Salsa Dance Steps ~ Just Salsa
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Salsa Dance Steps

Salsa Dance Styles

There are many different styles of Salsa dance popular today. Each style represents the cultural preferences of dancers. You can be sure that Salsa dancers from other cities, neighborhoods, or other times, dance differently. Each Salsa dance style has its own distinct characteristics. The names of the styles are based on the people or geographic area that popularized them. Also, Salsa can be danced while accenting different beats in the music. Here we will describe the Salsa Dance that accentuates the "1", "2", or "3" beat in the Music. This is commonly called dancing "on-1", "on-2", or "on-3" respectively.

Salsa Dance Step Timing

The way the dance steps fit into the music is called the "step timing" or just "timing" for short.
The word cadence means to marking time or keeping time
The timing of the dancer's steps to the music is important to archive a fluid dance. There are numerous timings popular in Salsa today. Salsa can be danced in various styles by accenting different beats in the music
As in all music the rhythm and the melody in Salsa music compete for the listener's attention. In addition in Salsa Music the Rhythm and the Melody are syncopated or "off-beat" from one another. Salsa Music is commonly written in four beats per measure time signature. In salsa dance the Dancer uses two measures of the music to complete one cycle in their basic dance. One measure is for the left side and the other is for the right side of the body.

Follow the Leader

Traditionally in Salsa Dance the Man is the Leader and the Woman is the Follower. Together the Leader and the Follower are known as Dance Partners or simply Partners. The Man guides the woman by giving her "claves", These "claves" are little tugs, pushes, or checks given at the right time in the momentum of the dance that let the Follower know when to turn, hesitate, dip, cross-body, etc.

Closed Position = Partner Contact

The Salsa Basic Dance Step is danced in closed, also called "European", position with the Man facing the Woman.
There are four points of Contact between the Man and the Woman.
1.) The Man takes the Woman's Right Hand with his Left Hand.
2.) The Man places his Right Hand on the Woman's back.
3.) The woman places her Left hand on the Man's shoulder.
4.) The Man and the Woman look into each others Eyes.

Salsa On~2 The Razz M' Tazz Step

Basic Salsa Step ~ Man's Timing.

The numbers below represents the beat of the music. Your weight should be on the foot mentioned by the time the beat occurs in the music. Break" means stepping forward quickly and rocking back in essences Breaking your momentum. Remember to Dance light on your toes and have FUN!.
Start with both of you feet together.
1.) Hold the Beat
2.) Step forward with your Left Foot
3.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
4 ) Step back with your Left Foot
5.) Hold the Beat
6.) Step back with the Right Foot
7.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
8 ) Step forward with your Right Foot
Repeat Step 1

Basic Salsa Step Diagram ~ Man's Timing.

Salsa Step Diagram

Basic Salsa Step ~ Woman's Timing.
Start with both of you feet together

5.) Hold the Beat
2.) Step back with the Right Foot
3.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
4 ) Step forward with your Right Foot
5.) Hold the Beat
6.) Step forward with the Left Foot
7.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
8 ) Step back with your Left Foot
Repeat Step 1

Practice Music Juan Carlos Formwel Track 6


Salsa On~2 The Eddie Torres Step

Basic Salsa Step ~ Man's Timing.

The numbers below represents the beat of the music. Your weight should be on the foot mentioned by the time the beat occurs in the music. Break" means stepping forward quickly and rocking back in essences Breaking your momentum. Remember to Dance light on your toes and have FUN!.
Start with both of you feet together.
1.) Step forward with your Right Foot
2.) Break forward with your Left Foot
3.) Step weight back onto your Right Foot
4 ) Hold this beat.
5.) Step back with your Left Foot
6.) Break back with the Right Foot
7.) Step weight forward onto your Left Foot
8 ) Hold this beat
Repeat Step 1

Basic Salsa Step Diagram ~ Man's Timing.

