Salsa Dance

As the summer sun begins to set over Lake Merritt in Oakland, California, a pulsating rhythm rises up, echoing off the gently rippling waters and softly lit buildings of downtown. At the edge of the lake, a group of about twenty dancers weave in and out from under the vine-covered walkway. The men, stepping in perfect time to the percussion, effortlessly guide their female partners, whose skirts twirl flirtatiously from their swaying hips. Each couple seems to be lost in their own world of music, their eyes locked on only each other, and yet the entire floor throbs as a single heartbeat of movement.

This is the passionate Latin dance of salsa. Every first Sunday during the summer months, East Bay residents congregate at the northeast end of Lake Merritt to show off their salsa dance moves. Some are professionals; their bodies whip around one another in a blur of quick feet and sexy smiles. Others are beginners; their steps are simpler, sometimes only moving forward and back, but there is a spark in their movements as well, a subtle hint of the fire that is salsa.

Of course anyone is welcome to participate in this impromptu dancing out on Oakland's lake, just as anyone is welcome to participate out on any dance floor. However, just as out on any dance floor, you want to have the right moves. Salsa is simply a series of steps to a series of beats. Beginners should start with learning the basics by either taking a class or watching an instructional video on salsa dance moves.

Because dancing is an expression through the body, it is crucial how you hold your body throughout a performance. First, it is important to maintain excellent posture. Keep a straight back and push your shoulders down. An upright position will help you to keep your balance for turns. Also, it adds to the sharpness of your form and contrasts nicely with the movement your hips, legs, and feet. Another important factor is to always keep your thumbs tucked near your palms. This helps create crisp, clean exchanges between partners as any turns and spins require adept hand placements; thumbs will only get in the way.

There are two rudimentary positions in salsa. The first is the closed position. The male places his right hand on the female's left shoulder blade. In turn, the female places her left hand on the male's right shoulder. Both male and female hold one another's free hand away from the body with the arm bending straight up from the elbow.

The second position is the open position. The man holds his hands out in front of him, his arms bent forward at his elbows. His hands should be loosely cupped with his palms facing one another. The woman places her hands in his with the heel of her palms resting on his fingers, and her hands facing the floor. Remember, no thumbs!

For the purpose of keeping rhythm, salsa movements are broken down into counts, or beats, of eight. Steps are taken on counts one through three and five through seven for the most basic salsa movements, with pauses on counts four and eight.

Once you have achieved correct posture, position, and counting, you can learn the first steps in salsa! These steps can be done in either the closed position or the open position. Begin facing one another, in either position, with your feet together. To stay on the rhythm, take a step (or pause) for each count.

The male leads by stepping forward with his left foot on the first count. He then steps in place with his right foot. On the third beat, he steps his left foot back into its original position. The forth beat is a pause. On the fifth beat, the man steps back with his right foot. He steps in place with his left foot on the sixth count and steps his right foot back in place on the seventh count. The eighth beat is another pause.

Being led by the man, the woman steps back when the man steps forward and vice versa. For example, on the first beat she steps backward with her right foot. She steps in place with her left foot on the second beat. Then she steps her right foot back in place next to her left foot on the fourth beat and pauses on the third beat. The female then steps forward on the fifth beat with her left foot. On the sixth beat she steps in place with her right foot and steps her left foot back in place on the seventh beat. She pauses on the eighth beat.

Those are the foundational movements of salsa. It is highly recommended to supplement your understanding with instructional videos of salsa dance moves or a class in order to fully grasp body placement and movement. Once you begin to feel comfortable - smile, move your hips, and have fun! In the sultry summer months ahead, scenes like the one at Oakland's Lake Merritt are going to be taking place all over the country. Join in, and share the passion that is salsa.