Basic Salsa Dance Moves

These are the basic salsa dance moves that you will learn within the first 6 weeks of salsa class. Learn these steps until they feel natural and you no longer have to think about them. When you can carry a conversation and do the steps at the same time, then you have mastered the move.

Before you begin, please take the time to read and understand the section "How to read this list".

How to read this list

Numbered items 1.2.3..5.6.7.. represent the beats you step on. Notice that beats 4 and 8 aren't numbered. On these beats you hold the step that you did on 3 and 7.

Don't worry, you'll see what I mean.

The step to be performed is always shown after the numbered beat. Moves that are mentioned within a listed step will always appear in bold before the beat. Example: Basic Step 1.2.3. 4. lift left hand up This means do the basic step on 1. 2. and 3. on the fourth beat, lift the left hand up.

Notes and descriptions are shown within parenthesis.

Back Break Back

This step is the same for the men and women.

You may want to check out the animated Back Break Back Step.

Back Break Left

Back Break while swinging left (counterclockwise) 1.2.3..

(Right foot should point to front of room and left foot should step behind right)

Check out the Back Break Left Animation here.

Back Break Right

Back Break while swinging right (clockwise) 1.2.3..

(Left foot should point to front of room and right foot should step behind left)

Check out the Back Break Right animation here.

Check Forward Left

1. Step forward with left just in front of right. (Left toe is pointed to the left)
2. Right foot in place
3.. Left foot closes next to right

Check Forward Right

1. Step forward with right just in front of left. (Right toe is pointed to the right)
2. Left foot in place
3.. Right foot closes next to left
Check out the Forward Break Animation here.

Side Step Left

1. Step to the side with your left foot
2. Right foot in place
3.. Left closes next to right

Side Step Right

1. Step to the side with your right
2. Left foot in place
3.. Right closes next to left

Slide Step Left

Back Break Right 1.
Side Step Left (you will step diagonally forward) 2.
3.. Slide your right foot as you close it next to your left.

Spot Turn

1. Forward on left
2. Keep your left foot in place as you half turn clockwise with weight on right foot
3..Swing around half turn on right foot
Do second half of Basic Step 4.5.6..

Spot Turn Girl

(girl turns clockwise)
Basic Step 1.2.3..
Basic Step 5.6.7.. (on 5. Lift left hand with fingers pointed to left to turn the girl. on 6. Girl turns. )

Guy's Spot Turn

1. Hold her right hand with your left with left hand on top, step forward with left
2. Half turn with weight on right foot, switch hand holds when back faces girl. (right hand faces up)
3.. Swing around to do half turn on right foot
Spot turn girl 5.6.7..

Cross Body Lead

1. Forward on left
2. Right foot in place
3.. Turn your body a quarter turn counterclockwise as you step with your left foot Back Break on right (girl steps across you at the same time) 5. 6. Left foot in place and swinging left 90 degrees 7.. Right foot closes next to left

Enchufla

(In this salsa dance move, you will switch places with your partner)
Back Break Back on left 1.
2. Lift left hand up to look at your watch position and let girl cross under arm while turning on your right foot , (left foot is stepping forward at the same time while turning on right foot. You should have made a 180 degree turn.)
3. Close left foot next to right
Basic Step 5.6.7..

Pick The Girl Up

Enchufla 1.2.3..
5. Step back on right (There should be a pulling tension to pull the girl in)
6. Left foot in place (Start to pick the girl up)
7.. Step forward on right (Right foot does not close next to left, but step forward. Girl should now be at your side in the L position)

Brush hair (Carress)

1. Forward on left while right hand is going over head.
2. Right foot in place
3.. Left foot closes next to right. Release right hand at shoulder
5. Catch right hand of girl with left hand and put over your head
6. Left foot in place
7.. Right foot closes next to left. Release left hand at shoulder

That's it for the Basic Salsa Dance Moves Part I. Move on to the Basic Salsa Dance Moves Part II after you can do the moves in Part I while carrying on a conversion.

Comments

How do you know when your ready to move on? Practice all the Basic Salsa Dance Moves until you can carry a conversation while doing them.

You'll find that you may forget some of the basic salsa dance moves and need to refer back to this page, but that's ok. Keep on practicing and soon enough you're body will start to remember them on its own!

Basic Salsa Dance Moves Part 2

These are the basic salsa dance moves part 2 that I learned in weeks 6 to 12. You'll notice that the difference between these set of moves and the first set of basic salsa dance moves are the turns.

Inside Turn

(This is a girls counter clockwise turn during a cross body lead)
Cross Body Lead 1.2.3..
5. Lift left hand up to 'look at your watch' position and back break on right
Finish Cross Body Lead on 6.
girl turns 7..

Enchufla Doble

(Similar to echufla, but you stop girl and go back to start position)
1. Back on left foot
2. Lift left hand up and step right foot in place and stop girl (put your right hand on her back left shoulder)
3.. Left foot closes next to right
Back Break Right 5. (while sending girl out back to start position)
6. Left foot in place while turning left 90 degrees
7.. Right foot closes next to left

Coca Cola Turn

Cross Body Lead 1.2.3..
Inside Turn into L position 5.6.7.. (on 7 you over turn slightly)
Check Forward Left into Cross Body Lead 1.2.3.. 5.6.7..

Girls Check Turn

5. Step back with right foot. Turn her in by pulling your right hand slightly towards yourself. (Begin turning your left hand and raising into 'look at your watch' position)
6. Left foot in place. Turn her out counterclockwise by using your left hand.
7.. Right foot closes next to left.

Guys Check Turn

Check Forward Left on 1. and put your right hand on top of girls right hand
2. Right foot in place while turning 180 degrees counter clockwise
3.. Left foot lands forward of right foot
5. Right forward as you switch holding the girl from your right hand to your left hand. (hold girls right hand with left hand underneath and facing up)
6. Turn left by pivoting on your right foot. Your left foot stays in place while you pivot.
7.. Right foot closes next to left.

Shadow Girl

Hold girls right hand with your right hand. (this is handshake hold) Left hand is free.
Cross Body Lead 1.2.3..
5. As you back break with right foot, extend right arm and turn left.
6.7.. Stop girl with your left hand on her left shoulder and right hand on her right shoulder.
Basic Step 1.Girl checks forward 2. Girl turns toward guy 3..
Spot Turn Girl 5.6.7..

Sombrero

Hold the girl in handshake hold. Also hold her left hand with your left hand. Your hands are crossed with right over left. This is a girls spot turn but using both hands
Basic Step 1.2.3..
Spot Turn Girl 5.6.7.. (Lift the right hand before the left. Do not lift both hands at the same time)
(Left Hand is over your right hand now.)
Cross Body Lead 1. Step forward on left while raise your left hand over and behind your head and your right hand over and behind her head.
2. Right foot in place while releasing hand holds. Catch girl on back with right hand to lead her across for rest of Cross Body Lead. 3..
Finish Cross Body Lead 5.6.7..

Comments

That's it! These are the basic salsa dance moves part 2 that I learned in class. If any of these aren't clear, then let me know!

How do you know when your ready to move on? Practice all the Basic Salsa Dance Moves Part 2 until you can carry a conversation while doing them.

You'll find that you may forget some of the basic salsa dance moves and need to refer back to this page. That's ok. Keep on practicing and soon enough you're body will start to remember them on its own!

Please check back every so often. I will be adding pictures and illustrations to the basic salsa dance moves part 2 page soon.

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