Salsa Step Diagram

Basic Salsa Step ~ Woman's Timing.
Start with both of you feet together

1.) Step back with your Left Foot
2.) Break back with your Right Foot
3.) Step weight back onto your Left Foot
4 ) Hold this beat.
5.) Step forward with your Right Foot
6.) Break forward with the Left Foot
7.) Step weight back onto your Right Foot
8 ) Hold this beat
Repeat Step 1

Practice Music Band/Artist: El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico
Album: 30th Anniversary Song: Un Verano en Nueva York


Salsa On~1 Los Angeles Style

Basic Salsa Step ~ Man's Timing.

The numbers below represents the beat of the music. Your weight should be on the foot mentioned by the time the beat occurs in the music. Break" means stepping forward quickly and rocking back in essences Breaking your momentum. Remember to Dance light on your toes and have FUN!.
Start with both of you feet together.
1.) Break forward with your Left Foot
2.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
3 ) Step back with your Left Foot
4.) Shift your weight on to your Left Foot
5.) Step back with the Right Foot
6.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
7 ) Step forward with your Right Foot
8.) Shift your weight on to your Right Foot
Repeat Step 1

Basic Salsa Step Diagram ~ Man's Timing.

Salsa Step Diagram

Basic Salsa Step ~ Woman's Timing.
Start with both of you feet together

1.) Step back with the Right Foot
2.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
3 ) Step forward with your Right Foot
4.) Shift your weight on to your Right Foot
5.) Step forward with the Left Foot
6.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
7 ) Step back with your Left Foot
8.) Shift your weight on to your Left Foot
Repeat Step 1

Practice Music Tito Puente, Pa' Los Rumberos


Salsa On~3 Cuban-Style

Basic Salsa Step ~ Man's Timing.

The numbers below represents the beat of the music. Your weight should be on the foot mentioned by the time the beat occurs in the music. Break" means stepping forward quickly and rocking back in essences Breaking your momentum. Remember to Dance light on your toes and have FUN!.
Start with both of you feet together. Note you start on the 3rd beat of the musical bar.
3.) Break forward with your Left Foot
4.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
5 ) Step back with your Left Foot
6.) Shift your weight on to your Left Foot
7.) Step back with the Right Foot
8.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
1 ) Step forward with your Right Foot
2.) Shift your weight on to your Right Foot
Repeat Step 1

Basic Salsa Step Diagram ~ Man's Timing.

Salsa Step Diagram

Basic Salsa Step ~ Woman's Timing.
Start with both of you feet together. Note you start on the 3rd beat of the musical bar.

3.) Step back with the Right Foot
4.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
5 ) Step forward with your Right Foot
6.) Shift your weight on to your Right Foot
7.) Step forward with the Left Foot
8.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
1 ) Step back with your Left Foot
2.) Shift your weight on to your Left Foot
Repeat Step 1

Practice Music Los Van Van


Salsa On~2 JustSalsa-Step

Basic Salsa Step ~ Man's Timing.

The numbers below represents the beat of the music. Your weight should be on the foot mentioned by the time the beat occurs in the music. Break" means stepping forward quickly and rocking back in essences Breaking your momentum. Remember to Dance light on your toes and have FUN!.
Start with both of you feet together.
1.) Shift your weight on to your Right Foot
2.) Step forward with your Left Foot
3.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
4 ) Step back with your Left Foot
5.) Shift your weight on to your Left Foot
6.) Step back with the Right Foot
7.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
8 ) Step forward with your Right Foot
Repeat Step 1

Basic Salsa Step Diagram ~ Man's Timing.

Salsa Step Diagram

Basic Salsa Step ~ Woman's Timing.
Start with both of you feet together

1.) Shift your weight on to your Left Foot
2.) Step back with the Right Foot
3.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
4 ) Step forward with your Right Foot
5.) Shift your weight on to your Right Foot
6.) Step forward with the Left Foot
7.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
8 ) Step back with your Left Foot
Repeat Step 1

Practice Music Juan Carlos Formwel Track 6

Glossary

Choreography: Greek name, indicating to describe a dance in writing and drawing. The smile is the dance of the face, and the dance is the smile of the limbs.

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