Salsa Technique for Follows

4 Tips to Help You Dance Salsa Faster

I recently posted a fun challenge called the Salsa Speed Test, to see how fast you can dance.

Now, dancing salsa fast is not easy. There’s a lot of technique that goes into it.

So, let’s cover four tips to help you dance to those fast salsa songs. Then I’ll give you a four-step training process to progressively improve your speed.

Let’s get started!

Four Technique Tips to Dance Salsa Faster

Tip #1: Master Your Weight Shifts

Weight shift technique is crucial. Unlike walking, in salsa dancing, we don’t step heel-toe, heel-toe. We walk on the balls of our feet, kind of like you’re marching in place.

Keep your steps low, lifting your foot just enough to come off the floor and replace it efficiently. Since salsa is a quick dance, lift your foot only as much as needed to place it in the new position.

For break steps (the steps you use to change direction), use the balls of your feet. This allows you to absorb your momentum and push back quickly. Think of sprinters or boxers—they don’t run or bounce on their heels. They use their toes for quick reactions.

So during your front break and back break, push off the balls of your feet. If the song is slow, your heel can touch the ground. However, for faster songs, especially on back breaks, keep your heel up and push off the ball of your foot.

Tip #2: Get Low

To be reactive, don’t stand tall with straight legs. Think of a basketball or tennis player—they’re always in a ready stance, low and bent, ready to move in any direction. In salsa, avoid dancing with straight legs. Instead, lean forward slightly, bend your knees, and adopt a ready stance. This makes it easier to connect with the ground, push off, and move faster.

Tip #3: Relax

To move fast, you need to relax. Tensing up restricts your muscles and makes it difficult to move quickly.

Try this: tense all your muscles and then try to move your feet quickly. It’s tough, right? Now relax all your muscles and try again. Much faster, isn’t it? Relaxation allows your joints to move more freely, enabling you to respond and flow smoothly in your dance.

Tip #4: Take Small Steps

Don’t work harder than you have to. Many beginners make the mistake of taking large steps because they learned the salsa basic to a slow song. When dancing to a fast song, take smaller steps. Instead of stepping wide, keep your steps small and keep your feet right underneath you. This allows you to move quickly and stay responsive to the song’s speed.

The Four-Step Process to Improve Your Speed

Step 1: Start Simple

Begin with just the basics, as we did in the Salsa Speed Test. Master these before moving on.

Step 2: Add Simple Shines

Gradually increase the speed of the music and add simple shines to your routine.

Step 3: Practice Partner Work

Incorporate simple partner work. If you don’t have a partner, shadow dance as if you do. When you have a partner, practice with them.

Step 4: Combine All Elements

The final test is to do everything you know at the increased song speed. Once you can comfortably dance at a certain speed, increase the speed and repeat the process.

Progressive Overload for Salsa

This method of progressively overloading both your mental and physical capacity helps expand your comfort zone. As you get comfortable dancing at faster speeds, you’ll find that slower songs become easier to dance to. Continuously push your comfort zone, film yourself for feedback, and identify where your execution quality drops. This will help you pinpoint weaknesses and improve them.

Just like in the gym where you progressively overload muscles by increasing repetitions or weight, in salsa, you either increase the song speed or the complexity of the movements.

What’s Next?

If you want to keep improving your social dancing, we have an incredible online salsa program for you. Our students often say they’ve learned more in an hour with Dance Dojo than in private classes. You can even try it free for a week here.

Follows: Stop Guessing and React With “Action-Reaction”

Follows, you’re not fortune tellers and you don’t need cat-like reflexes to enjoy a dance.

Let’s stop the guessing games and learn how to relax and react.

Here’s how…

The Concept of Action-Reaction

Built into the lead-follow partnership is the idea of an action initiation by the lead, followed by a reaction by the follows. This means that actions and reactions happen sequentially, not simultaneously. The action happens up top in the frame, while the reaction occurs down below, in your feet.

