On1, on2 or Cuban: which salsa suits you?

When you start learning salsa, you soon come across terms like on1, on2, LA style, New York style and Cuban. At one school you learn one, at another school the other. For a beginner that is confusing. Below I answer the questions people ask about it most often.

How do you count salsa?

Over eight counts: you step on 1, 2, 3 and on 5, 6, 7, and on 4 and 8 you don't take a step.

Those eight counts are two bars of four. In most styles you take three steps per four counts. That is why you often hear teachers count "1, 2, 3 ... 5, 6, 7".

The basic step contains a moment where you change direction: you step forward or back and then come back again. That step is called the break. The number in on1 and on2 tells you on which count the break falls.

What is the difference between salsa on1 and on2?

In on1 you break on count 1, in on2 on count 2. Both are danced along a line.

On1 is often called LA style, after Los Angeles. Partners move back and forth past each other along an imaginary line, and the follow turns across that line.

On2 originated in New York and is therefore also called New York style. According to an online salsa school, the on2 break coincides with the conga beats in the music. Many dancers find on2 calmer and smoother as a result.

Is on1 easier than on2?

For many beginners, yes, at first. But if you start with on1, switching to on2 later is often hard.

On1 is easier to find in the music. The count matches how we in Europe are used to listening to music: the 1 is the beat you hear most clearly. That gives you something to hold on to.

The downside comes later. By then your body has ingrained the break on 1, and you have to consciously retrain that habit if you want to dance on2. If you start with on2 straight away, you don't have that problem, but you have to search harder for the count at the start.

What is Cuban salsa?

Cuban salsa, also called casino, is danced in a circle instead of along a line.

The name comes from the Cuban dance halls (casinos deportivos) of the 1950s. Partners circle around each other. Casino used to be danced against the beat (contratiempo); nowadays it is usually danced on the first count. So the big difference from on1 lies in the shape, not necessarily in the count.

A well-known form is rueda de casino, which emerged in Havana in the 1950s. Several couples dance in a circle and a leader calls out the figures. You often switch partners quickly.

There are more styles and counts. Colombia, for example, has its own salsa from Cali, danced sideways and on the spot, often with extra steps. As a beginner you don't need to know them all.

Does the style matter when you are just starting?

A little. The school where you start determines which style your body learns first, and switching takes effort.

So it helps to choose a style you also see at the socials near you. At the same time it matters less than you might think, because real dancing is not necessarily about counting. Counting is a tool for learning the basics. After that it is about listening: to the music, and to yourself and what you want to do with that music.

Why are the basics so important if it isn't about counting?

Because the basics are the contract between dance partners. Step too far outside it, and it doesn't work.

That is how I see it. When you dance together, you agree without words that you both keep the same count and follow the same basic shape of music and dance. Within that there is a lot of room. You can play with the music, do something of your own, put an accent where you hear it.

But if you step too far outside that contract, your partner can no longer follow you, or you can't follow your partner. That is why it is important to learn the basics of a style well, whichever style it is. Not so you always stay inside them, but so you know where the limits of the contract are.

How do you choose between on1, on2 and Cuban?

Look at what people dance near you, and take a trial class at schools with different styles.

• Go to a social and see which style people dance.
• Try several schools. You quickly feel which count and shape suit you.
• Don't let it drive you mad. A solid foundation in one style is worth more than a bit of everything.

Where can you find a salsa class in your style?

On Baila Discover you can see which schools teach salsa in each town; their profiles often say which style they teach. Have a look at salsa classes, salsa in The Hague or salsa in Amsterdam. If you are still torn between salsa and another style, read salsa, bachata or kizomba, and for the roles in the dance, lead, follow or switch.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salsa_(dance) (eight counts, LA style on1 and New York style on2 along a line, Cuban in a circle, Cali style, rueda de casino)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casino_(dance) (the name casino, the count casino is danced on)
• https://thedancedojo.com/blog/salsa-timing-the-difference-between-salsa-on1-and-on2/ (online salsa school: the on2 break on the conga beats)