Left Underarm Turn
Salsa follower left turn under a raised hand connection
SalsaLevel: Beginner1 min read3 citations
See it danced
Video demo
The left underarm turn is a foundational salsa partner figure in which the leader creates space and raises the connected hand so the follower can rotate to her left, or counter-clockwise, beneath the arm connection.[1] In a common On1 social-dance version, the first measure keeps the partners in basic timing: the leader breaks back on his left on 1 while the follower breaks back on her right on 1, then both replace and close on 2-3. The turn is staged on 5-6-7: the follower begins the left rotation on 5, continues through 6, and resolves facing the leader on 7, for about one full turn distributed across three steps rather than whipped at the end.[1] The leader normally marks the turn with a lifted hand path, often taught as a curved or J-shaped cue, while maintaining a supportive frame rather than pulling the follower around.[2] The same rotational action is treated as a basic building block in salsa instruction, although the placement of the figure within the eight-count can vary between On1 and New York On2 pedagogy.[3]
How it's danced
Lead and follow cues
CountOn1 only: one break per measure, with breaks on 1 and 5 in the two-measure phrase. This card stages a basic first half on 1-2-3 and the follower's left underarm turn on 5-6-7, with the follower's roughly full counter-clockwise turn distributed across 5, 6, and 7.
Lead
On1: break back on left on 1, replace on 2, close on 3 while keeping the slot clear and the hand connection relaxed. On 5, raise the connected hand and begin a small curved cue above the follower's head; on 6, keep the hand centered enough for her left rotation without pulling; on 7, lower the hand as both partners re-face and settle the connection.
Follow
On1: break back on right on 1, replace on 2, close on 3. On 5, step forward or slightly in place into the left turn and begin counter-clockwise rotation; on 6, continue turning beneath the raised hand; on 7, complete the rotation to face the leader and recover balance before the next break.
Song timingBest at moderate social salsa tempos, roughly 150-185 bpm for clean beginner execution. Around 190 bpm and above, the figure remains possible but demands smaller steps, earlier preparation, and a lighter hand connection.
Learn first
Prerequisites
- Salsa basic step on On1 timing.
- Comfortable open handhold.
- Follower right and left turning balance.
- Leader ability to raise and lower the hand connection without gripping.
Watch out
Common mistakes
- Leader pulls the follower around instead of offering a lifted turning pathway.
- Follower starts the turn before count 5 and loses the shared timing.
- Follower compresses the whole turn into count 7 instead of spreading rotation across 5-6-7.
- Leader lets the raised hand drift behind the follower's head, forcing the shoulder line.
- Both partners forget the next break after the count-7 landing.
Don't confuse with
Easily confused moves
- Right underarm turn: follower rotates right, or clockwise, and requires the opposite turning logic.
- Inside turn: in many salsa slot contexts this also denotes a follower left, counter-clockwise turn, but it may be used for travelling cross-body variations rather than a stationary basic underarm turn.
- Cross-body lead with inside turn: the follower travels across the slot before or during the left turn; that travelling pattern is a separate figure.
- Cuban enchufla: also uses a left-turning action for the follower, but belongs to casino's circular partner geometry rather than a linear On1 slot pattern.
Around the world
Other names
English-language salsa instruction
left underarm turn
Attested generic instructional name for the follower's left turn under a raised arm.
Los Angeles On1
left underarm turn
Commonly taught in English under the generic slot-style name; the available sources do not support a distinct Los Angeles-only term.
References
The bracketed numbers in the text show which source each fact comes from. Tap or click one to jump to that source in this list.
- 1.ballroomdancers.com
- 2.youtube.com
- 3.salsavida.com
How to cite this article
Choose a style and copy the citation.
Bailar Editorial Team. (2026). Left Underarm Turn. Bailar Biblioteca. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://getbailar.com/biblioteca/move/left-turn-underarm
Bailar Editorial Team. “Left Underarm Turn.” Bailar Biblioteca, 2026, getbailar.com/biblioteca/move/left-turn-underarm. Accessed 13 October 2026.
Bailar Editorial Team. “Left Underarm Turn.” Bailar Biblioteca. Accessed October 13, 2026. https://getbailar.com/biblioteca/move/left-turn-underarm.
@misc{bailar-move-left-turn-underarm, author = {{Bailar Editorial Team}}, title = {{Left Underarm Turn}}, year = {2026}, howpublished = {Bailar Biblioteca}, url = {https://getbailar.com/biblioteca/move/left-turn-underarm}, note = {Accessed: 2026-10-13} }
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