Example from the video:

We’re dancing on1 and Scarlet steps forward in her basic. If I were to lead the basic turn right now, it would be on that five where I start going across with my hand to initiate the turn. Notice how the action starts affecting her upper body but still incorporates the idea of stepping forward? She’s not square with her feet and frame (her upper body has already been moved by my hand), so there’s the action. Followed by the reaction down below with her feet as she continue the turn.

Now, follows, if you’re dancing On2, Scarlet steps on one, then forward for two for her basic turn. There’s the action by the lead of starting to pull her hand across on 2, followed by the reaction in her feet.

The lead happens on the number, and the pivot happens in between, so it’s “two-E-and-a” down below in the feet.

You don’t need cat-like reflexes. There’s an action and then a reaction. Let the body and frame respond, and the feet will be the reaction.

Ignore Action-Reaction and You’ll Be Rushing

See 3:55 in the video. Patrick shows you what not to do, demonstrating that the follows don’t need to rush or guess what’s coming.

Wait for the lead, feel what it is, follow with your frame and your feet will react to complete the movement.

Final Thought

If anything, the follow should be slightly late, not early. Many people go way faster than needed when trying to follow. Give yourself an opportunity to respond to the lead’s action. Don’t panic just respond calmly.

If you want to get more confident and you’re leading and following check out our online salsa program. It teaches you everything you need to know in deep detail so you can have more fun social dancing. You can even try it free for a week here.

The Torso Technique All Pro Salsa Dancers Use

Ever wonder how pros make everything look so easy?

They lead with their torso.

Here’s how to use your torso to guide your partner’s movements clearly and smoothly. Do this and you’ll make your leading much more intuitive for the follow, so they can respond without thinking.

Torso Techniques for Effective Leading

Visual Cues: Your torso movement provides a visual signal. If you move your torso (your center of gravity), your partner will notice and follow. For instance, if I walk towards my partner, she knows to step back. If I move to the side, she follows my lateral movement.
Kinesthetic Cues: These are physical sensations of movement. When you shift your weight or rotate your torso, your partner can feel these changes through your frame.

Follows, Follow The Lead’s Chest

As a follow you always want to be looking for your partner and aligning your chest to their chest. This is how you keep a nice frame.

There are exceptions of course, sometimes the lead wants you to step in one direction as they go behind you etc, but it’s their job to make that clear.

In general the lead’s torso angle or direction is key information you want to pay attention to.

Applying the Techniques

Examples:

Basic Step without hands: as you walk towards your partner, they step back. If you move to the side, they follow laterally.
- Have your partner place their hands on your shoulders and follow your movements. This helps them feel your weight shifts without thinking about specific steps.
Crossbody Leads:
- Visual lead: leads, don’t use hands. Open the door visually by rotating your torso at least 90 degrees as you step off the line of dance, showing a clear path for the follow.
- Physical lead: from the closed position, try rotating your torso just 90 degrees during a cross body lead. Then do it again and open your torso angle between 90 and 180 degrees (135) and see how that affects the lead. Most people find the second lead to be smoother, more clear. Rotate your torso more than 90 degrees when doing a cross body in the closed position.
- Cross body lead + check: A check is a change of directions. You can start the cross body lead and then stop it by simply shifting your weight back in the opposite direction. See video.
Turns and Rotations:
- Inside Turn: to lead the turn, simply flip your wrist up and rotate your torso in the direction you want the follow to go (opening/rotating to your left). Ensure your torso follows your partner to provide a clear signal for the turn. This makes the turn smoother and more comfortable. If you keep your torso facing 90 degrees to the line of dance, it won’t feel as good.
- Reverse Crossbody Lead: Rotate your chest to open the path for your partner. Without this rotation, they may run into you. See video.
Overturns
- Execution: Lead’s rotate your torso to guide your partner through the overturn (180 degree pivot). The rotation of your frame will rotate the follow.
- Exercise: Leads, place your hands on your partner’s shoulders and rotate your torso to guide their turn.
360:
- As the lead rotates their torso, the follow looks to keep their torso facing the lead, chest to chest, to maintain the connection.

