the first turn you learn and it sets you up for learning the cross body lead outside turns and multiple spins.
3. Left Turn
The left turn is the second turn you’ll learn, so you can turn both ways. This sets you up for cross body lead inside turns. Check out 7 Salsa Inside Turn Variations for a perfect example of how everything is built on fundamentals.
4. Cross Body Lead
The cross body lead is the foundation or essence of this linear style of salsa. The lead gets off the follow’s line of dance, giving them a clear path to cross in front and arrive at the other side, to switch places.
5. Hesitation / Block / Check
All three names are interchangeable. When the leader stops or blocks the follow’s movement and sends them back in the direction they came it’s called a block or check. When you do it during a cross body lead it’s also called a hesitation. You’ll use this concept a ton as you advance, to keep things interesting and surprise the follow.
6. New York Walk
The New York walk is a variation of the cross body lead where the follow pivots to the right, instead of the left, to finish the move.
7. Change of Place / Enchufa
The change of place or what is often called “Enchufa” in Cuban salsa, is the simplest way for the lead and follow to switch positions. There’s lots of fun variations you can do using different handholds. It’s a very common move to use in Cuban and Colombian styles of salsa.
Conclusion
Almost everything in linear salsa is built-off these 7 moves so dedicate time to nailing them!
Want to start learning them now?
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Learn Basic Salsa Steps
The word ‘salsa’ literally means ‘sauce’, usually hot and spicy, and that’s definitely how you would describe salsa dance – zesty, energetic, passionate and sexy.
- Basic steps
- Instructions & Diagrams
- Video
- Recommended Video Lessons »
Quick intro
Salsa is a sensual Latin dance, similar to mambo. Both have a pattern of six steps over eight counts of music and they both share many of the same moves.
The great thing about salsa is that just about anyone can learn it. That’s why it gained vast popularity in the last few decades and is now danced in nightclubs all over the world.
There is a well known saying that is often repeated by dance teachers – if you can walk, you can salsa.
Salsa is the result of combining many Latin and Afro-Caribbean dances, a fusion of Cuban, Puerto Rican and African rhythms. The basic rhythm is quick, quick, slow; quick, quick, slow, using the 1,2,3 and 5,6,7 beats (beats 4 and 8 are skipped). The music is typically around 180 beats per minute, although it can be slower or faster than that.
Basic steps
Salsa is one of the most popular Latin American dances, the main reason being – it’s easy to learn. At first glance it might seem difficult, but the truth is quite the opposite – basic salsa steps can be learned with less than 10 minutes of practice.
Only three steps are made for every four beats with one step to each beat and one beat being skipped. The skipped beat is called a tag, a tap, a kick, a flick, or the like. The steps can be from side to side or forward-backward and in circles.
When dancing you must keep a straight upper body posture and move your hips as much as possible.
Salsa is danced with partners facing each other. It can be danced in closed or open position. Note that salsa steps are very small. The faster the music, which is usually quite fast, the smaller the steps.
Instructions & Diagrams:
Because Salsa allows for a lot of creative improvisation, many different styles have developed over time. But regardless of different styles the basic steps are essentially the same. As a beginner, you should always start at the beginning.
Basic Steps For Men:
You need to start with both feet together. Remember, practice makes perfect.
- Step forward with your left foot (first beat)
- Right foot in place, weight shifts to it (second beat)
- Step backward with your left foot (third beat + pause on fourth beat)
- Step backward with your right foot (first beat)
- Left foot in place, weight shifts to it (second beat)
- Step forward with your right foot (third beat + pause on fourth beat)
Basic Steps For Ladies:
- Step backward with your right foot (first beat)
- Left foot in place, weight shifts to it (second beat)
- Step forward with your right foot (third beat + pause on fourth beat)
- Step forward with your left foot (first beat)
- Right foot in place, weight shifts to it (second beat)
- Step backward with your left foot (third beat + pause on fourth beat)
Video
OK, let’s see how this is done.
