Top Latin Dance Steps to Show Off when You Go Clubbing

Moviegoers who saw the 2021 film remake of West Side Story thrilled to dance styles ranging from mambo to cha-cha, highly choreographed versions of traditional Latin dances that inspire a lot of the moves you see at nightclubs these days. In San Diego, Latin club dance styles range from the complex “rueda de casino” salsa choreography with multiple couples to the energetic reggaeton, a Latin style that’s perfect for solo dancing. Here are some more of the best Latin moves to show off when you hit the club.

Salsa Cross-Body Lead

This is one of the most iconic moves in salsa dancing. Although it’s pretty basic on its own, you can show off by adding some of your own extra flair and grace. Traditionally, the cross-body lead begins with the male stepping back, taking his partner by the hand, and spinning her in a half rotation. The idea here is for the woman to pause and smile because she deserves to be shown off for a couple of measures before being spun back into dancing by her partner. This move comes from the highly romantic and elegant Argentinian tango.

Reggaeton Shuffle

This is a watered-down combination of various hip hop dance moves inspired by the hugely energetic B-Boy shuffle. The reggaeton shuffle features timed knee raises, step backs, hip shaking, and body rolling. Women who want to show off on the dance floor when their favorite Maluma song comes on can make their body rolls sexier by rolling their shoulders before popping out their chests and slowing down their hip shaking, which should be slower and less exaggerated than twerking.

The Banda & Corrido Dip

Fans of banda, corrido, and Norteño music have developed a certain dance style that’s perfect for all three genres. Similar to salsa, it borrows a couple of moves from Argentinian tango, and one of them is the dip. Old-school tradition says the woman should be the flyer in this move, but in 2022, it’s totally optional. For safety, the lead should use both hands to support the flyer, who should, in turn, grab the partner. When you’re practicing as a couple, the flyer should lock his or her left leg onto the lead’s right leg so they won’t fall over.

Female Bachata Lead

Ladies can shake things up when they take the lead with the bachata. The usual bachata sometimes gets a little boring on the dance floor because nearly all men lead with the left on a 1-2, 1-2 footwork. When women lead, they tend to start off with a right hip shake that turns into a roll by the time it reaches the left hip, and this forces the male partner to catch up on a 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4 footwork.

When they’re ready to show off their dance moves at the city’s top Latin club, San Diego folks head to Onyx Room Nightclub, a staple of the Gaslamp Quarter nightlife scene. Our open-minded and incredibly friendly clientele is up for anything, which is what makes our nightclub stand out from the rest. With music genres including hip hop, top 40, urban Latin, reggaeton, bachata, salsa, merengue, regional, cumbia, and Banda, we have something to please everyone’s taste. Our inviting atmosphere and welcoming staff will ensure you have an experience unlike any other. To learn more about why Onyx Nightclub is the premier San Diego nightclub, call us at 619-876-8044.