Inside Turn with Butterfly/Titanic:
- Lead the inside turn by rotating your torso in the direction you want her to go. As the follow does the check, leads, rotate your torso back to the right to get the follow to also rotate back to the right in the direction they came. Everything his lead by the torso, the arms are secondary (because they’re attached to the torso). They’re a consequence of the torso movement.

Summary

Lead & Follow With The Torso: guide your partner’s weight shifts by moving your center (your torso) in the direction you want them to go. Adjust your partner’s direction by rotating your torso.
Maintain Your Frame: Your frame is essential for transmitting these signals. Avoid “spaghetti arms” and ensure you’re standing tall: chin up, chest up.
Visual and Physical Cues: follows, remember to also watch your partner’s torso movement and angle for visual clues.

Conclusion

Leads, master the use of your torso and the follows will love you. Every dance will be smoother and more enjoyable.

Follows, pay attention to your partner’s weight shifts (center of gravity) and torso angle. If your partner’s torso is rotating it’s telling you something.

Want detailed breakdowns of the lead and follow for all the most common social dance moves? Check out our online salsa program here. You can even try it free for a week here.

You’ll never be confused about how to lead or follow a move again.

Salsa for Beginners: Switching Basics With Clear Intention

Learning how to switch between the salsa basics with clear intention is a game-changer for beginner leads.

If you want to ensure your partner has no doubt what you want them to do, watch and listen up.

Why Clear Intention Matters

Follow’s often feel confused as to what the lead wants them to do. It’s as if the lead is asking them to do something in a whisper, instead of a clear confident voice.

The more clear you can make a signal for a follow, the more likely you’ll have a smooth dance.

Frame: A Requirement For Leading & Following

Before you lead or follow anything, you need a frame—a physical structure—which you can use to send and receive signals.

The most important parts of creating a good frame are:

Tall posture, head up, chest up, arms relaxed

There are two common holds we use in salsa:

Frame in closed position: Imagine giving your partner a hug, creating a frame. In closed position, your hand is on her shoulder blade, and your other hand is holding hers. This frame allows you to communicate movement.
Frame in open Position: Stand apart from one another with your hands in the center. Follow’s place their hands palm down on top of the lead hands, which are palm up.

How to Switch Basics Smoothly

Let’s say you have three basic steps:

front to back basic
side basic
back basic or rotational back basic

When can you switch between them?

In general, you want to complete a full set (an eight-count) before switching to a new basic. This ensures clarity and avoids confusion of switching in the middle.

For example:

On-the-Spot Basic:
- Start with a full set: 1-2-3-, 5-6-7
- Now switch to…
Side Basic:
- Dance one 8 count: 1-2-3-, 5-6-7
- Finish with your feet together underneath you
- On the pause or “slow count” before 1, start transitioning your backwards into the…
Back Basic:
- Finish a full set of the back basic
- Instead of bringing your feet together on 7, transition into the front to back basic by stepping through the middle on 7 so your feet are staggered and you’re stepping forward.
- The follow can feel your frame moving forward, and will respond.
Front to Back Basic:
- Finish a full set of the front to back basic
- In order to change to the rotational back basic bring your feet together on 7, on the spot. We call this “anchoring.”
- Use the “slow” count, the time before the 1, to start rotating your frame to gently guide your parter into the…
Rotational Back Basic (Cumbia Basic)

Key Technique To Remember

When changing from any basic into a front to back basic,

Use the “slow count” or the “pause” at the end of the 8 count to shift your weight forward, before the 1, so the follow feels you moving towards them
End up with your feet staggered forward, in a walking position, on the 1.

Letting the follow know what’s coming before the 1 is key. you do this with your weight shift, which is felt through your frame.

When changing to any other basic (except the front to back basic)

Anchor on 7 by bringing both your feet together underneath you. This signals a change is coming.
Use the “pause” or the “slow count” to shift your weight in the new direction you’re going.

This weight shift helps the follow know where to step on 1.

A Note on Visual Cues:

Follows, you can also visually pay attention to the lead’s chest, which is his center of gravity. Where ever his torso is moving, that’s where you’ll be moving.

