How to Count Salsa On2

On2 is the same salsa you already know, with the break moved. The steps don't change. Your sense of where the phrase turns does, and that is what makes On2 feel different on the floor. This guide counts it out beat by beat, shows the conga cue that marks the break and lists the mistakes that trip most dancers.

What is the count for salsa On2?

Salsa On2 is counted "1 2 3 _ 5 6 7 _": you step on 1, 2, 3 and 5, 6, 7, and pause on 4 and 8. The name comes from the break, the change of direction, which falls on 2 and 6. Salsa Vida defines On2 as timing in which the dancer changes direction on beats 2 and 6, and Wikipedia notes that New York style is danced on the second beat of the music and that Eddie Torres helped formalize the timing, based on the tumbao rhythm.

Step by step

Count one phrase of eight, which is two groups of four. The 8-count is the frame; On2 only decides where inside it you turn.

Say it aloud as you walk it: "1, 2, 3, hold, 5, 6, 7, hold." Put a little more weight on the 2 and the 6, because those are the breaks. In the Count Studio library, the Salsa On2 count marks exactly that: the break on 2 and 6 and the pause on 4 and 8.

The break is not always the first step of the measure. In the common Eddie Torres pattern, Salsa Vida says the steps land on 1 and 5 and the direction change comes on 2 and 6. Some dancers use Power 2 instead, counted 2 3 4 and 6 7 8, with the pauses on 1 and 5. The break still falls on 2 and 6 in both. Pick one timing and stick to it. Your partner needs the same one.

What does the conga tumbao have to do with it?

The tumbao is the repeating conga pattern, often learned as "kun kun pa". According to Salsa Vida, the open tones ("kun kun") fall on 4 and 4-and, then again on 8 and 8-and, and the slap ("pa") falls on 2 and 6. The pattern resolves over four counts, so you hear it twice in every eight.

Now you have a sound to dance to. The slap lands on your break, and many dancers use the "kun kun" just before it to anticipate the turn. So the line becomes: hear "kun kun" on the pause, feel "pa" on the break.

How do you find the 2 in the music?

Find the 1 first, then count forward. If that is new to you, start with how to find the 1 in music. Once you can hear where each group of eight begins, the 2 is the next beat.

To check it, listen for the conga slap. Mambo City points to the slap on the second beat of the measure as often the heavier, more emphatic sound. Tap the slap with your hand while you say "1 2 3 _ 5 6 7 _". If your taps land on the 2 and the 6, you have it.

How is On2 different from On1?

Only the break moves. In On1 the direction change lands on 1 and 5; in On2 it lands on 2 and 6. The steps are the same six, the pauses are the same two, and the phrase is the same eight beats. Wikipedia contrasts the two directly: LA style breaks forward on the first beat of the music, while New York style is danced on 2.

So switching is mostly a listening job. Keep the count you already say, "1 2 3 _ 5 6 7 _", and move your attention from the downbeat to the slap. A useful drill is to dance a basic On1 for a phrase, then keep the same feet but wait one beat before you change direction. Once that feels natural, the count and the break stop competing.

What are the common mistakes?

Most On2 problems come from listening to too much at once, so keep it simple.

• Rushing 1 and 5. Mambo City warns that clear conga hits can push you into the 1 and 5 slightly early. Wait for the beat.
• Stepping on every clave tap. You do not literally step to all the beats the clave plays. Use it as a feel, not a step list.
• Mixing up the clave and the 1. Finding the clave is not the same as finding the 1. Lock the 1 first.
• Skipping the pauses. The hold on 4 and 8 is part of the pattern. Rush it and the break moves.

Practise it with Count Studio

Drill the count in three passes. First, walk it in place at a slow speed, saying every number and holding 4 and 8. Second, add the break: lean a little into 2 and 6. Third, move to a song.

Count Studio counts it with you. Pick Salsa On2 from the library, which lists a range of 160 to 210 counts per minute, and it counts the eights with the break on 2 and 6. You can also import a song you own, from Files, the sound of a video or a voice memo. It finds the tempo, the beats and the likely 1 on your device, numbers the eights and counts over the music. If the grid is off, tap along to fix it. Songs from streaming services are protected, so import files you own.

Bottom line

Count 1 2 3 _ 5 6 7 _, step on the six counts, hold on 4 and 8 and break on 2 and 6. Let the conga slap tell you where the break goes, and practise slowly until the pauses feel as natural as the steps.