The Cross Body Lead with Inside Turn - Cross Body Turn

Once you have perfected the cross body lead the next logical step is to learn the cross body lead with an inside turn or the cross body turn.

It is very important that the leads learn how to lead one as well as for the follows to learn how to perform one.

Tips for Follows:
1. Remember you are still traveling in a line
2. You are essentially swapping places with the lead
3. Spot as you turn
4. Finish the cross body lead on 1 (and it will help you balance at the end of the turn
5. Steps 1 through 3 are the basic steps - do not start turning early or anticipate the move

Tips for leads
1. Make sure you open a clear traveling path for the follows by the end of count 3.
2. Do not start leading the cross body lead / turn until the start of count 5
3. Bring your left hand upwards and to the left to indicate a cross body turn (watch the video)
4. Be gentle, if you go too fast, you will make your partner lose her balance


Here is a demo youtube clip from "salsajunkies":


A good way to practice your cross body turns is to perform ballet chaines - tighten your abs and remember to spot. Here is a clip with very fast chaines turns.


Another clip from expertvillage breaks it down a little for you. If you can practice this at least 1 minute per salsa session. I would recommend this even for the leads.

The Cross Body Lead

The cross body lead in salsa is one of the foundations steps. A lot of the patterns are based off of the cross body lead.

What is the cross body lead? It is basically the exchange of positions between the lead and the follow - like a 180 degree change. It is completed in 2 bars (counts 1 through 8).

Here is a tutorial from "expert village" which is very detailed:


Make sure you perfect the cross body lead early on as it will help greatly when learning more intermediate patterns.