Drill These Transitions:

Practice switching between basics with a full set in between. Use good posture, frame and weight shifts before the 1 to guide your partner smoothly:

Practice going from front to back basic to any other basic
Practice going between any basic that’s not front to back
Practicing going from any basic and return to the front to back basic.

Once you’ve nailed those, you’re golden!

Final Thought

Mastering this fundamental technique is the first step in learning how to lead and follow well. There are visual signals and there are physical signals – learn to use both.

Once you start switching between your basic steps smoothly with clear intention, you’ll notice a huge smile on the follows faces. Leading well pays off!

Want to fast track your progress and avoid bad habits as you learn salsa and bachata? Check out our online programs – you can even try them free for a week here.

The Secrets to Arm Connection for Salsa & Bachata

Welcome back to the Dance Dojo! Today, I’ve got a quick salsa tip for you focusing on arms and elbows to help you achieve a better connection with your partner. Let’s dive in!

Maintain the Common Center

To maintain your frame…

Keep tall posture: stand tall, head up, chest up.
Keep your hands in between both of you, the common center.
Don’t move your elbows behind your hips/body.
- It’s uncomfortable and it breaks your frame – you can’t send or receive signals

Hand Position and Connection

Proper hand positioning enhances your connection:

Leads: Your hands go underneath the follow’s, palm up or neutral.
Follows: Your hands go on top, palm down, responding to the lead’s push and pull.

Balancing Tension in Your Arms

How much weight should you give your partner’s hands?

Follows: give your partner the weight of your hands, but not the weight of your entire arm. Don’t hang on the lead’s arm, which can cause discomfort and injury.
Practice an elastic connection to feel the right amount of tension: Stand facing each other with your hands held between you, lean back and catch yourselves and then bounce back falling toward each other and catch yourselves again, before you hit each other in the face. Use a natural reactive tension and rotate your palms as necessary (see video). This exercise shows you how much tension you need at any given moment – just enough, you match what the leads gives you.

Tension Will Change Depending On What You’re Doing

Finding the right balance:

Minimal Tension: while doing a basic step, no tension is required – just enough to keep your hands touching.
Elastic Connection: For moves like open breaks, where you move away from each other, maintain enough tension to create an elastic connection, that’s smooth and comfortable (like the previous exercise).

The Weight Of The Follow’s Hands

To ensure a good hand connection:

Relax your arms: Follows should relax their arms so they naturally fall but provide slight weight for connecting with the leads hands. Leads need to relax their arms as well.
Finding the right weight:
- Too light feels like holding a dollar bill – hard to control.
- Aim for a little bit of weight, like holding a cell phone. That’s much easier to control.

Practicing Smooth Arm Lifts

For effortless turns the follow needs to respond and help life their arms.

Follows, be responsive with your arms: When a a lead starts lifting a follow’s arm, the follow should respond and assist the lead by lifting the weight of their arm, while always maintaining the hand connection.
Follows, avoid heavy arms: if the follow gives the lead the full weight of their arms, or even pulls down, it’s going to be too hard for the lead to lift their arms to accomplish anything, and it will likely injure the lead’s shoulders.

Elbows Down And Relaxed

Keep your elbows relaxed and pointing down:

Elbows down: ensures there’s enough space for turns and avoids shoulder tension.
Releases tension in shoulders: allows for quicker, more fluid arm movements and turns.

Demonstration of Proper Elbow Technique (See Video)

Example of relaxed elbows in action:

Relaxed Turns: Perform turns with elbows down to maintain fluidity.
Avoid Tension: Keeping elbows down prevents shoulder tension and allows for faster arm loops.

Summary: Relax and Connect

Key points to remember:

Relaxed Arms: Keep elbows down and relaxed.
Maintain Connection: Provide enough weight to maintain hand connection without over-exertion.
Mutual Responsibility: Both leads and follows are responsible for the weight of their arms and maintaining their frame and common center.

For more information on becoming a better social dancer and accessing detailed videos for salsa and bachata, check out our online programs – you can try them free for a week here.