Salsa Setenta Moderno
A modern variation of the Setenta, a foundational Cuban-salsa (casino) turn
SalsaLevel: Beginner2 min read2 citations
Salsa Setenta Moderno is a modern variation of the Setenta — "seventy" — one of the foundational partner figures of Cuban-style salsa (casino) and a signature pattern of its circle form, the Rueda de Casino.[2] Like the base move, it is a travelling turn built on a shared back-break that opens the dancing slot and sends the follower through it before the couple recovers a face-to-face position; the "Moderno" reworkings keep that back-break logic while updating the arm path and travel.
Danced on the standard On1 timing, the leader initiates a left-back break on count 1, opening the slot about a quarter-turn as the follower mirrors with a right-back break on the same count. Across counts 2–3 the leader steps forward onto the right foot to add a further quarter-turn, so the couple has rotated roughly 180° by the end of the first measure. The follower then travels forward through the opened slot on counts 5–6, turning about 90° into the slot on count 5 and about 90° back toward the leader on count 7 to re-orient face to face. Breaks fall on counts 1 and 5, with travel carried across the intervening counts.
The move sits within a broader Setenta family. Its closest relatives include Setenta y Uno Moderno, in which the follower is led behind the leader's back with the arms crossed, and Setenta y Cinco Moderno — both extensions of the base Setenta (70), which ranks among the first real figures taught in casino and recurs across studio syllabi of Cuban-salsa vocabulary. Historically, Setenta Moderno took shape in late-1990s On1 scenes and circulated outward — into Los Angeles On1 clubs and, later, Cuban-influenced Cali salsa, where it is treated as a giro rápido ("fast turn"), the name echoing the Spanish setenta for the move's rapid, near-full rotation.
Regional naming conventions for Setenta Moderno usually retain the English-derived term, with few distinct local names; some scenes keep "Setenta Moderno" while others substitute a local descriptor.[1]
How it's danced
Lead and follow cues
CountOn1 — breaks on 1 & 5, travel on 2‑3 and 6‑7
Lead
On count 1, break back‑left, opening the slot ~¼ turn; on counts 2‑3 step forward with right foot, completing the turn; on count 5 break back‑right, opening slot for follower; on counts 6‑7 step forward, completing rotation.
Follow
On count 1, break back‑right, mirroring leader; on counts 2‑3 hold position; on count 5 break back‑left, opening slot; on counts 6‑7 step forward through the opened slot, re‑orienting to face leader.
Song timing150‑185 bpm (typical salsa social tempo)
Learn first
Prerequisites
- Cross‑body lead
- Basic right‑hand turn
Watch out
Common mistakes
- Under‑rotating, leaving the slot too narrow
- Breaking on the wrong foot (leader left‑back vs right‑back)
- Follower stepping forward on count 1 instead of breaking back
Don't confuse with
Easily confused moves
- "Setenta" can be confused with the Cuban mambo figure of the same name, which has a different footwork pattern.
Around the world
Other names
New York (On1)
Setenta Moderno
Los Angeles (On1)
Setenta Moderno
References
- 1.Hip-hop (baile) — Wikipedia contributors, Wikipedia
- 2.Hip-hop (baile) — Wikipedia contributors, Wikipedia
How to cite this article
Choose a style and copy the citation.
Bailar Editorial Team. (2026). Salsa Setenta Moderno. Bailar Biblioteca. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://bailar.site/biblioteca/move/salsa-setenta-moderno
Bailar Editorial Team. “Salsa Setenta Moderno.” Bailar Biblioteca, 2026, bailar.site/biblioteca/move/salsa-setenta-moderno. Accessed 29 June 2026.
Bailar Editorial Team. “Salsa Setenta Moderno.” Bailar Biblioteca. Accessed June 29, 2026. https://bailar.site/biblioteca/move/salsa-setenta-moderno.
@misc{bailar-move-salsa-setenta-moderno, author = {{Bailar Editorial Team}}, title = {{Salsa Setenta Moderno}}, year = {2026}, howpublished = {Bailar Biblioteca}, url = {https://bailar.site/biblioteca/move/salsa-setenta-moderno}, note = {Accessed: 2026-06-29} }
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