Salsa moves

Frame the movement. Controlled arm lines that complement the body instead of fighting it.

Down into the slot. The guapea basic redirected forward, the couple closing the gap instead of rocking back.

Guapea's quiet twin. The closed-position Cuban basic — where casino rests, breathes, and waits for the next call.

The heartbeat of every figure. The forward-and-back rock-step that every linear salsa move is built on top of.

The embrace that leads. Learn the closed hold as its own skill and every lead you ever give gets clearer.

The casino home base. The open, push-and-pull Cuban basic that every casino figure launches from and returns to.

The basic, turned sideways. A lateral rock-step that sets up turns and adds variety without leaving home position.

The linear workhorse. The slot-clearing exchange that moves the follow past the lead and powers most of linear salsa.

Tell her yes. The counterpart to Dile Que No — an outside right turn that gathers the follow into closed embrace.

The counter-clockwise sibling. A left underarm turn that often gathers the follow into a closed hold.

The first turn everyone learns. A clockwise underarm turn for the follow, returning to the same spot.

Your turn to turn. The lead's own turns — clockwise to the right, counter-clockwise to the left — the move that lets you change direction, decorate, and finally dance instead of just steer.

Big feeling, tiny footprint. A compact follow turn out of an open break that looks great and fits the most crowded floor.

Load before you fire. The wind-up that coils the follow's momentum before releasing her into a turn.

The Cuban turn. The follow's right turn — stationary or travelling around a circle.

Straight across. A direct cross that swaps places without the usual circular casino path.

A little horn. The lead lifts the joined hands over the follow into a small horn shape, then sets her back down.

Zero. The opening number of the casino numeric family — the short exchange that sets up the counts.

The simplest place-swap in the book: leader and follower trade spots in a gentle half-arc while staying joined by one hand — the first pattern most beginners learn after the basic.

Hands crossed, doors opened. The frame that unlocks the sombrero family — establish it cleanly and a whole cluster becomes available.

The crazy one. El Uno's shadow conversation wound up with extra turns and a faster exchange.

The double plug. Two enchufla actions back-to-back, spinning the follow left then right.

For you, for me. A push-pull call — send her out, then bring her back.

Wind and unwind. A compact figure where the follow winds clockwise into the lead's chest, then unravels.

Lock, then show her off twice. A candado resolving into a double exhíbela display.

The coconut. The joined hands frame the follow's head like cradling a coconut, then release.

Half a hat. The one-handed Sombrero — same turns, lighter frame, no overhead placement.

The halo. An enchufla into an overhead arm-circle, the joined hands tracing a ring over the follow's head.

The mark of Zorro. The lead slashes a Z over the follow with the joined hands during an enchufla.

Crossing footwork and heel accents. A lateral travelling shine where one foot crosses the other, often with a tap or swivel; heel taps are the accent-only variant.

The break step, danced solo. The same forward-back mambo from your basic, stripped of partner frame and used as a shine.

The shine that cures the freeze. Step, touch, repeat — the simplest solo footwork there is, and the one that proves you never have to stand still.

The first shine. A swiveling cross-touch step that travels sideways — every dancer's entry into solo footwork.

Frame your own face. A styling sweep of the hand up and over the head — the first move that makes a turn look like *you*.

Where salsa lives. Foot-driven hip movement that gives the dance its signature flavour.

Loosen the top. One shoulder back, then the other — the simplest way to put feeling into your upper body without moving your feet.

Give me the next one. The caller's command to rotate to the next partner around the wheel.

Show her off, twice. Two consecutive right turns instead of one, the follow displayed across a full phrase.

Send her spinning. The full free right turn led from an enchufla, not just the look.

Spin, then present. A vacílala free turn flowing straight into an exhíbela showcase.

The basic, dressed up. Taps, syncopations and body rolls layered over the open guapea back-rock.

The cross-body, spiced. A CBL where the follow spins toward the lead (left/inside) as she crosses the slot.

The rubber band. A cross-body that stretches apart at the end instead of collapsing back — and that stretch becomes free energy for whatever comes next.

The flashier cross-body. A CBL where the follow spins away from the lead (right/outside) as she crosses.

Begin a cross-body lead, then change your mind: the leader checks the follower and sends her back the way she came, a playful fake-out that resets the line.

The cross-body lead run in the other direction — the leader sends the follower across to the opposite side, opening up the mirror half of the line and a whole new set of exits.

A cross-body lead taken slow and silky — the leader checks the follower's momentum and lets her glide across the slot, turning a plain pattern into a smooth, controlled showpiece.

Travel and trap. A cross-body inside turn that folds the follow's arm into a hammerlock as she lands.

Two rotations, one slot. The CBL inside turn doubled — the move that teaches your follow to spin twice and still land home.

Let go and let her fly. The inside turn led from the fingertips instead of the shoulder — lighter, faster, and the gateway to multiple spins.

