Is the salsa scene a meat market?

[brujo]

I was talking to a lindy hopper friend of mine, she said that the salsa scene gives her a pickup scene/ meat market feeling. Is this true? Does this explain all the creepy old men hanging out? Do you find this impression stops some people from actually trying out salsa clubs?

[pygmalion]

In a word, yes.

There are lots of committed couples out there, and quite a few serious dancers, but hey, first, last and foremost, a meat market.

But not all the men are creepy. :D It's all in how you look at it.

The first time I went to a certain Latin club in town, I walked up to the bar to order a drink. A really handsome, distinguished Latin gentleman turns around, takes one look at me, says, "permiso" (which I think means excuse me?) and plants a big, juicy kiss on my cheek. Definitely a meat market. But he made my night. :lol:

[youngsta]

Hmmm, this is what I've noticed. If you go to clubs where it's a 'latin music' night (a combo of salsa, merengue, bachata, spanish rock, latin house) it's a pure meat market. If you go to a 'salsa night' (let's say 75% or more salsa) I find it's almost entirely serious dancers with a few lurkers.

[pygmalion]

Good observation, youngsta. I'll check this out the next couple times I'm out, and see if I see the same difference you mention.

And by the way, congrats on making it to merchant class. 100 posts goes by quick, doesn't it? :D

[DanceMentor]

OK, I'm not sure I understand the question.
Your going to pack a bunch of people (mostly single) onto a dance floor, sell them booze, and play some hip shakin salsa.
What else would you expect?
What are the characteristics of a vegetarian market?

[xstasy]

hysterical reply Dancementor!! thanks for the laugh- i needed that! :D

I have to agree with youngsta. Clubs that are salsa dance spots usually attract dancers and carnivores are steared towards the mix music clubs. It is somewhat similar to a social in which women dress down (as oppsed to barely dress at clubs), liquor is not sold (H2O being the top seller) and guys ask for your hand to dance and not your number.

An interesting analogy is this website. Strictly dancers wanting to talk about dancing as opposed to migente.com where there are all sorts of forums which creates the meat market atmosphere. i dont mean to knock it totally though, afterall, i met my boyfriend there :wink:

[pygmalion]

migente.com, did you say? Gotta check it out! :lol:

[brujo]

***WARNING: The following post is not policatlly correct, read at your own risk ****



What are the characteristics of a vegetarian market?

:shock: Wheelchairs :shock:

[pygmalion]

:shock: LOL!

[mellody43]

When I first started salsa dancing, I was very leery of the meat market reputation of salsa clubs. My response is that it varies greatly by particular club, and even by particular night, depending on the focus (what kind of music). One of the larger clubs in Seattle is quite meat markety IMO, and the music is much more "club" like -- mixed, no breaks, a bit of rap/reggae mixed in, flashing lights, the whole kit and caboodle. I'm not crazy about that place. I can feel the eyes on me. And not in a good way. :-)

The club I frequent (let's just say I am a die-hard regular) is more of a neighborhood feel. Most of the dancers are untrained (like me) but love the music, a nice mix of salsa, merengue, cumbia, with a bit of bachata and tropical mixed in for good measure. It's more casual, dancers are not as flashy (see "untrained"). It's a restaurant/bar that has a dance floor and DJ at night.

But overall, I do think the men can be more agressive than I've experienced at non-Latin clubs.

Melissa

[pygmalion]

Loved your post subject. :)


And I don't believe in stereotypes, but there are cliches out there about Latin men overall being more aggressive than men of other nationalities. Maybe that's part of where the meat market thing comes from :?: I've actually dated men from a couple different countries, and they do differ in style. What's considered aggressive in one place may be considered positively wimpy someplace else.

But, back on topic, my story from earlier in this thread. The same night I got my juicy kiss, I also saw several couples in at least their sixties, dancing away with their spouses like they were in their livingrooms. Maybe it's a mix :?:

[salsarhythms]

Yeah the salsa dancing scene can be like that. It also depends
on where you go...

