How to Dance the Dominican Salsa

Dominican salsa, which is the same as the Venezuelan style, falls somewhere between the loose Cuban dancing and the intricate New York style. It also shares many qualities with its Colombian counterpart, with a tap on the spare beat. This dance requires precise timing, but appears relaxed, which is one of the challenges of learning it.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Hold the woman's waist with your right hand (if you are the man), while keeping your left hand at about your partner's eye level. The woman's left hand should be on the man's shoulder. If you do any spins, you should return to this basic position.

2. Dance on the one or the three, which means breaking (stepping) on the first or third beat. Dancing on three is usually reserved for dancing that involves changing partners. Depending on how you learn, the transition to either is quite simple. Just make sure you and your partner are on the same beat.

3. Move in a circular pattern, creating an invisible axis around which to turn. Most dance floors require you to stay inline to avoid bumping other dancers, but during exhibitions or in less crowded spaces, you may also move in a circular trajectory around the floor.

4. Move the left foot first if you are the lead, which is traditionally the man. Break back with the left foot on the first beat. That means stepping back on the left foot, and then quickly rocking your weight in the other direction. The woman should move her right foot first.

5. Shift your weight on the second beat in the opposite direction in which you moved your foot. For example, the man stepped back, so he would continue rocking or leaning forward on the second beat.

6. Bring your feet together by stepping forward on the third beat. The woman would step back. This is called closing your feet.

7. Tap on the spare beat, which ends up placing the basic step at one, two, three, tap, and then five, six, seven, tap. You can simply tap your foot or add a stronger embellishment. Try to use the pause or tap to get in sync if you or your partner have missed a step.

8. Break on the fifth beat by moving forward with your right foot. You should continue the basic step by rocking back before bringing your feet together on the seventh beat. The woman should break forward during this time.

Tips & Warnings

• The New York style of Dominican salsa means dancing on the two to faster music than you'll find in Latin America.
• Many people say dancing salsa is like making love, which means you should be sensual with each move. Use your hips and body to match your partner's moves and flirt on the dance floor.
• Keep your partner close. Dominican salsa does not highlight a specific partner or allow solos. The entire dance is done together with closed arms.