1. Glenn says

    Leon, thank for the information.
    I think it would be more helpful if you demonstrate the tips with a music example. I know that’s more difficult, but for beginners it would be very helpful. Thank you anyway.

  2. Chai Miller says

    In Mambo the accented beat is 2 and 4, correct? Are there other dances that have the accented beat on a beat other than 1?

  3. says


    Yes in the Mambo, we dance on counts 2 and 4, its not necessarily that the music will have the accent on 2 and 4 though…the more authentic mambo songs will.

    More example, in International style Rumba, we dance on counts 4 and 2, but there could be an accent in the music on 1 as well.
    Or in ChaCha we try to accent counts 1 and 3.

  4. salida molena says

    Thanks for the tips on counts. Of course they are very helpful but I agree with Glenn that demonstrating the count tips while the music plays would be a lot easier for learners to follow.
    Thanks again

  5. dom kwann says

    Very good topic. Like what you said, ‘a lot of people has problem with it’.
    please provide more video and sample.
    Beat of the music is most important steps

  6. Tony Warnock says

    The only dances where the beat should be hard to find are some of the fast Latin dance. Foxtrot, Waltz, Tango, Bolero, Rumba, Cha-Cha, and Swing should be easy. Salsa, timba, mambo, etc., are more of a problem for two reasons. The tempo is fast and the bass line may not match the basic rhythm. A rumba or bolero has a basic bass line of half:quarter:quarter (a ration of 2:1:1, counted 1_2, 3, 4) whereas a salas may have very fast dotted-quarter:dotted-quarter:quarter (ratio 3:3:2, counted 1_2,&_3,4). “Blue Bayou” is a slow example; neither American nor English style rumbas step on the middle beat. Salsa or timba make make this even more complex by tying the last beat of one measure to the first beat of the next measure. The bass never has a downbeat in this style.

    The piano does something different. The melody instruments (trumpets, etc.) which are loud enough to follow need not follow the beat (in this or any other dance for that matter.)

    In Latin, the claves will indicate the beat, but they are often of low volume.

  7. allen darnel says

    hi, i need to know if the merengue has an accent over the second E or any other place? and is there an accent mark over the dance movement called nanigo? tnx, allen

  8. Sunil phirke says

    Thanks Leon,you have given nice tips on beats n how to count one cos i m too fast while dancing n confused the counts, its my bigginers 5th Salsa class,but ur vedio clips find me very suitable nad easy to understand.i do practice with girl partners remembering your tips.

  9. dhanushka says

    Normally in championship dancing at any dance we start from the second beat of the song, but eg: In the cha cha how do we know when to start dancing?( when the song starts does the beat also start) Give me some tips related to that

  10. jay says

    Thanks for the tips. I agree with Glenn that can we get the examples with different kinds of music

  11. says

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  12. Steve Peters says

    Thanks for the tips as to how to start dqncing on the first beqt of the music , I have a problem at times in picking up the first beat, my mind then to go blank in also remembering the figures to ezecut them, can you pleqse help me?

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