Rhythm is important for dancing to most types of music. For example, the dance Salsa is generally done by stepping on beats 1, 2, 3 and 5, 6, and 7 out of every 8 beats. Dancers do not step on beat 4 or 8. By stepping at the same time, partners dancing together can move in a coordinated way!
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Chart of Selected Dance Rhythms
The chart below summarizes when dancers take steps in a variety of dance styles that are done in partnership. A "quick" is a step that lasts for one beat, and a "slow” is a step that lasts for two beats in all patterns below.
Merengue: Quick Quick Quick Quick Quick Quick Quick Quick (Step on all 8 beats)
This dance has a very basic rhythm—dancers take one step on every beat. It is often a favorite of beginning dancers for that reason. Dancing Merengue is essentially like walking to music, stepping on every beat. While taking these steps, dancers can do turns, or any other moves they want!
Salsa: Quick Quick Slow Quick Quick Slow Quick Quick Slow
(Step on beats 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 out of every 8 beats)
There are a few styles of Salsa, each done a little differently. But the most common rhythm pattern is to step on beats 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 out of every 8-beat phrase of music. That means dancers take 2 “quick” steps and then 1 “slow” step that lasts twice as long as each quick. And then they again take two quick steps and one slow step. That fills 8 beats of music.
Bachata: Quick Quick Quick Tap Quick Quick Quick Tap
(Step on beats 1, 2, 3, tap on beat 4, and step on 5, 6, 7, and tap on 8)
Bachata dancers step on the first 3 beats and just “tap” on the 4th beat. The they also step on the next 3 beats (beats 5, 6, and 7) and again, tap on beat 8. A tap means that a foot touches the floor but there’s no weight on that foot. To do the basic step, leaders generally step sideways to the left and followers step sideways to the right. Then they each go in the opposite direction for the next 4 beats, returning to where they started.
Mambo: Quick Quick Slow Quick Quick Slow Quick Quick Slow
(Step on beats 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 out of every 8 beats)
This rhythm pattern is identical to Salsa. However, Mambo is a ballroom dance and the style of movement is a little different. But since these two dances share the same rhythm pattern they are very similar dances!
Cha-Cha: Step Step cha, cha, cha Step Step cha, cha, cha
(Step on beats 1, 2, 3, 3&, 4; 5, 6, 7, 7&, 8.) Beat 3& means the second half of beat 3. Beat 7& is the second half of beat 7.)
If you replace the "slow" in Salsa with 3 steps, called "cha, cha, chas," you get the Cha Cha rhythm. This is done to slower music so there is time to fit in 3 Cha Cha Chas in place of one “Slow” step.
Single Swing: Slow Slow Quick Quick
(Step on beats 1, 3, 5, 6 out of every 6 beat phrase.)
There are many forms of swing dancing. Single Swing is a basic style of Swing that is done in the “Slow Slow Quick Quick” rhythm. This is done to fast music, such as "Rock Around the Clock." Interestingly, Foxtrot, a slow dance, is also done in this rhythm. But the relaxed feeling of Foxtrot music is very different from the bouncy feeling of Swing dance music. As a result, the dances look quite different even though dancers are stepping in the identical rhythm.
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Watch demonstrations of Salsa, Merengue, & Bachata by Danceintime teachers Glen and Barb in this video.
For more information on dance rhythms or instruction, contact Barb@danceintime.com, visit danceintime.com/classes, or check out this Amazon link to Barb’s Latin dance guidebook: https://a.co/d/dlmZsTG.