In the following video Leon and Kim will show you the fundamental forward & back basic step from all angles. You will also learn the side basic step. Be sure to master this before moving on.
more videos »
Take your time to master these steps and when you’re ready for more, check out the recommended video lessons »
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Salsa for beginners at Sierra Maestra
Salsa lessons are a great way to unload your head and body after a hard day’s work, relax, learn something new and meet new people! And among other things, he will also learn how to dance cool.
Salsa can be danced by everyone without restrictions – there are no concepts of age, physique, social status, physical fitness in it. Yes, salsa – it is! For all!
Many now have the following diagnosis: mired in a routine, the fire in their eyes and soul begins to fade.
If this is about you, you need to help yourself urgently!
Why is salsa loved all over the world?
- Club latina, like all social dances, is first of all fun and excitement! And a very good emotional discharge after a working day.
- Salseros life is bright and interesting, full of hot parties and trips! In Moscow, there are many clubs, discos where you can come, dance and have fun. Also in Moscow, several major events are held annually, which attract salseros from other cities.
- This is very good for your health. By dancing at least 2 times a week, you will stay in good physical shape, because movement is life!
- Salsa incredibly improves your non-verbal communication skills. Why?
- Because in the dance the partner must completely control the dance, follow the partner, think of what movement to do next, and give impulses that are understandable to the partner. Men, your ability to move beautifully is a huge plus in the eyes of girls! Moreover, the gender imbalance in classes and discos is so great that you will not lack attention from girls.
- In girls, salsa develops a special, “cat” plasticity of the body. At first glance, the role of a partner is much easier – you need to be able to feel your partner and respond to his impulses in time, decorate the dance. However, it is not easy to be able to trust a stranger.
If you’ve never trained before, apply for a beginner salsa group. If you have experience – we will select a group for you to continue!
Sign up
Salsa lessons from scratch in our school are as follows:
Warm-up
Needed to warm up your muscles and prepare them for work. In beginner classes, the warm-up is very easy and lasts for 5-10 minutes, then the warm-up becomes more difficult and becomes more like a mini-isolation lesson, which just helps in developing your plasticity and enriches your dance with beautiful body movements.
Part of the solo
Here we go through the movements that we will use both in pair dancing and in solo dancing (after all, even though salsa and pair dance, it must have solo sections).
Is this a mandatory part, and why is it important?
As a rule, beginners in salsa, and in other dances, rarely ever practiced any other dances, and come from scratch. And everyone has a nuance with coordination, with moving the body in space in different directions at different speeds. The solo part helps you a lot to learn how to move to the rhythm, to be able to make different movements and turns. Also on the solo part, we analyze the plasticity of the basic step in salsa
Pair part
Everything is simple here – we get into pairs and start learning pair interaction in salsa and various movements. This is where the magic begins)))
Effective salsa training for beginners:
We have talented and very experienced teachers who have been teaching for years and know exactly how to lead you to a good result in dancing.
Our modern techniques will help you learn to dance in no time. We do not promise you a month, or two, or three. Everyone has a different speed of mastering new information, but with the help of our methods, you will assimilate material at the highest limit of your speed.
We have small groups of up to 15 people and we practice an individual approach. At each lesson, we definitely analyze the nuances and possible errors in the execution of movements, which allows students to better master the material.
We have comfortable halls! Ground floor with windows, air conditioners, mirrors. Of course, with locker rooms, a toilet, a cooler and Wi-Fi. Be sure to tea with sweets, which is nice.
A little about salsa
Salsa (lat. Salsa) is a pair dance from Latin America – the cradle of carefree fun, incendiary rhythms, passionate machos and sultry beauties. Once you enter the world called salsa, you will fall in love with it once and for all!
Salsa dance is expressive, varied and rich in improvisation, it can be both romantic and very energetic! This is a dance-game, a dance-flirt. No wonder they say that salsa is a small life. Indeed, every time you will live a new life, always different, full of unique emotions and sensations! Music forms the mood of the dance, immersing you in an atmosphere of joy and positive!
