How To

How to Do a Salsa Cross Body Lead

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By Gabriella Sannino
eHow Contributing Writer

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Salsa is a Latin dance that has combined and taken many moves from many other dances. The origins of the dance are unknown, but contributions were made to it in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and even in the US. One of the most distinguished moves of this Latin dance is the Cross Body Lead.When the Cross body lead is used in salsa it makes the dance more sensual and seem more difficult, but in fact the cross body lead is not at all a difficult step, and we will tell you how it is done here.There are two types of Cross Body Lead in Salsa, one with a turn and one without and we will go over both here:

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Steps in the Cross Body Lead: The first Cross Body Lead is without a turn

Step 1

Started by the male dancer – the man steps forward with his left foot on beat 1 then he makes a quarter turn to the left on beats 2 and 3. This is done within the three quick-quick-slow basic salsa steps.
Step 2

Lead the lady- He then leads the lady to walk in front of him across his body on the next quick-quick-slow steps.
Step 3

Get out of her way- He needs to step back slightly on his right foot so that he is out of her way then
Step 4

Follows her - on beat 7 he turns and follows.
Step 5

Return - She start walking in front of him again on beat 5
Step 6

Stepping quickly on her right foot, then on her left and follows by turning to face her partner. The cross body lead takes six steps and afterwards the partners return to doing the basic salsa step, where the many begins leading again with his left foot forward.

Tips & Warnings

The steps to do with the Cross Body lead with a turn is the same as the one without a turn except that on beat 6 and 7 the woman is turned to her left and when she comes out of the turn she comes across the man to his other side. She continues with the quick-quick-slow steps while she turns and on beat 7 and ends up facing him on the other side. The cross body lead is not difficult, it actually sounds more difficult than what it truly is. It does take some practice though since the steps are being done in rhythm and to a quick beat.

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