Edwina says:

I think most people will ask you to listen to salsa music 24/7. But if you don't know what to listen out for, listening to salsa music will not really actually improve your rhythm.

What is needed is actually someone to guide you in your listening, telling you where is the strong beat and it's for you to listen and feel for the "one" (join Two Left Feet's musicality workshop). Most importantly, ignore the singer, trumpet or sometimes the piano (i.e. the melody), listen to the percussion, especially the cow bell and lower sounding instruments, cause they tend to play simple rhythms. And during lesson, when Jean and Wendy start counting 123-567, observe when the "one" come in. Salsa dancing is not the move by itself. You must match your moves to the music, not in your own world. It's hard for a girl to follow a leader without a sense of rhythm. Moves and rhythm come together!

Seph says:

My methods:
1) [on the dance floor] count 1, 2, 3, pause, 5, 6, 7, pause, repeat, all the way (in your head) throughout the dance
2) listen to all types of salsa music (and count them throughout)
3) attend Two Left Feet's Musicality & Rhythm workshop to understand more about what the hell is creating those sounds in the music background and what beat are they being played on
4) learn to pause on the 4th and 8th count.

Many a times, even if we can catch the rhythm, our feet can't move as quickly to match them, thus we'll feel like our sense of rhythm is poor, when it's actually not. So practise hard on quick feet movement, combined with cuban motion of course! (otherwise we will look like SHIT! ..i'm serious..)

Clinton says:

When I first heard salsa music I was like "what in the world?!" I totally couldn't make out what was going on. I'm better now but I still dance "On 5" sometimes. Hah! What worked for me:
1) Listening to more salsa music
2) Social dancing
3) Going for classes
4) Musicality workshop

I've gotten dirty looks from girls before when I go offbeat hah but I've grown thick skinned; but I still do my best to stay on beat. As Edie the Salsa Freak says "be kind to off-beaters"! Nobody wants to be offbeat. So if I ever catch the salsa rhythm, I'll make it a point to go help all the girls who have trouble with that! =)

Ricardo says:

Best advice? Attend Two Left Feet's Musicality and Rhythm class! Seriously! Alternatively, you can practice listening to different salsa songs. If there's vocals, listen to the start of each stanza; that will be 1, just follow through from there. If no vocals, it's more difficult; see first paragraph above. And practice a lot. Listen and dance, listen and dance, ...

Edmund says:

Hmm.. there is only one way.. ATTEND JEAN'S MUSICALITY CLASS! And I am serious about it. 'Cause it would be pointless to dance if you do not know how to catch the rhythm of salsa music. And also, unless someone tells you how to look for the one and the five, you will be utterly lost. I attended Jean's Musicality class on salsa music and it really helps me to know when and where to look out for the "One" and the "Five"; but it takes practice (I mean mind and ears, not feet).

Listen to the music for at least 1/3 or half of the song before you go dancing, unless you know the song well. If not, wait... that is what I learned from Jean during her coaching. and I remember it till now... And listen to more salsa music. You can look for familiar tracks like Definitivamente, Corazon Partido By Chichi Peralta,El_Carnaval... and more. Hope it helps you guys and gals to improve further :)

Eddie says:

Here's my 2 cents' worth. To boost our sense of rhythm, we need to spend more time listening to salsa music. There are 2 reasons which I can think of. Firstly, because we enjoy the music and it's arrangement / movement. Secondly, to distinguish the '1' from the '5'. To the rhythmically inclined (either from past music lessons or from countless nites dancing at Zouk), there's little for you to worry about. Just keep up the learning curve. For the rest of us who needs more strengthening in this aspect (like myself), I strongly suggest we head down to salsa clubs often and start paying attention to the music. Otherwise, more refresher / private classes should help too! =)

Zoe says:

Ah rhythm :) I think I'm lucky, I have a music background so I seemed to just sense the "One" pretty quickly!. That said I know my performance teachers would say I dance too fast (nerves I tell you, nerves!). The cheapest way I think, i.e. without going to music classes, is to listen to as much salsa music as you can. So when you're not dancing in Union, listen, and move your feet or some part of you in time with the music. Then try stopping and then finding the "1" again. Do it with slow, fast, medium speed songs, the works. You know you're mostly there when you start hearing salsa beats in random songs on the radio! I also walk to a salsa beat sometimes- up and down the corridors 123 567 - I don't go back and forth (that would look really silly!) but I imagine I am in my mind. Me and my ipod go dancing at bus stops, MRTs, lifts, up and down stairs, everywhere... (interesting CCTV footage I'm sure!). The answer is listen lots and move at least some part of your body (even if it's only your little finger) in time to the music.