Salsa Cubana for Beginners

Salsa Cubana is one of the most accessible types of salsa. Its moves are simple yet elegant. It's a circular salsa, so it doesn't need much space.

Because of this, salsa cubana festivals are the most frequent in Russia. Want to join the group of joyful dancers but don't know where to start? Follow these tips, and your training process will bring you immense pleasure.


— Learn the basic step.

Take three rhythmic steps forward, each accompanied by a short pause. Gradually speed up. After three steps, step back. Return. The focus here is not on stride length but on the hips. They should move quickly. Keep that in mind. Repeat several times to solidify. Now you can start adding movements.

— Learn partner positions.

Open position. The man's right hand holds the woman's left hand, his left holds her right. Build opposite. The dancer's fingers wrap around the woman's fingers (imagine holding a vase). Both dancers' hands are at waist level.
Closed position. The man's right hand is on the woman's left shoulder blade. The woman's left hand is on the man's right shoulder. The man's right hand is in the woman's left hand. Raise hands up (as if you want to go to the board to solve a problem), but don't overdo it. They should not be above shoulder level.


— Learn the "dile que no" step ("tell him no").

This step is essential because it logically concludes every figure or position. The man takes a swift step toward the woman on 1, 2, 3. The partner steps away from the man on beat 5, making a crescent shape. The meaning is that during salsa, the woman moves away from the man by spinning around him (says no to him). In the end, partners end up close together but on the opposite side from where they started.

— The Vacilala step without hands.

This step is perfect for smoothly transitioning to freestyle (free dance).
The woman steps forward on "one," turns 360 degrees on 1,2,3. Then moves toward the partner with circular motions on 5,6,7, turning 180 degrees. On 7, turn 90 degrees. During Vacilala, you need to make two steps to the right on the "eight" count and return to the starting position with your partner.
To understand how it works, we recommend watching this video.


— Learn by contrast: "dile que si" ("tell him yes").

This is the just-learned Vacilala but with the addition of hands. In Cubano salsa, most attention is given to hands. The principle of the step is that partners must hold at least one hand; they cannot separate.

"Crossing of hands, crossing of legs, crossing of fates" (B.L. Pasternak).

Remember, the main thing in Cubano salsa is hands. Partners, while turning and doing figures, must not let go of each other's hands. This creates a unique dance. The man seems to "tie" the hands so that they cannot be untangled. Starting to work on this is not difficult. Put on pleasant music, take your partner's hands in yours, and spin around, make random figures, move anywhere, improve coordination.

— Try moving in a circle without thinking about specific steps.

For good dance, it's important that partners can understand each other without words. This is worked on through improvisation. The woman must learn to feel where the man is leading her. The partner must know when to do it. Everything you need comes through free dance.

— Dance with different people.

Everyone has their own style in Cubano salsa. Dancing with another person helps you understand your partner. Then you'll feel their particular way of dancing and can bring something new to your couple.