top US cities for salsa?
- Thread starter bailarina
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quixotedlm
Active Member
on2 > on1
hee!
hee!
salsamarty
New Member
SF
LA
Chicago
LA
Chicago
Vin
New Member
I have been tempted to start a ranking thread. Basically we would rank our favorite scenes and then at the end we could try to make a comprehensive list.
Scenes I know decently well DC > Puerto Rico
Scenes I know from visiting every once in a while NY > Atl > Cleveland.
Based on what I know about the scenes I have seen I would rank in this order
NY > DC > PR > ATL > Cleveland.
I don't know the LA scene very well but I would be tempted to say from what I have heard that it is as good or better than the NY scene. Based on the LA congress alone I would rank it up there with New York, but congresses can be misleading.
This can be difficult though and it varies on who you are and what you are looking for. Example: PR has the best live music and most varied music options any night of the week. On the other hand I have found that dancers are less willing to dance with people they don't know in PR.
In DC on the other hand most ladies will always give someone a chance but the live music scene and options are nonexistent.
My criteria is based heavily on the percentage of good dances I will have on any given evening. DC is obviously going to be skewed because I know many people in the DC scene whereas Atl and Cle are skewed down because I know less people in those scenes.
Scenes I know decently well DC > Puerto Rico
Scenes I know from visiting every once in a while NY > Atl > Cleveland.
Based on what I know about the scenes I have seen I would rank in this order
NY > DC > PR > ATL > Cleveland.
I don't know the LA scene very well but I would be tempted to say from what I have heard that it is as good or better than the NY scene. Based on the LA congress alone I would rank it up there with New York, but congresses can be misleading.
This can be difficult though and it varies on who you are and what you are looking for. Example: PR has the best live music and most varied music options any night of the week. On the other hand I have found that dancers are less willing to dance with people they don't know in PR.
In DC on the other hand most ladies will always give someone a chance but the live music scene and options are nonexistent.
My criteria is based heavily on the percentage of good dances I will have on any given evening. DC is obviously going to be skewed because I know many people in the DC scene whereas Atl and Cle are skewed down because I know less people in those scenes.
Big10
Member
I've danced Salsa in only 6 of the following 11 places, so part of this opinion is based on personal experience, and part is based on reputation/second-hand info:
LA = NY > PR > Houston > DC = Chicago > Miami > SF > Atlanta = Philly = Dallas
A couple of years ago, I probably would have lumped Houston as fairly equal to DC and Chicago, but I think Houston got a big boost when some of the folks from New Orleans moved here after Hurricane Katrina (like Troy & Jorjet).
LA = NY > PR > Houston > DC = Chicago > Miami > SF > Atlanta = Philly = Dallas
A couple of years ago, I probably would have lumped Houston as fairly equal to DC and Chicago, but I think Houston got a big boost when some of the folks from New Orleans moved here after Hurricane Katrina (like Troy & Jorjet).
How could anyone emit Tampa, Orlando and Miami-- combined , probably have the most diverse latino population in existence-- the styles of music and dance, are un matched ( and yes, I have taught and danced in all the aforementioned plus some )
Of course-- we all know this is very subjective ,and only opinions .
And remember-- I am a world authority on my own opinion .
Of course-- we all know this is very subjective ,and only opinions .
And remember-- I am a world authority on my own opinion .
Vin
New Member
We are only going by what we know personally. If you have danced in Tampa, Miami, or other parts of south florida then please include them in the list.
Big10, Since we have a disagreement on PR and DC, I am curious what about PR you liked more than DC. Or did you simply just have more good dances in PR than DC. If so, please tell me where to go in PR because I have yet to find salsa nirvana in PR.
Big10, Since we have a disagreement on PR and DC, I am curious what about PR you liked more than DC. Or did you simply just have more good dances in PR than DC. If so, please tell me where to go in PR because I have yet to find salsa nirvana in PR.
Seattle has a pretty big scene. Probably more social dancers than DC, and about equivalent to Atlanta in terms of size.
Hawaii (Oahu)'s scene is pretty small. Same with Portland. You can still get quality dances/music/floor, however. Denver's scene is bigger than those two, but it's still a relatively small scene. Roughly equivalent to Baltimore.
I went searching for salsa in Vegas (once). I think I picked an off night/wrong club. But that was several years ago. Same goes for searching in Tampa.
Can we include Canada as well? I like the scenes in Montreal and Vancouver a lot.
Regarding PR - if I were to live there, my dancing would have to undergo a major overhaul, since I had a tough time dancing with the locals when I visited vin last week. Still, the music is world class! And wow, there were quite a few beautiful women around. Even moreso than what I'll normally notice.
Hawaii (Oahu)'s scene is pretty small. Same with Portland. You can still get quality dances/music/floor, however. Denver's scene is bigger than those two, but it's still a relatively small scene. Roughly equivalent to Baltimore.
I went searching for salsa in Vegas (once). I think I picked an off night/wrong club. But that was several years ago. Same goes for searching in Tampa.
Can we include Canada as well? I like the scenes in Montreal and Vancouver a lot.
Regarding PR - if I were to live there, my dancing would have to undergo a major overhaul, since I had a tough time dancing with the locals when I visited vin last week. Still, the music is world class! And wow, there were quite a few beautiful women around. Even moreso than what I'll normally notice.
mayanempire
New Member
Nothing tops NYC for me.
Boston, DC, and Chicago would follow. South Florida has really grown on me over the past two years (there are sooo many great dancers in the state of Florida, period--and they travel all over the state).
Smaller scenes: Raleigh/Durham, Atlanta
Other places I've visited (LA, PR, Toronto, etc.) are difficult for me to comment on, because I have only visited around congress time, and didn't really get a genuine, undiluted taste of the local scene.
Boston, DC, and Chicago would follow. South Florida has really grown on me over the past two years (there are sooo many great dancers in the state of Florida, period--and they travel all over the state).
Smaller scenes: Raleigh/Durham, Atlanta
Other places I've visited (LA, PR, Toronto, etc.) are difficult for me to comment on, because I have only visited around congress time, and didn't really get a genuine, undiluted taste of the local scene.
GayleR
New Member
I enjoyed L.A. alot this past September. Vegas was fun, but not great in terms of available venues or levels of dancers, SF was a bust for me because of what I perceived to be limited choice (most likely due to my time restrictions).
I enjoy Montreal but Toronto has a large scene and you can dance every night of the week in a wide variety of venues including clubs, socials, parties and workshops. Plus for you US folks, we're only an hour's drive from Buffalo. Or a 1 hour flight from NYC. Come on up.
I enjoy Montreal but Toronto has a large scene and you can dance every night of the week in a wide variety of venues including clubs, socials, parties and workshops. Plus for you US folks, we're only an hour's drive from Buffalo. Or a 1 hour flight from NYC. Come on up.