Like every dance, salsa has its own history.
Salsa means “hot sauce” in Spanish, and this perfectly emphasizes the hot and groovy nature of this dance! Since the middle of the 20th century, dance has been spontaneously formed in Latin American discos, and at the moment we have three salsa styles: the New York style, the casino style, and the Los Angeles style. In Moscow, the first 2 styles prevail, and you can learn them at our school!
Do you want to have another life: bright, colorful, where there is no place for worries and problems?
Then call us and take the first step towards it!
I have been wanting to learn how to dance bachata for a long time, I searched the entire Internet, studying the websites of different schools, reading dozens and hundreds of reviews and, in the end, I chose Sierra Maestra! I couldn’t persuade my friends to come with me, so I was terribly nervous when I went to the first lesson, but as soon as I entered the school, I saw friendly and smiling faces and heard music, the excitement went away and never returned) This place definitely has some kind of force field , which does not allow feelings, problems and anxiety to enter the threshold, I am sure many will confirm this, and such an atmosphere is created by the people who work and study here.
Professional teachers and brilliant dancers who will find an approach to anyone, will help, prompt and teach more experienced students who will definitely support, don’t even hesitate ???? Plus, the school has a convenient evening schedule and affordable prices, which is important! In short, Sierra Maestra one love❤????
Hello everyone! From childhood I was engaged in SBT-dancing, then it was time for the institute, and honestly SBT was already fed up, if it weren’t for performances at city holidays, I would have left long ago =), I wanted something new, new hobbies came in addition to dancing, and dancing remained only for parties with friends… And somehow a couple of years ago my dance friends told me about the world of bachata and salsa, I caught fire and almost didn’t even come to them in some cool school (apparently this also played a role, now it’s not about no matter how much I regret, I don’t like pathos), but at that time it was not possible. Everything calmed down again, it seemed that everything, I would not return to this topic, but somehow a year ago I accidentally saw a video with salsa on the Internet and realized that this time it would not be possible to get this music out of my head so easily – it’s time for salsa come! Everything began to spin, I began to collect information about schools, styles, etc.
Like many here, I was looking for a school at the nearest location to work and a convenient time interval for classes, then I looked for an opportunity to develop, i.e. the presence of multi-level training and, finally, the presence of the style that interests me – NY (on2), although I was ready to turn a blind eye to the latter). And so there were 4 schools on my list! Oddly enough, the choice turned out to be very easy, yes, yes, it happens, everything was decided by the staff, or rather the teachers. After reading the biography of Lena and Bella (at that time I knew which of them would lead my first steps in salsa) and “looking” into their kind eyes in the photo, I realized, or rather felt) that this is the place where it will be good! !! Even just from this photo http://www.smdance.ru/assets/components/phpthumbof/ca.. you understand who your future teacher is, and everything else becomes irrelevant. After the first week, it became clear, what’s the week – the first lesson, that this is the school I was looking for: #Great teachers, each with their own pretty teaching style! #Super positive atmosphere among all groups and directions, even more I will say – family.
#There is everything you need for dancing – small cozy halls, good sound, two #”salso locker rooms” M/F =) #Flexible payment system and nice bonuses for partners! #Often on weekends there are parties where you can have fun dancing and chatting. What else do you need to have fun? So for those who have never practiced, but really want to, or those who want to try something new in dancing and no matter how old you are and what your experience is, I recommend not being afraid, but coming to this wonderful school! P.S. Guys who from the Moscow region ride electric trains along the Gorky direction – an ideal location (15-20 minutes from the Kursk railway station and you are on the floor)
When I decided to try salsa, I was looking for a suitable place for a long time. There are a lot of schools in Moscow. I took trial classes at several schools. The main criterion for me was the location, a convenient schedule of classes at that time. As a result, I started studying at several schools at once, once a week.