I think that if it is pure salsa then the chances of it getting too bad
go down, however, throw a mixed night in there and you've got
yourself higher chances of being hit on...;-)

[xstasy]

incredible!!

young active adults - who know how to get down & boogy- not wanting to get hit on?!?! are we all getting old? :lol:

just kidding, but i'm fascinated by the maturity of the the true salsa scene as well as the members of this website. older adults usually associate music & dancing ("clubbing") with roudy, rambunctious & irresponsibly behaving youth. salsa showed them. :P

kudos to dance-forums.com :!:

[brujo]

well, I guess if you don't want to be hit on, you can always check out El Convento Rico (http://www.elconventorico.com/) in Toronto....

[youngsta]

The mixed format clubs usually cater to the non-dancers (read DRINKERS) which is why it becomes at meat market. Personally I don't believe it has anything to do with latin men because you'd find the same thing in any hip-hop or rock club that caters to non-dancers.

The pure salsa nights are catered to dancers (a LOT of H2O consumption). My weekly regular spot is about 75% salsa and it's not even close to being a meat market.

[mellody43]

I've been to all types of clubs, for all different styles of music (not all social dancing) and I've never experienced *quite* the same type of "hitting" as I have at salsa clubs. And the men aren't drunk. But I think Pygmalion is right in that what is considered forward in, say, Wichita KS, is not the same as forward in NYC. Then add in international differences, where applicable, and you can get pretty funny.

And I didn't say I didn't LIKE being hit on -- I just want men to have some class about it. I am generally flattered when anybody hits on me, and that includes other women, bus drivers, rather elderly men, etc. They all have opinions and if something they see pleases them, then that's fine -- as long as they aren't crass, rude, or pushy about it. Bring it on, boys!

:-)
Melissa

[MissAlyssa]

I guess I think like youngsta. It depends on the club and the night.

[pygmalion]

I'm with mellody43.

Even if you're not looking to get hit on, which I'm not, it's very flattering when someone checks you out and likes what they see. Just hit on me with a little class, and I'll flirt back, rather than get all huffy and talk bad about you the next day. :P

[brujo]

I've often gotten the comment that the way salsa is danced in the US and Canada is not the salsa danced at home ( latin america ).

While you get a nice mix of styles, most people in Latin America don't spend the ridiculous amount of time we probably do learning to dance and spin properly. They go out and have a good time to the music. I remember a bunch of Puerto Rican girls who would blast the salsa and dance in front of the dorms and offer free lessons during the summer.

Do you think that the pure salsa sets ( i.e. 95% salsa ) tends to keep out people who just want to dance and not worry about connection and quadruple spins?

It seems to me that the places with a equal mix of merengue / bachata / cumbia attracts a more diverse crowd ( hence meat market) , while the pure salsa clubs seem to get the more flashy dancers.

[brujo]

Just hit on me with a little class, and I'll flirt back, rather than get all huffy and talk bad about you the next day. :P

Bueno mamacita, what a beautiful woman wants, a beautiful woman gets :wink:

[MissAlyssa]

I definetly agree with pygmalion, a little class goes a long way.

[redhead]

In my favorite club, about half of all guys on any salsa/meringue/bachata night are regulars. Most of them are Latinos.
When a new attractive girl comes in, some guys hit on her like crazy and not without success :lol: I like attention, but my first couple of times I was a little horrified - talk about meat market :shock: Well, most girls give up salsa after a couple of frustrating nights, so guys need to act quickly :P
I kept showing up at that club on every salsa night for a month, and it seemed that all the regulars have magically changed. The reason is simple: they understood that I'm on salsa scene to stay, and they didn't want anything ugly to happen. There are not so many serious dancers, after all, and you see same old faces every night out. They still flirt with me, but in a classy, fun and respectful way.
As far as I know, same thing happens to new dancers at most salsa clubs in town... and I consider it a survival training :lol:

[pygmalion]

redhead,

That is a cool perspective. The whole meat market thing is because you're fresh "meat" (for want of better terms), but all the aggresive stuff subsides. That sounds true, you know. I think I'll try it. Just go to the same club, rather than club-hopping, and see what happens.


Thanks.

And welcometo the forums!!! :D

Jenn

[SDsalsaguy]

Quite true redhead...if you prove yourself to be serious about dancing then you'll be treated accordingly and, with time, as an "insider." Prior to that however...

And ditto pygmalion's welcome! :D