What Are the Basic Steps of Salsa Cubana?

August 30, 2026 • Dublin Salsa Academy

Someone tells you the basic steps of salsa cubana are easy. Then they throw an 8 count at you, a pause on 4 and 8, and a step with a name like guapea. Your brain files it under hard.

It is not hard. It is just unfamiliar.

Here is what you actually need: the 8 count, the guapea, and one turn. No musical training. No partner. Just the shape of the step, and your body will start to feel it.

Let us break it down one piece at a time.

The 8 Count

Salsa music is built in phrases of 8 beats. Dancers count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

You only step on 1, 2, 3 and 5, 6, 7. On 4 and 8 you pause. You hold your balance and ride the music.

Step, step, step, pause. Step, step, step, pause. That is the whole rhythm.

If you want the full breakdown of why dancers count to 8, read this guide.

The Guapea, the Heart of Casino

The guapea is the basic open step of Cuban salsa. It is the move you go back to again and again.

The partners face each other. On 1, both step back. On 2, both step in place. On 3, both close. Pause on 4. Then on 5, 6, 7, both move forward together.

Back, in place, close. Forward, in place, close. That is it.

The guapea is how you breathe during the dance. It is where you reset, connect, and decide what comes next.

The Basic Step (Basico)

There is also a forward and back basic, closer to regular salsa. The leader steps forward on 1, the follower steps back. On 5 they reverse.

In Casino, the guapea is used far more often than this basic step. But learning both gives you the vocabulary.

Back Rocks

Back rocks are the footwork pattern behind many Casino moves.

Step back on 1, step forward on 2, close on 3. Then the same on 5, 6, 7. It is a rock, not a travel. You stay mostly in place while your hips do the work.

Girls tend to exaggerate the hip movement here. That is where Casino gets its flavour.

Your First Turn: The Enchufala

The enchufala is the first turn you learn in Casino. It is the building block of dozens of moves.

On 1, both partners step back. The leader then leads the follower under his raised arm to turn. On 3 she completes the turn, and by 5 you are back facing each other.

One clean turn. That is the enchufala. Once you have it, combinations open up fast.

What You Learn in Week One

In your first class at Dublin Salsa Academy, you learn exactly this: the 8 count, the guapea, and one simple turn.

You learn it with a partner. We rotate partners every few minutes, so you practise with someone new the whole class.

No partner needed. Most people come alone. Roughly 7 in 10 walk in on their own.

Learn the Steps in a Real Class

Step by step, week by week.

Beginner Cuban salsa courses at the Harbourmaster. 8 weeks of structured progress from the guapea to your first combinations.

Join Beginner Courses

How Long Until It Feels Natural?

The guapea feels awkward for about ten minutes. Then your feet start to listen.

By week three, you are not thinking about the count. By week six, you are adding your own flavour without noticing.

The steps are simple. The confidence takes a few weeks. That is normal, and it is exactly how it works for everyone.

Common Beginner Questions

Do I need a partner? No. Classes rotate partners every few minutes. Most students come alone.
Do I need rhythm? No. Rhythm is trained, not gifted. A few weeks of classes fixes what you think is a missing talent.
Is the guapea the same as the LA basic step? No. The guapea steps back together. The LA basic steps forward and travels down a slot.
What do I wear? Comfortable clothes and shoes that let you turn. No special dancewear needed.
I am over 30. Is it too late? Not at all. Most beginner students are adults.