How to Win on the Dance Floor

Longing to dance like the pros? It doesn't matter if you have two left feet, these basic guidelines will help you learn some classic dance moves and keep fit in the process.

Salsa is fun, sexy and great exercise. It's easy to pick up, with a simple eight-beat rhythm.

Here's some basic steps for you to practise:

1. Holding your partner. If you're leading, face your partner (the follower) and place your right hand on the small of their back. Lift your left arm to chest height, bend the elbow at a right angle and raise your palm. Take your partner's right hand in a loose grip and place their left hand on your right shoulder. This is known as the "closed" position. Alternatively, you can simply hold your partner's hands, with one raised to shoulder height – the "open" position.
2. Basic forward and back. These are the steps for the leader. Start with your feet together and your weight on your right foot. The follower starts with feet together and their weight on the left foot, using the backward step as in beat five.
3. Beat 1. Step forward with your left foot, shifting your weight on to that foot.
4. Beat 2. Rock your weight back from your left foot to your right.
5. Beat 3. Step back with your left foot, keeping your weight on your right.
6. Beat 4. Pause for the fourth beat, but transfer your weight onto your left foot.
7. Beat 5. Step back with your right foot and shift your weight onto it.
8. Beat 6. Transfer weight from your right foot to your left.
9. Beat 7. Step forward with your right foot.
10. Beat 8. Shift your weight to your right foot, then begin again.

Put on some evocative swing music — 'You Make Me Feel so Young', 'Night and Day', 'Cheek to Cheek'.  Ladies, place your right hand in his left, and left hand resting on his right arm. Gentlemen, place your right hand on her left shoulder blade.Smooth and sophisticated, the slow foxtrot is danced with grace and flair: think Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It should flow, with a natural rise and fall created by the changing pace of the steps. Go low with the slow steps and rise up with the quicks. A "social foxtrot" is easier, with no rise and fall.

1. Slow slow. Start by taking two slow steps, forwards for the gentleman, and left then right.
2. Quick quick. Take one quick sidestep, gentleman to the left, and another to bring feet together.
3. Slow slow. The gentleman takes two slow steps backwards, left then right. Ladies moving forward, right then left.
4. Quick quick. Another quick sidestep — gentleman to the left and lady to the right. And a quick step to bring feet together before starting again. Repeat the sequence as you move round the floor.

The Spanish song 'Macarena', by Los del Rio, became an instant hit on its release in 1995, inspiring a craze for this exuberant dance. Don't worry if you have two left feet or no willing dance partner. This dance requires only that you move your hands, arms and body — with a Latin swing and sway. Every movement is sensuous. Put on the 'Macarena' and feel the beat. Oh, when I dance, they call me Macarena / And the boys, they say that I am buena …