Salsa Steps - A Guide to Styles

So you want to learn Salsa, but are not sure what style to learn? Or you have been dancing for a while, but want to explore some other Salsa steps that you saw somewhere? Well this is a guide that will tell what the different styles of Salsa steps are all about.

You might wonder why there are so many different styles of Salsa steps. The reason is that Salsa had so many different influences, which led to different styles of dancing. Also, every region in the world dances Salsa a bit differently and adds its unique flavour to the many styles. However, these styles aren't fixed and set in stone. They are quite fluid and forever changing.

Most of the styles you hear about are associated with a geographic area, where this style was invented and is predominantly danced. This also means that if you live in one of those areas you might find that most teachers teach that particular style. The different kinds of styles are differentiated by foot patterns, body movement, turns and figures, attitude and the influence of other dances.

The first style I want to talk about is Los Angeles style Salsa, which is influenced by Mambo, Argentine Tango and Swing. The essential steps in this style are the forward and backward basics and the cross-body lead. This style is danced strictly in a slot and there's no traveling on the dance floor. This sounds quite restricting, but actually L.A. Salsa steps are very flashy and explosive, with a lot of flips, jumps and spins. L.A. Salsa is danced on 1, which means that a slightly more pronounced step is taken on the first beat.

New York style is mostly danced on 2, but there are people who dance this style on 1. New York Salsa steps focus on the exactness of execution of the often complex patterns. Similarly to L.A. style it avoids travelling and is danced on the spot. Also, frequently the dance partners separate and dance solo for a while.

Cuban salsa is popular not only in Cuba but also in Miami, China and Europe. The Guapea step is the essential element in this type of Salsa, and it is characterised by opposite movements, which means that the dance partners move towards each other and then separate again. There is also a cross-body lead, which is called Dile Que No. Cuban Salsa steps are characterised by a circular movement pattern, which means the dancers travel around each other while dancing. Cuban is also often danced as Rueda de Casino, which is a form of line dancing. The couples form a circle and execute the moves being shouted out by a caller. This also often involves swapping partners, in which the leader leaves the girl he is dancing with and starts dancing with the girl next to him.

I hope this short summary of the 3 most popular styles of Salsa steps has helped you a bit to take your pick. They certainly are all fun, but if you are just starting out you should really pick one style and concentrate on this for a while and maybe later try to learn another.