7 Salsa Moves for Beginners (The Building Blocks for Everything)
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.
You’ve probably heard there are 5 basic steps in salsa dancing. That’s true, and you’ll find all 5 inside move #1 below. We’ve grouped those 5 into one move here, then added 6 more that build directly on them. Together, 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.
Let’s go!
1. Basic Salsa Steps
These are the 5 basic salsa steps everyone starts with. Although there are more, nail these ones first. Get comfortable shifting your weight and learning how to lead and follow the transitions between them. Master these and you’ve got the foundation for every move that follows.
- Salsa basic on the spot
- Salsa basic side to side
- Salsa back basic
- Salsa crossing back basic – often called a cumbia basic, or “quintas” in Colombia
- 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 turn and multiple spins.
Check out 7 Outside Turn Variations to see how the right turn can be combined with the cross body lead.
Multiple spins are a variation of this turn repeated back to back. Once it feels smooth on its own, stacking them gets a lot easier.
3. Left Turn
The left turn is the second turn you’ll learn. 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.
Between the right and left turns, now you can turn both directions. Once you learn the cross body lead, you’ll be able to do traveling right and left turns.
4. Cross Body Lead
The cross body lead is the foundation or essence of this linear style of salsa and how the lead and follow switch places. 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.
If you only have time to drill one move, make it this one. Everything else on this list connects back to it somehow.
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.
It’s also a great way to keep things interesting and add surprise your partner won’t see coming. Most follows love unexpected direction changes.
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.
It looks like a small detail, but it’s a great variation to add in to stop your cross body lead from feeling repetitive.
7. Change of Place / Enchufa
The change of place or what is often called “enchufa” or “enchufla” 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.
FAQ: Basic Salsa Steps for Beginners
What are the basic steps of salsa dancing?
There are 5 basic salsa steps: the basic on the spot, the side basic, the back basic, the crossing behind basic, and the front-to-back basic. Learn these first and everything else builds from here. We cover all 5, plus 6 more moves that build directly on them, in the 7 steps above.
Is salsa dancing hard for beginners?
Not if you start in the right order and get good explanations. Most beginners get overwhelmed because they try flashy moves before the basics. Start with the 7 steps on this page in order and you’ll have a real foundation in a few weeks, not months. We have an online Salsa Program with a 7 day free trial that covers all these basic salsa steps and more.
How many salsa dance steps should a beginner learn first?
There’s no magic number, but if you’re just starting out, the 7 covered here are a great place to start and practice. They cover the basic step, your first two turns, the cross body lead, and three variations that build on it. That’s enough to get out on the social dance floor, have fun and keep learning from there.
What’s the best way to learn salsa as a beginner?
Seeing each move helps you know what to focus on, but salsa is a partner dance, so you’ll learn fastest with feedback on your technique. Our guide on avoiding common beginner mistakes is a good next step, and it also points you to a free trial if you want to try guided lessons.
Want to keep exploring?
Check out the full salsa moves list, from beginner to advanced.
Recommended:
How to Find the Beat in Salsa Music
How to Improve Your Basic Step On1 & On2
7 Inside Turn Variations You Should Know