Danced in Central and South America, Colombian style differs the most from any other style of salsa. This style of dance works well in crowded nightclubs. Columbian salsa moves work with cumbia music as well as salsa music.
Instructions
Master the Basic Step of the Columbian Salsa
1. Take a step to the side with your left foot on the first beat. The woman steps to the side with her right foot.
2. Bring your right foot back to your left on the second beat. The woman steps lightly with her left foot, bringing it close to her right.
3. Step sideways again with your left foot on the third beat. The woman moves her right foot.
4. Pause on the fourth beat of dancing, clapping your hand or tapping your foot as an embellishment. The foot tap works well with the tapping style of music that is often played, and is usually a quite flamboyant gesture.
5. Move to the right, repeating the steps in the opposite direction from the first four beats. You should step on the fifth and seventh beats, and then pause on the eighth.
Put It All Together
6. Control your space without disturbing other dancers, which means you should stay in your slot. This style of salsa means staying in place without too much traveling. By staying compact, partners dance quite close to each other.
7. Keep dancing side to side during the basic step. Partners should mirror each other's steps, with the woman always starting on the right foot. While traveling is not encouraged, you can circle your partner during the basic steps.
8. Spin your partner using basic cross-body leads, where the man steps to the side (at a 90-degree angle), giving the woman space to turn or spin. You should end up facing your partner in the opposite direction in which you started. Spot (focus your gaze on a fixed point ahead of you) to avoid becoming too dizzy during spins.
9. Learn the secrets from Club Salsa (see Resources below). This guide, from the student's perspective, does not focus on a specific style of dance, but it offers hints for approaching salsa.
