How to Dance Cumbia: A Beginner’s Step-By-Step Guide

Co-authored by Leela Fazzuoli & Daniele Cavallo

Last Updated: January 15, 2023 References

The word cumbia is derived from the African cumbe, which means dance. It represents a blending of cultures both musically and rhythmically during the 17th century when African slaves were brought to Colombia by the Spanish. Throughout the centuries, both the original dance and music have evolved and can now even be heard and danced in discos and clubs. In fact, today it’s one of the most popular forms of music and dance in Latin America and is considered by many to be Colombia’s primary folk style. Here you’ll learn how to do the original cumbia, how to do the basic steps as performed today, and how to dance the cumbia with a partner.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Mastering the Steps

1
Learn the step pattern. Over time, the step sequence changed and became more formalized. Instead of short, sliding steps, they became a simple 4-count, “two-step” forward and backward motion. It’s not necessary to use this pattern if dancing in the original style. However, it’s important to know it as most people dance the cumbia this way today.
- This appears to be largely due to the addition of other musical instruments to the cumbia, such as the guitar, accordion, tambora (a large, two-sided drum), maraca, conga (a Cuban hand drum), horns and the piano.^{[1]
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2
Start with your feet together. Its basic step is also used in salsa.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Leela Fazzuoli & Daniele Cavallo
Professional Latin Dance Instructors
Expert Interview. 7 October 2021.} Stand with your feet close together, which is the neutral position. You can hold your skirt with one or both hands and wave it. Or you can bend both arms at the elbows and roll them inward in circles close to your body – in the space between your shoulders and hips.
- Women can tilt their wrists up for a feminine flair.^{[3]
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3
Step back with your right foot. As you step back, pivot your left foot so that your right curls slightly behind your left and a little to the side. It should be about a 1–2 feet (0.30–0.61 m) behind your left.
4
Step in place with your left foot. As you’re doing the dance, be enthusiastic and smile flirtatiously.
5
Bring your right foot forward to neutral. Lift your heel and step forward on your toes to the neutral position.
- Pause for a beat to switch your weight from left to right.
6
Step back with your left foot. Do this as you did with your right foot, but now pivoting your right instead.
7
Bring your left foot forward to neutral. Pause when your left foot comes to the neutral position. Then repeat the basic moves, starting with your left foot. The dance is not difficult once you know the basic step.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Leela Fazzuoli & Daniele Cavallo
Professional Latin Dance Instructors
Expert Interview. 7 October 2021.}
- Move your hips and torso from side to side to the rhythm as you do the steps.
- Mouth or count to yourself for each beat: 1 when your right foot goes back, 2 when your left steps in place, 3 when your right moves forward, and 4 when it comes to neutral.
- When you repeat and move your left foot back first, start counting from 5-8.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Dancing With a Partner

1
Stand facing your partner. Stand facing one another about 2 feet (0.6 m) apart and gently hold hands.
- You can also stand beside your partner shoulder-to-shoulder and do the basic steps in tandem - either while holding one another’s waists and extending your free arms or without touching.^{[7]
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- And you can integrate the steps into the original style by simply replacing them with the sliding step.
2
Step backward at the same time. The leader will step back on his/her right foot as the follower steps back on his/her left. While doing this, let go of your partner’s hand and extend your free arm.
- The leader will release and extend his or her right arm, and the follower his or her left.
- This creates an open area as both partners step back and come shoulder-to-shoulder.
- You also can wrap your arm around your partner’s waist as you meet shoulder-to-shoulder and extend your free arm. Or you can combine the two.
3
Come back together with your partner. Each partner will now take the same foot and step back to neutral so they are face-to-face.
- Bring your free arm toward your partner while doing this, and hold hands again.
- Both partners should move their hips from side to side as they dance.
4
Pause and repeat in the opposite direction. Pause briefly when you are again face-to-face. Then step back on your other foot first (the leader’s left and the partner’s right) and repeat.
- Continue switching from side to side.
- The count will be 1 when you both step back, 2 when you place your opposite foot, 3 when your bring your other foot forward, 4 when you come back together, 5 when you move your other foot back, 6 when you place your opposite foot, 7 when you bring your foot forward, and 8 when you come back together.^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Adding a Turn

