What is Salsa on 2?

Salsa On2 means that you dance "changing direction" on the second beat of the music. This timing comes from the timing of the Cuban dance "Son". There it is called contra tiempo.

When dancing Salsa On2, you dance to the rhythm of the bass and congas. Within Salsa On2, there are mainly two different styles. One where you keep the classic "contra tiempo" timing where you dance the steps on 234,678 and one where you dance on 123,567 but still change direction on 2 and 6.

History: Long before the word Salsa was coined, a dance called Mambo emerged. The first arrangements of Mambo were originally Cuban Son which were adapted to the big band format that was popular in Jazz around the 1940s. Therefore, it was natural for many to dance Mambo in the same timing as they had danced Son. Chachacha developed from Mambo, among other things.