Dishrag Sunburst
Salsa studio adaptation of the Dishrag / Wring out the Dishrag action
SalsaLevel: Improver1 min read3 citations
See it danced
Video demo
Dishrag Sunburst is a salsa-timed adaptation of the broader Dishrag action, in which both partners pass under joined raised hands rather than only one partner turning while the other anchors.[1] The move is documented as a cross-genre partner-dance action, with teaching examples reported in salsa as well as bachata, cha cha, nightclub two step, swing, and barn-dance contexts.[2] In an On1 salsa setting, the figure is commonly framed over two measures: both partners take one break per measure, first opening away from each other and then returning to face, while the raised hand connection creates a compact shared turning path.[1] The rotation is best understood as a staged budget: each dancer turns about a quarter turn into the shared hand window, continues through roughly another quarter to change facing, and completes the second measure by unwinding or re-facing, for an approximate half-turn to full-turn effect depending on the version. The name is not broadly standardized across salsa regions; the attested alternate English label is Wring out the Dishrag, while English barn-dance sources also record Grandfather's Polka for a related naming tradition.[3]
How it's danced
Lead and follow cues
CountOn1 only: two measures, with one break per measure. Measure 1 uses 1-2-3 to open away, replace, and prepare the raised two-hand window; measure 2 uses 5-6-7 to execute and resolve the simultaneous underarm action. No steps on 4 and 8 except weight settling or styling.
Lead
On1 from open or two-hand hold: on 1 break away on the left foot while preserving a light two-hand frame; on 2 replace forward; on 3 begin lifting and shaping the joined hands into a clear overhead window. On 5 break away on the right foot while initiating the shared turn path, rotating about 1/4 into the window; on 6 continue under the joined hands for roughly another 1/4 to 1/2 turn as space allows; on 7 lower the hands only after both partners have re-faced or clearly resolved the shared axis.
Follow
On1 from open or two-hand hold: on 1 break away on the right foot, matching the leader's away action from the follower's own body perspective; on 2 replace forward; on 3 keep the elbows toned and allow the raised hand window to form without pulling down. On 5 break away on the left foot as the shared turn begins, rotating about 1/4 into the window; on 6 continue through the raised connection for roughly another 1/4 to 1/2 turn; on 7 settle to face the leader or the agreed exit direction as the hands lower.
Song timingBest at moderate social salsa tempos, about 150-185 bpm. At 190 bpm and above the shared overhead pathway requires smaller steps, lower arm travel, and earlier preparation; crowded floors make the figure less suitable.
Learn first
Prerequisites
- On1 open break.
- Two-hand hold frame.
- Basic underarm-turn safety.
- Awareness of shared overhead hand paths.
Watch out
Common mistakes
- Breaking toward the partner on count 1 instead of opening away from each partner's own body perspective.
- Forcing both hands overhead before count 3, which compresses the frame and traps the shoulders.
- Dropping the hands before count 7, cutting off the follower's reorientation and the leader's own exit.
- Treating the action as a single whipped turn rather than staged rotation through entry, passage, and re-facing points.
- Using the slot term for casino or circular traffic in scenes where the figure is being danced as a non-slot studio pattern.
Don't confuse with
Easily confused moves
- Snake: a related family action in which one partner turns under the joined hands at a time rather than both turning simultaneously.
- Inside turn: conventionally the follower's left or counter-clockwise underarm turn, not the same two-person Dishrag action.
- Outside turn: conventionally the follower's right or clockwise underarm turn, not the same two-person Dishrag action.
- Cross-body lead: a foundational salsa travelling exchange of slot ends, not a simultaneous two-hand underarm action.
- Paso cruzado / cruzado: Spanish terms that usually refer to crossed footwork, not an attested salsa name for this figure.
Around the world
Other names
English-language salsa studio / cross-genre social dance
Dishrag
Attested as the base English name for the partner action; 'Dishrag Sunburst' appears to be a salsa-studio elaboration rather than a widely standardized regional label.
English-language salsa studio / cross-genre social dance
Wring out the Dishrag
Attested alternate English name for the same general action.
English barn-dance tradition
Grandfather's Polka
Attested barn-dance alternate label associated with the Dishrag naming tradition; not a salsa-regional name.
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.haroldsears.com
- 2.youtube.com
- 3.barndances.org.uk
How to cite this article
Choose a style and copy the citation.
Bailar Editorial Team. (2026). Dishrag Sunburst. Bailar Biblioteca. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://getbailar.com/biblioteca/move/salsa-dishrag-sunburst
Bailar Editorial Team. “Dishrag Sunburst.” Bailar Biblioteca, 2026, getbailar.com/biblioteca/move/salsa-dishrag-sunburst. Accessed 13 October 2026.
Bailar Editorial Team. “Dishrag Sunburst.” Bailar Biblioteca. Accessed October 13, 2026. https://getbailar.com/biblioteca/move/salsa-dishrag-sunburst.
@misc{bailar-move-salsa-dishrag-sunburst, author = {{Bailar Editorial Team}}, title = {{Dishrag Sunburst}}, year = {2026}, howpublished = {Bailar Biblioteca}, url = {https://getbailar.com/biblioteca/move/salsa-dishrag-sunburst}, note = {Accessed: 2026-10-13} }
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