1
Step backward together. As with the basic partner dance, the leader steps back on his or her right foot while the follower steps back on his or her left.
- Continue holding hands as you step back.
2
Release hands. The leader lets go of the follower’s right hand and uses his or her left hand to guide the turn.
3
Begin the turn. The leader gently pulls the follower forward on his or her right foot. The follower plants his or her right foot, which he or she will turn on.
- Almost simultaneously the leader also lifts the follower’s right hand and arm to begin the turn.
4
Finish the turn. As the leader turns the follower, he or she steps forward and to the side on his or her left foot and completes the turn, bringing them to neutral.
- The count is 1 when they both step back, 2 when the follower steps forward and the turn begins, 3 when the leader steps forward and to the side to complete the turn, and 4 when they come back together to neutral.^{[9]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Dancing the Original Cumbia

1
Get in an alluring state of mind. The cumbia dance is a social dance often done at large gatherings.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Leela Fazzuoli & Daniele Cavallo
Professional Latin Dance Instructors
Expert Interview. 7 October 2021.} It’s believed that the cumbia was originally a folkloric dance, in which African slaves imitated the Spanish. They did this, in part, through dressing in long skirts like the slave owners. As these two groups began to culturally and racially mix with indigenous Colombians, the cumbia became a dance of courtship and love. As such, the traditional dance almost always included pairs of men and women dancing with one another. However, they generally didn’t touch much, if at all.
- This was set to a new style of music, cumbia, using the rhythm of drums (the African influence) and the melody of flutes (the native Colombians).
2
Sway like the women. In its oldest and most traditional form, you hold a burning candle and take short, sliding or dragging steps to mimic the limited foot movement imposed by shackles on slaves’ ankles. You dance slowly along with other women in a counterclockwise circle. As you continue moving in a circle, sway your body back and forth while waving your skirt in a figure-8 motion. At times of your choosing, and without warning to your partner, approach him and spin, letting the candle pass before his face before retreating to your place in the circle.^{[11]
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- Today, candles aren’t used much. Instead, women hold both sides of the skirt as they wave it or use one hand to wave the skirt while the other is raised in an open arc.
- You can dress in the original style or the more flamboyant one of today. If the former, wear a long and colorful skirt (a bolero) and a short-sleeved white shirt. Go either barefoot or in sandals, and wear your hair back.
- Or you can dress as many do today in long, colorful dresses. The skirt of the dress is often made of layers and ruffles and adorned with sequins. Wearing flower headdresses or a large flower tucked behind your ear is common. Large earrings and a face full of makeup are also the norm. You can go barefoot or in sandals.
3
Pursue the woman if you’re a man. Much of the man’s dance involves trying to lure the woman to him. His steps and movements are also faster than hers. Dance behind and around the woman, and take your hat on and off your head with one hand while holding the other behind your back. This gesture is intended to entice the woman toward you. When she approaches and spins, you can “crown” her with your hat before also spinning around her and then retreating. In some scenarios, the man holds a red handkerchief, bends low and fans the woman’s feet with it.^{[14]
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- Wear white pants and a white shirt; a hat or sombrero; and a large, colorful (often red) handkerchief tied around your neck. You can go barefoot or in sandals.

Community Q&A

Question

What's the traditional dress for the dance?

Sugarplum Princess

Community Answer

The traditional Cumbia women wore long flowing skirts or dresses made of cotton with a floral or gingham checked pattern.The blouses had 3/4th sleeves with the bodice being tightly fit to the waist.The women also wore necklaces, flowers and babuchas. The men wore white pants with a round neck white shirt
Question

What are the basic steps of La Cumbia?

Sugarplum Princess

Community Answer

A basic step often seen in La Cumbia dancing is the back-break basic. It has a 2/4 rhythm and is often danced within a circle or a circular pattern.
Question

How do I dance batchata?

Community Answer

It's a four count dance, with the 4th step as a tap. It's 1, 2 , 3, tap 5, 6, 7, tap. Follows start on the right and leads on the left foot to dance as one. For a follow, it would be right left right tap on the left, then left right left tap on the right.