A travelling left turn. The follow does a cross-body and spins toward the lead one-and-a-half times.

A travelling right turn. The follow does a cross-body and spins away from the lead, often twice.

A free spin where the follower's arm coils overhead like a spring — she spins under a rising, spiralling hand and unwinds out the other side in one continuous flourish.

A Cuban casino figure that 'fans' the follower out and back around the leader in a sweeping arc, keeping the circular, grounded casino flow turning between enchufla-family moves.

Spine to spine. Lead and follow pass back-to-back without dropping the hand, then turn to face again.

The little kiss. A playful cheek-to-cheek near-pass before the couple resolves.

The two. El Uno's shadow-walk dialogue extended into a second phase — same conversation, one chapter longer.

The conversation. A shadow-position forward-back walk done low, then at shoulder height, all connection and play.

The plug into a goodbye, taken high. An enchufla flowing into an adios done overhead instead of at the shoulder.

Plug in, then play. An enchufla that pauses side-by-side for a shared tap-to-the-clave before resolving — the casino's built-in moment of fun.

Hook turn, hands overhead. Evelyn's twin — the lead spins, but this time the joined hands pass over the top.

The lead spins too. An enchufla where you hook your own turn into the swap — the casino's reminder that leads get to dance, not just steer.

Show her off. A presentational walk that parades the follow around an oval, displayed to the room.

The leader draws the follower straight through and past on a single hand, the two swapping ends of the line in one clean pulling pass — fast, simple and endlessly chainable.

Walking. Travelling open-position walks that keep the dance (or the rueda) moving.

The padlock. Doubled two-hand enchuflas whose arms form a "lock" before a hooked resolution.

The travelling left turn. A curved-line left turn where the follow travels more than a full rotation around the lead.

Peek, then pass through. The copa's shoulder-check followed by a walk-through and turn — the move that turns a tease into a journey.

The finger. A right-to-right vacilala where the lead ducks under his own arm before turning the follow — playful, compact, unmistakably casino.

The plug, dressed up. An enchufla loaded with extra turns and arm work before it resolves.

A flowing figure-eight: the leader traces a sideways eight with the joined hands while the follower swivels and steps the curving path, the body drawing a smooth loop on each side.

The neck-led cuddle. An enchufla into a cuddle where the lead turns to face centre, leading by the shoulder.

The figure-eight. The lead weaves a figure-eight around the follow while she steps in and out.

Walk her around. Parade the follow counter-clockwise around the lead, switching hands behind the back.

Walk her around you. A promenade where the follow circles the lead — either a relaxed stroll or a swinging, cowboy-armed flourish.

Take her out. An extended showcase walk — like a longer Exhibela that draws the follow into the centre.

The leader catches the follower at the shoulder as she travels, redirecting her into the next change of place — strung together, the catches become a flowing, continuous run.

Two turns on a curve. The travelling double turn that carries the follow around an arc instead of spinning her in place.

Hug her. The lead wraps the follow into a brief sweetheart cuddle, then unwinds.

Open the wings, then reel her back. A two-hand inside turn that blooms wide open before the check snaps it shut.

The nestle. The follow wraps to the lead's side, both facing forward, hands crossed in front.

Comb her hair, walk away clean. A graceful hand-over-the-head pass that resolves a two-hand tangle into open position.

The folded arm. A turn that gently tucks one of the follow's arms behind her back into a new, lockable position.

The escape hatch. Releases the folded arm by raising it and spinning the follow back to open.

Seven, then the leader spins. A Siete flowing straight into a Coca-Cola self-turn under the joined arm.

Send her in, change your mind. A half-wrap that stops short and snaps her right back — a tease the music loves.

The stir. An arm-knot tangled and unwound like a spoon stirring yoghurt.

The leader sweeps the joined hand around the follower's back like a matador's cape, wrapping and releasing her across his body in one flowing, theatrical pass.

The coconut, complicated. The head-cradle figure extended with extra wraps and turns before it opens.

A woman's-name combo. A wrap-and-showcase sequence that ties a hammerlock into an overhead drape and a show-off turn.

The big number. A longer hammerlock chain that wraps and unwinds both arms before it lets go.

Seventy, then show her off. The classic hammerlock resolving straight into an exhíbela turn.

Seventy with a hook. The classic hammerlock, finished with a scooping guancho before it opens.

The seventy, island style. The Cuban reading of the 70 — looser hips, rounder arms, the homegrown version.

The seventy, twice over. The hammerlock-and-unravel module run on both arms before it resolves.

Seven, modern cut. The familiar Siete with a smoother arm path and an added turn.

The hat, both sides. A sombrero that crosses to the other side and back — the full, flowing version of casino's signature drape.

Both hands cross and the leader 'tows' the follower into a basket wrap behind him, her arms folded across in front — a compact, locked-up shape that looks far trickier than it leads.

Just walk the music. Step on the strong beats and travel — the most honest shine there is, and the frame every fancier one hangs on.

