Salsa Merengue Bachata Cha Cha Cha Dance Lessons in Chicago and Dallas

Beginners Guide to Salsa Dancing by Michael Angelo

Before you begin your journey into this hip-shaking, shoulder-shimmying, sensuous and seductive art-form known as Salsa dancing, it is important for you to understand that there are many different ways to communicate on the dance floor. Here at the Dance Academy of Salsa, we teach two of the most important and popular styles danced in most major cities worldwide, known as dancing On 1 and On 2. Read below to find out the differences between the two.

Salsa On 1

Breaking (stepping forward/back into your partner's space) on the 1st and 5th beats of the 8 count

Dancing On1 has a simple and direct connection to Salsa music which makes following and maintaining the rhythm easier than On2. The dancers connect strongly with the melody and the cowbell, which is typically played on the beats 1-3-5-7 (the dancers major steps). This connection to the music gives the dancer a more "energetic" feeling compared to dancing On2. We recommend that new students begin learning to dance On1 as it the most common style danced at nightclubs and social gatherings. As the student progresses and becomes a more sophisticated dancer, we recommend transitioning to On2.

Salsa On2 (aka Mambo)

Breaking (stepping forward/back into your partner's space) on the 2nd and 6th beats of the 8 count

Dancing On2 has a deeper and more dynamic connection to Salsa/ Mambo music for a few different reasons. One reason is that the dancers steps are directly synchronized with the tumbao and clave rhythms, two of the underlying foundations of Salsa, Mambo and Cha Cha Cha music. The structure of On2 dancing (when dancing Eddie Torres style) also gives the leader the oportunity to begin leading major turn sequences and movements in the first measure of music, the point at which the music begins to "speak." When executing a cross body lead On2, the dancers are allowed to communicate a full phrase/ sentence from beginning to end. That is not possible On1 as you begin your cross body lead on the third beat where the music is already in the middle of a sentence. The On2 basic step also feels "smoother" and less "energetic" than On1 as your feet are not in its neutral position after three consective steps (1,2,3 - 5,6,7) but rather in your partners space. We recommend On2 for students who want to reach a more sophisticated level of dancing.