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When I first started dancing salsa I quickly realized how difficult leading a woman is. Your mind has to become trained to execute many different tasks, all the while, feeling the music and having fun simultaneously. Much like playing the piano and singing at the same time. You have to be aware of your surroundings to avoid collisions, you must be able to think quickly enough to execute multiple moves and combinations, be strong yet graceful enough to make your partner move when and where you want her and last but not least, make it look effortless. Now how is all that possible without getting confused? Well, as we have all heard before "practice, practice, and more practice".

First things first! Rhythm and timing are the building blocks of salsa. A great dancer is able to keep the rhythm at all times. Have you ever seen a good Salsera get asked to dance by someone who is "rhythmically challenged"? It's embarrassing! The woman has to know what count your on. This provides consistency and allows her to recover (get back on beat), from mistakes. A good friend once told me that to become a good Salsero you have to learn how to count. Listen to the music, don't just hear it. Become familiar with salsa. Eventually over time you won't have to count, at least consciously.

Communicate with her. There are many ways to communicate in salsa dancing. Often I let my partner know when I'm going to do multiple spins by calling out the number of spins before hand. This prepares her and prevents unwanted surprises.

Let your hands do the talking. Good leading also requires positioning your partner with your hands. There are certain moves or combinations that require the right amount of pressure or guidance. You may begin to notice this when learning new moves and they become comfortable to you. A gentle press on her back or touch to the shoulder sometimes is all you need.

Every so often you'll reach that intangible place where everything you both do is flawless. This is often referred to as "the zone". Your totally focused on your partner and the music, everything else is a blur. This occurs when your actions overlap thought.

Choose your floor space. I once had someone tell me that she felt safe when dancing with me. I took that as a high compliment because maneuvering for good floor space without slamming your partner around can be art form, thus adding something more to your dance. Watch how some people around you dance. Be selective when finding a spot. This could just be the difference between dancing once, with someone, and dancing again.

Give her time to shine. My first salsa instructor told me "salsa was a dance that showed off the woman". A good lead always allows time for the woman to show off or "shine". Being pulled and moved around can sometimes get tiresome. So give her an opportunity to create her own movement and remember that dancing is fun.

Finally, devote time to practice becoming precise with your combinations. Start by mastering the basics and move on. Execution is very important. Your partner needs to sense your confidence on the dance floor. Remember each Salsera dances differently. Your adjustment to her style is just as important as her adjustment to yours.