SalsaSelfie.com 🇨🇺

Three Step Turns use three steps to do a full 360 degree turn, composed of two half turns. 180 degree between step “1” and step “2” and another 180 degree between step “2” and step “3”.

Three Step Turns are very versatile. A Follow can start a Three Step Turn both to the left and to the right, on any count number. That is a Three Step Left Turn can start on “2” or on “5” or on “7” turning with the front first, but just as well and easy on “1”, or on “3” or on “6” turning with the back first.

But for many reasons having to do with tradition, and on how figures and moves are composed, and the dominant right turning motion, Three Step Left Turns, co-called Coca-Cola turns, almost always start on “5”, that is the turn is on “5-6-7”. Coca-Cola turns on “7-1-2” are common as the second turn of a Coca-Cola Double, but the second turn can also fall on “2-3-5”.

It is not wrong to start Three Step Turns on the other counts, but it almost never happens. Don’t add complexity to a dance except for a good reason. Two Step Coca-Cola turns start on “1”, or on “3”, or on “6”. We also have the very rare Pirueta al Medio starting on “5”, just to complete the picture.

Turn Techniques

For traveling Three Step Turns, as a continuing movement on a straight or curved line, we only have three well-known universal and versatile turn techniques:

1. To start with a Half Pirouette 180 degree and walk around for the last 180 degree.
2. To start with a Pivot 180 degree and walk around for the last 180 degree.
3. To start like the Pivot and collecting the feet (Chaîné) and twist around.

If Three Step Turns doesn’t complete a full circle, the Follow closes the gap with step “4”, and the Three Step Turn becomes a Four Step Turn, the most common technique in social dancing!

Three Step Pirouette

Starting a Three Step Turn or a Four Step Turn with half a Pirouette is by far the easiest and the most common turn technique for left and right turns, at least in social dancing. It is stable and it just works for anyone in any situation. It is not a universal turn technique in the sense that it is not recognised as a proper textbook turn in any dance style but it is unbeatable for its versatility.

For a left turn, the Three Step Pirouette most likely starts on “5” with a half Pirouette, 180 degree, bringing the two feet together on “6”, making it a little shorter than the Three Step Pivot Turn. On “6-7” the remaining 180 degree is added by stepping around.

Three Step Pivot

The Three Step Pivot Turn is the natural way to turn, and it is the most common textbook turn in Cuban Salsa, the turn technique instructors and good turners tend to use. It is a universal technique used in many dance styles. It is almost as versatile as the the Three Step Pirouette but more difficult.

For a left turn, the Three Step Pivot most likely starts on “5” stepping forward on step “5” and “6” and the foot pivots for the first 180 degree. Next the Follow steps around adding another 180 degree.

Three Step Chaîné

Three Step Chaîné is the salsa adaption of the Ballet’s Two Step Chaîné turn. A universal turn technique adapted to many dance style. Chaîné means chain in French, and the salsa adaption has very little in common with the original ballet version except that the feet are collected and twisted around.

For a Left turn, the Three Step Chaîné most likely starts on “5”, stepping forward on step “5” and “6” and pivot for the first 180 degree exactly like the Pivot technique. But in stead of stepping around for the last 180 degree, the feet are collected and twisted around.

The Three Step Chaîné Turn technique is the most elegant and also the most difficult of the common turn techniques.