Salsa
Cumbia Step
SalsaIntermediateShinesBoth
The circling back step. A rotating back-basic borrowed from Colombian cumbia that drifts you around in a circle.
This move builds: Style …on the always-on five — Connection, Frame, Comfort, Posture, Consent.
A video walkthrough for this move is on the way.
- Entry
- open, none
- Exit
- open, none
- Tempo
- medium
- Musical use
- filler
- Connector
- No
- Level
- Intermediate
- Cluster
- Shines
- Style
- Both
What This Move Is
Borrowed from Colombian cumbia: like a back basic but with a slight continuous rotation, the body circling as one foot steps back on the beat. Preserved verbatim from the user's inventory. (Cumbia is technically a separate dance; the "cumbia basic" is borrowed into salsa shines.)
Key Points
- Solo: Back-step with a continuous rotational drift, pivoting around; let the feet and hips drive the turn.
- Timing: Back-break on 1 (On1) or 2 (On2), rotating throughout.
- Common mistake: Rotating from the shoulders rather than letting the feet and hips drive the turn.
Style Notes
Relaxed, grounded and circular — a lovely contrast to sharp linear shines. Can also be danced as a partnered traveling step in Cuban styling.
Chains into
After this, you can flow into…