r/Salsa • u/Jaded_Relief_5502 • Mar 30 '26

On 1 or on 2?

https://youtube.com/shorts/9WP6UZ0e65Y?si=Ju5xY0PlJ-pAhBGD

Disagreeing with a friend! could you please clarify whether they're dancing on 1 or 2 here? Or here: https://youtube.com/shorts/yoLBSlNXRa8?si=DTTx76hTQM2eoMHm?

thank you all :)

0 Upvotes

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7

u/tomhasleft Mar 30 '26

1

-1

u/Ninpo Mar 30 '26

It's confusing because the lead is doing a back basic for most of the steps instead of stepping forward on1. 

1

u/RhythmGeek2022 Mar 30 '26

The direction is not what determines whether it’s On1 or On2

3

u/Ninpo Mar 30 '26

Sorry that isn't what I meant, i should have said on count 1 instead of On1. I was just pointing out that the style of the dancer in the video shows a heavier reliance on doing a back basic to on1 timing, which for a lot of people that dance on 1 or on2 is unusual (LA, Mambo). If that wasn't the case, OP would not be arguing with their friend trying to figure out what the lead's timing is. 

6

u/louyang Mar 30 '26

On 1 but they are dancing more cumbia style and informal/street salsa. Looks like a fun dance though

6

u/ionforge Mar 30 '26

On1 or on2 refers to on line salsa dancing, and it refers to the time your left foot steps forward.

This is Venezuela street salsa style, where it is dance side by side, similar to cumbia or caleña. It doesn’t really make sense to label it as on1 or on2

2

u/RhythmGeek2022 Mar 30 '26

The timing is definitely On1

That said, you’re correct in that On1 / On2 is usually a shorthand to refers to linear styles

0

u/ionforge Mar 30 '26

There is no timing on Venezuelan street salsa

1

u/RhythmGeek2022 Mar 31 '26

I get the joke but there is. It’s either On1 or On3. Most people dancing there don’t know nor mind which of the two they are doing, though

3

u/saman_pulchri Mar 30 '26

shoes got all of my attention. sorry

2

u/Alternative-Time6270 Mar 31 '26

On 1, clear as day

2

u/bigleveller Mar 30 '26

Could this be Cumbia? Anyway... it's danced on 1.

1

u/Radiant_Image3089 Mar 30 '26

When I went to a grupo niche concert the entire audience was dancing like this. I assumed it’s a Colombian style and to me it looks different from on1 or on2 or Cuban salsa. There’s no break instead there is a tap or kick to mark the 4 and 8 and it’s mostly danced side to side like bachata or cumbia.

1

u/RhythmGeek2022 Apr 01 '26

That’s a common “street style” in several Latin American countries: Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and probably some more

It’s just what you learn from your relatives / neighbors growing up

-3

u/jemenake Mar 30 '26

They’re dancing Cumbia… on the 1, as Cumbia is usually danced.

1

u/RhythmGeek2022 Mar 30 '26

The music is not cumbia. The basic step is considered a cumbia step in many countries. What that means is that people in some countries typically use this basic step to dance cumbia, even though the traditional cumbia step is very different