A travelling jazz-flavoured shine — relaxed, slightly bent-knee walks that drift forward and back with a swing in the shoulders, borrowed straight from the mambo footwork tradition.

The circling back step. A rotating back-basic borrowed from Colombian cumbia that drifts you around in a circle.

The grounded glide. A bouncy, bent-knee glide-step that looks like floating between the feet.

Heel-toe sass. Knee-and-hip swivels that twist side to side, often crossing one leg over the other.

The bow. The lead presents the follow and both mark a reverence — a closing flourish with a flourish of manners.

The vertical ripple. A smooth sequential wave through the body, hips to chest to head.

Play with density. Move at twice or half the rhythmic density to match the music's energy.

Catch the accent. Stop or strike a pose on a sharp musical hit — sometimes stillness lands hardest.

The power of stillness. Hold a beat with intention to create contrast and tension before resuming.

Isolation accents. Rapid alternating shoulder movement for punctuating a musical moment.

Goodbye, then take the sister. An adios head-roll that turns into a partner change.

Give me, up. A dame partner change where the follow passes under a raised arm to the next lead.

The fake-out. The dame is called, the wheel starts to turn — and then nobody arrives.

Goodbye to this one. A turn-away partner change — leave your partner and collect the next.

Plug in and pass on. The core Rueda partner-change: an enchufla that hands the follow to the next lead.

Run the seventy, then hand her on. The Setenta combo that doubles as a partner change in the wheel.

The wild show-off. An exhíbela that won't stop spinning — continuous turns strung together for a dizzy flourish.

The showcase turn, framed in two hands. A vacila led with both hands joined for a controlled, presented free turn.

Both joined hands carve a big horizontal circle — a 'barrel' — around the follower as she turns inside it, a large, sweeping rotation that fills space dramatically.

Double, then break free. A turn pattern that leads two controlled rotations straight into a free third spin — the advanced spinner's signature run.

Free rotation on one axis. The follow's solo-spin technique — one lead, then momentum and spotting do the rest.

Turns on the move. A chain of single turns that propel the follow across the floor, one rotation per step.

The leader passes the follower's hand behind his own back from one hand to the other as she travels through — a slick, hidden hand-change that flips the connection mid-pattern.

Tell her no, with a twist. The bread-and-butter resolution dressed with a leader's self-turn under the arm.

The five. The longest shadow-walk of the numeric family — El Uno's conversation extended through five phases of position changes.

The three. The three-phase member of the numeric family — El Uno's shadow-walk extended one step further.

A trimmer seventy. A shortened Setenta defined by a single elbow hook.

End on a held breath. A small, safe dip to close a phrase — the move that's all trust, and the reason you stay upright while only your hands go down.

The double rafter. Balsero's rowing lift-and-pass performed twice — both sides of the boat.

The baby. A playful cradle wrap — the lead rocks the follow's arm as if rocking a baby.

The savoured finger. El Dedo slowed, styled and stretched — the one-finger turn dressed in pauses and flavour.

Both arms folded. A two-stage lock that wraps the follow's second arm, or travels her around back-to-back.

The bow. The joined hands tie a loop around the follow like a ribbon, then release.

Mountain stars. The Montaña wrap elaborated with star-shaped overhead arm patterns.

Arm around the shoulders. Coming out of a turn, the lead's arm settles softly around the follow's neck.

Crazy seven. The Siete cranked up — extra turns and wilder arm work piled onto the classic seven.

The hat, with a twist. A sombrero drape that flows straight into the leader's self-turn under the joined arm.

Coiled rotation. A solo turn where the free leg hooks across the standing leg to drive the spin.

Cross, cross, cross. A fast crossing-step shine with taps stacked three deep — the footwork flourish that turns a break into a statement.

Dance the code. Phrase your breaks and accents to the clave — the rhythmic key of salsa music.

Put some flavour on it. An open invitation to drop the patterns and style — afro-rumba body, pauses, footwork, your own taste.

The chain. A grand-chain weave around the whole circle, passing hand to hand until you reach a new partner.

Skip one, take the second. Travel two positions around the wheel instead of one.

Goodbye, again and again. A chained Rueda call that fires off two or three Adiós rotations in a row — the wheel at full, dizzying flow.

The bridge. Two couples team up — one builds an arch of arms, the others pass beneath and through.

The tunnel. The whole circle raises arms to make a passage and the follows travel through it to new partners.

The rafter. A Sombrero that first sends the follow all the way around behind the lead's back.

The mountain. A cross-handed enchufla and hook that brings both arms up and over into a Sombrero-like finish.

Seventy, leveled up. A Setenta with an extra hooked enchufla woven into the middle.

The double-hook seventy. A Setenta with two successive elbow hooks before the resolution.

Seven meets seventy. The Siete's travelling cross fused with the Setenta's hammerlock module — two casino classics welded into one advanced run.