Salsa in NYC

Medira

Medira

New Member
I'm going to be visiting friends in NYC near the end of May. I've never been before, so I'm very excited. I was talking to one of the two friends the other day and semi-jokingly suggested going out to a salsa club one night while I'm there. Well...she's thrilled with the idea! So, I'm hoping that some of you out there can help me out with a venue choice for a Saturday night.

Is there a place that's relatively friendly/accomodating for new/non-dancers? One of the two friends has done a bit of salsa and the other isn't a dancer. If there's a place with a bit of an introductory lesson before the dancing starts for the evening, that would be even better.

So...any suggestions?

Thanks!
M
 
The people have been really friendly to me and my Philly peeps.
I love going up there to dance and I go regularly.
Do you dance on 2 which is the major style there?

The following calendar is reliable. Just see what's happening on the night you're there click on it and it will tell you all you need to know. :wink:

http://www.salsanewyork.com/calendar.htm
 
Which is better for experienced salseras from out of town? Santo Rico Social, or Copacabana? Will people be welcoming to new faces?
 
I'm no expert but I've really liked SOB's for chill nights / bringing beginner friends. They have a really fun lesson early in the evening (Mon and Fri).

Skwiggy - Copacabana is a huge club with tons of rooms and all types of music. It's crowded and wouldn't be my first choice - I'd go to one of the socials. I have found them to be quite welcoming to out-of-towners, yes. (Especially if you dance On2).
 
Sorry for the late response...the end of the week got really hectic!


ArtsySalsera said:
Do you dance on 2 which is the major style there?
Click to expand...

I usually dance on 2, but I can do on 1 as well...I'm not picky. ;) Thanks for the URL.


Leah said:
I'm no expert but I've really liked SOB's for chill nights / bringing beginner friends. They have a really fun lesson early in the evening (Mon and Fri).
Click to expand...

SOB's? The early evening lesson sounds great, but my flight will be getting in too late on Friday night to make use of it, I think.
 
1. COPA - the best night for dancers for the copa is tuesdays, and even then, there is a fairly high "not really a dancer" quotient. also fairly high on the "hi i'm a suspicious middle-aged man with oily hair and gold chains, please dance with me mami" quotient.

2. SANTO RICO - that crowd is clique-ish, in my experience. wouldn't be my first choice for a drive-by.

3. My Recommendation - if you're here through sunday evening, go to either Jimmy Anton's or Carlos Konig's sunday social (they alternate sundays so you're guaranteed to be here for one or the other.) carlos' is smaller and friendlier, but with the same dancers as Jimmy's (just fewer of them, which is a good thing because Jimmy's is frequently too hot and too crowded to dance.)


I never go dancing on Saturday nights - I don't think many serious NYC salseros do. Sometimes on Fridays I go to the Dance New York/DJ Rumberos thing (see the calendar) but the crowd can be sparse.
 
So if Saturday night is our only night there, would you recommend that we choose another activity?
 
alemana said:
1. COPA - the best night for dancers for the copa is tuesdays, and even then, there is a fairly high "not really a dancer" quotient. also fairly high on the "hi i'm a suspicious middle-aged man with oily hair and gold chains, please dance with me mami" quotient.
Click to expand...
*LOL* Sounds like some of the places around here... Good thing to know.

alemana said:
3. My Recommendation - if you're here through sunday evening, go to either Jimmy Anton's or Carlos Konig's sunday social (they alternate sundays so you're guaranteed to be here for one or the other.) carlos' is smaller and friendlier, but with the same dancers as Jimmy's (just fewer of them, which is a good thing because Jimmy's is frequently too hot and too crowded to dance.)
Click to expand...
Hmm...I'll have to see what's going on with "he who may have to be back in NJ for work on Monday morning". Could you give me some more details on this? (Time? Location?) Also, how would the crowd be for the friend who only knows a little bit fo salsa and the other friend who is a total non-dancer, but is willing to give it a try? We have tickets to see Spamalot on Sunday, but I don't know if it's a matinee or evening show...I'll have to find out.

Thanks for the info! :)
 
both sunday socials start and begin early - get there by 6, you can be done by 8:30.

location and all details are available on the URL listed in earlier in this thread: http://www.salsanewyork.com/calendar.htm.

i guess i didn't realize you were bringing nondancers - really it's hard to go out successfully with a small group where people are at radically different levels, unless you go to a social at a ballroom studio where the level of salsa dancing is low. typically those socials are friday nights, however, not saturdays.

i know some beginners who go to the sunday socials, and provided your friends don't have fragile egos, they could get some dancing in. give them a primer on etiquette and they could very well have a swell time.


regarding saturday night - i would chose the Mambo2ChaCha social if it's on the Saturday you'll be here, and i have been wanting to check out the Soho Dance saturday socials too (once a month. it's a new studio.) but other than that, yeah, saturday isn't the day to go dancing in nyc. we call it amateur night :)
 
I hope you have a great time in NYC when you come. The salsa dancing is great here and there always visitors in town. As Saturday is one of the most non-consistent days for good salsa dancing, your best bet would be to check the link listed earlier in this thread for SalsaNewYork's calendar. If there are any good events it would probably listed here. If you will be here on Sat 5/21, I can suggest a good party with a few performances as well.
 
On Saturday I'm going to the Soho Dance Studio social. I haven't been but I'm curious to check it out.

http://www.salsanewyork.com/calendar.htm

See the entry for saturday. Also, the couple from SALSA CON CLAVE that are performing - I saw them at Jimmy's on Sunday and they are freaking dynamite. Too many tricks for my taste but an electric performance nonetheless.
 
Reggaemambo said:
If you will be here on Sat 5/21, I can suggest a good party with a few performances as well.
Click to expand...
Actually, that is the weekend I'll be there! :D Suggest away! None of our plans are set yet.

Ooh, I'm getting so excited!
 
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