Thanks for the plug, Keh,
but I'm not sure my pages really have anything that address this question specifically. I might have links to other sites that do though. Let's see, how similar do you want things to be? As noted, the basic waltz box step can be used for American rumba. American waltz steps can be used in American foxtrot with appropriate modifications. The cha cha basic is basically the same as the international rumba basic, but with three steps instead of one. The same general pattern is used for a mambo/salsa basic, one step with faster music. Quickstep's basic Quarter Turn to R and Heel Pivot (Quater Turn to L) are basically the same as an American foxtrot SSQQ basic pattern going foward then backward (leader) with 1/4 turns. I'm not sure if there are other basics that are the same like this, but there could be. Oh yeah, as noted before, a samba basic step is similar to a basic waltz box, and a few figures are similar, too, I think.
As far as similar figures go, many figures in cha cha can be used in rumba and vice versa. In fact, most of the bronze level international syllabus is the same for rumba and cha cha. The same figures probably work in salsa/mambo as well, but I know much less about them. Some figures are basically interchangeable across the standard dances, again with some modifications. Closed and Open Telemarks and Impetuses are used in syllabus international waltz and foxtrot and the Closed Impetus and Telemark are in quickstep, too. There must be plenty of others, especially if you go to open level and start borrowing figures between dances, but those couple of figures are the ones that immediately came to my mind. I hope this helps. If you need more information, try to be a little more specific about what you're looking for and we'll try to help.
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James Marshall
marshall@astro.umd.edu
http://www.astro.umd.edu/~marshall
